The murders of pregnant mother Shanann Watts, her two young daughters and unborn son shocked the world in 2018. The case drew massive attention after Shanann’s husband, Chris Watts, appeared on TV pleading for his family’s safe return, later confessing having killed them.
Now, newly revealed text messages to a friend are shedding more light on Shanann’s final days.
According to messages published by The Daily Mail, Shanann Watts had become increasingly worried about her marriage in the weeks leading up to her death.
In a text message sent to a friend, she described a heartbreaking moment with her husband,Chris Watts, during an ultrasound appointment for the couple’s unborn son.
“I grabbed his hand during the ultrasound, and he didn’t grab back,” she wrote.
At the time, the couple already had two daughters Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3.
In another message, Shanann reportedly claimed her husband had admitted he was unhappy about the pregnancy.
“Chris told me last night he’s scared to death about this third baby, and he’s happy with just Bella and Celeste.”
Shanann also allegedly told her friend that her husband said the couple were “not compatible anymore.”
Gender reveal party suddenly canceled
The newly published records also revealed that Shanann had spent hundreds of dollars preparing for a gender reveal party planned for August 19.
The celebration never happened, however.
Shortly before canceling the party Shanann reportedly told a friend she believed her husband might be having an affair.
“I haven’t slept most of the week. My eyes burn from crying so much, she wrote in another message.”
Friends later said the expecting mother had still hoped to save the marriage despite growing concerns about her husband’s behavior.
Chris Watts later confessed
After returning home from a business trip to Arizona on August 13, 2018, Shanann reportedly confronted her husband about their relationship. It led to an argument, during which investigators later said Chris admitted to having an affair with his co-worker.
He confessed to strangling Shanann inside the family’s home before killing the couple’s daughters and hiding their bodies at an oil site where he worked.
Authorities later uncovered surveillance footage showing him loading his truck shortly before the bodies were discovered.
In November 2018, Chris pleaded guilty to multiple murder charges and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
READ MORE
- Chris Watts’ dark ‘fantasy’ that drove him to murder entire family revealed by prison pen pal
- Chris Watts’ cellmate reveals chilling claim he made about murders of wife and two kids
