Shanann Rzucek never expects to fall in love with a man who sent her a random friend request, but two years later, she marries Chris Watts and moves from North Carolina to Colorado with her new husband.

Just after celebrating their first anniversary, the couple welcomes baby Bella into the world, and she becomes a big sister to Celeste at two years old. Despite financial struggles, the family is incredibly happy to learn they are expecting a little boy and break the news to Shanann’s parents on a summer vacation to North Carolina.

While Shanann Watts is in North Carolina with Bella and Celeste, Chris Watts makes his move on co-worker Nichol Kessinger. The pair has their first date just a week after Shanann left. Watts tells Kessinger he’s in the process of divorcing Shanann, and the relationship quickly becomes serious.

Kessinger is even looking at wedding dresses!

Cheryln Cadle, a grandmother of eleven who has only previously written short newspaper stories about true crime, feels an intense calling to reach out to Chris Watts—serving five consecutive life sentences for the murder of his pregnant wife and two little girls—and write a book about his story.

Cadle is surprised to receive a letter back, knowing Watts receives hundreds of letters. When Cadle meets with Watts behind bars, he says he will not speak to her about the murders—but he will write letters about what really happened on August 13th.

Watts writes to Cadle that he “never would have killed his family” if he hadn’t met Nikki, his Anadarko co-worker, Nichol Kessinger. Cadle says Watts was ‘mesmerized’ by Kessinger and felt she gave him a respect Shanann never did. Watts writes as his relationship with Kessinger grew, he actually contemplated killing his family for weeks.

Even before his homicidal daydreams, Watts tries to end Shanann’s pregnancy by giving her oxycodone, because Nikki tells him she wanted to give him his first son.

Watts addresses some of his letters to Shanann and the girls directly, discussing how badly it hurts that they’re gone. Watts often refers to them in the present tense, and Cadle observes Watts acts more like they died in an accident than that he murdered them.

Cadle also notices Watts never once apologizes to them for what happened. Confronted with that omission, Watts tells Cadle he didn’t realize he never expressed his remorse and says he is sorry.

Cadle says the few times Watts discusses the murders with her in person, his eyes turn almost black.

Joining Nancy Grace today:

Cheryln Cadle - CC Publishing, Author of “The Murders of Christopher Watts” and “The Many Faces of Christopher Watts: A 5-year Update”

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