Deborah Chan
On August 13, 2018, Chris Watts murdered his pregnant wife, Shanann Watts, and their two children, Bella and Celeste. In the aftermath of the murders, Shanann's wedding ring was found on the bedside table. It is speculated that Watts left the ring there as a message to his girlfriend, Kessinger, that he was separating from his wife. Shanann's parents took possession of the ring, but it is unclear what they ultimately did with it.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wedding ring cost | $12,000 |
| Wedding ring's resale value | $500 |
| Shanann Watts' wedding ring location | On the bedside table |
| Shanann Watts' wedding ring current owner | Shanann Watts' parents |
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What You'll Learn
Shanann Watts' wedding ring was found on the bedside table
On August 13, 2018, Shanann Watts and her two daughters, Bella and Celeste, were reported missing. Two days later, on August 15, Chris Watts, Shanann's husband, confessed to murdering his wife and children. He was subsequently arrested and charged with three counts of first-degree murder.
In the days following the disappearance, police conducted a search of the Watts residence. During this search, Shanann Watts' wedding ring was found on the bedside table. This discovery, along with the fact that a self-help book was found in the trash, was seen as a way for Watts to communicate to his girlfriend, Kessinger, that he was trying to separate from his wife.
In the months leading up to the murders, it became clear that the Watts' marriage was in trouble. Shanann Watts was trying to portray her husband as a great father and perfect husband to the public, while also hiding signs of trouble in their marriage. At the same time, Watts was having an affair with Kessinger and was trying to separate from his wife.
Shanann Watts' wedding ring, which was reportedly purchased for $12,000, was eventually given to her parents. While some commenters on the case have suggested that the ring should have been destroyed or returned to Chris Watts, others have argued that it held sentimental value for Shanann and should be kept by her family.
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The ring was purchased for $12,000
On August 13, 2018, Chris Watts murdered his pregnant wife, Shanann, and their two children, Bella and Celeste. Shanann's wedding ring was found on the bedside table during a search of the couple's home.
Shanann's ring was a symbol of the commitment she believed she and Chris had made to each other. While some have criticised Shanann for spending Chris's entire savings on the ring, others have defended her, arguing that she did not know what Chris was capable of and that the ring made her happy.
In the weeks and months before the murders, Chris was trying to separate from Shanann. He was having an affair with a woman named Kessinger and had told her that he was in the midst of a divorce. However, divorce proceedings had not started, and Shanann was still hoping to repair the marriage.
Chris initially denied killing his family and pleaded for their safe return. However, he failed a polygraph test and later confessed to murdering Shanann and their children. He was sentenced to five life sentences without the possibility of parole, with three to be served consecutively.
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Shanann's parents took possession of the ring
On August 13, 2018, Chris Watts murdered his pregnant wife, Shanann, and their two children, Bella and Celeste. Shanann was strangled, while the two girls were smothered and dumped in oil tanks. Chris was sentenced to five life sentences without the possibility of parole, with three to be served consecutively.
In the aftermath of the murders, the whereabouts of Shanann's wedding ring became a topic of discussion. During the initial search of the Watts residence, Shanann's wedding ring was found on the bedside table. It is speculated that Chris left the ring there as a way of communicating to his girlfriend, Kessinger, that he was separating from Shanann.
The tragic case of the Watts family has been featured in various media, including Netflix's "American Murder: The Family Next Door," which includes body-cam footage, home videos, text messages, and interrogation room footage. The case has also sparked discussions about the dynamics of the couple's relationship, with some speculating that Shanann was trying to save her marriage and control Chris into not going through with a divorce.
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Shanann's marriage to Chris Watts was in trouble
On August 13, 2018, Chris Watts murdered his pregnant wife, Shanann, and their two children, Bella and Celeste. In the months leading up to the murders, it is clear that Shanann's marriage to Chris Watts was in trouble.
Shanann Watts was a seller of a product called "Thrive" for a multi-level marketing company. Her job and income depended on projecting an image of success and happiness. The couple had declared bankruptcy in 2015 and had less than $2000 in savings, yet Shanann spent $12,000 on her wedding ring. In the weeks before the murders, Shanann was publicly portraying her husband as a great father and the perfect husband. She was also recording him and posting the videos on Facebook, making it difficult for him to admit to an affair or initiate a divorce.
Shanann was aware of the issues in her marriage. She had noticed her husband losing weight and flirting with a colleague, Nichol Kessinger, and had even confided in a friend that she didn't think he was cheating. She was also speaking to a divorce lawyer about custody three-and-a-half months before the murders, indicating a protracted period of unhappiness.
Chris Watts, for his part, was trying to separate from his wife in the weeks and months before the murders. He had started an affair with Nichol Kessinger and was telling her that he was in the midst of a divorce and that the sale of the house was being finalized, neither of which was true.
The wedding ring, left on the bedside table, was a way for Watts to communicate to his mistress that he was no longer committed to his wife. Shanann's parents now have possession of the ring.
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Chris Watts murdered Shanann and their two children
Chris Watts murdered his pregnant wife, Shanann, and their two young daughters, Bella and Celeste. Shanann was facing health problems in 2010 when she met Chris. They got married in 2012 and started a family after moving to Colorado. The couple lived in a five-bedroom home in Frederick, Colorado, and declared bankruptcy in 2015.
In the weeks and months before the murders, Watts was trying to separate from his wife. He was having an affair with a co-worker, Nichol Kessinger, and told her that he was in the midst of a divorce. However, divorce proceedings had not started, and Shanann was trying to save their marriage. She was deliberately hiding the fact that her marriage was in trouble, possibly because her job and income depended on selling the idea of a happy family.
On August 13, 2018, Chris strangled Shanann with his bare hands and smothered his two daughters. He disposed of their bodies at an Anadarko Petroleum site where he had previously worked. On August 15, two days after his wife and daughters were reported missing, Watts confessed to killing Shanann, but falsely claimed that he did so because Shanann had smothered their daughters. However, investigators did not believe his story as it did not match the evidence.
Watts was charged with three counts of first-degree murder, one count of unlawful termination of a pregnancy, and three counts of tampering with a deceased human body. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole and has been incarcerated mainly in Wisconsin.
As for Shanann Watts' wedding ring, it was a $12,000 ring purchased with Chris Watts' entire savings. It is not known what happened to the ring after the murders, but some people believe it was returned to her parents.
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Frequently asked questions
Shanann Watts' wedding ring was found on the bedside table during a search of her house. Her parents took possession of it, but it is unclear what they did with it.
The wedding ring cost $12,000.
Shanann Watts was a 34-year-old pregnant woman who was murdered by her husband, Christopher Lee Watts, on 13 August 2018.
Shanann Watts was murdered by her husband, Chris Watts, who strangled her to death. He also murdered their two children, Bella and Celeste, by suffocation.
There are conflicting reports about the motive behind the murders. One source suggests that Chris Watts was trying to separate from his wife before the murders, and that the wedding ring being left on the bedside table was a way of communicating this to his new partner. Another source indicates that Chris Watts murdered Shanann Watts after a fight about wanting to separate, and because she had told him that he would never see his children again.
