5 Chilling Facts About Chris Watts’ Life In Prison: Is The Family Annihilator Still Alive?

As of December 18, 2025, Chris Watts is confirmed to be alive and remains incarcerated, serving multiple consecutive life sentences for the brutal 2018 murders of his pregnant wife, Shanann Watts, and their two young daughters, Bella and Celeste. The sheer horror of the Watts family murders has made Chris Watts one of the most infamous criminals in recent American history, and public fascination with his current status continues to this day. His life behind bars is a stark contrast to the family man facade he once presented in Frederick, Colorado. The convicted family annihilator, 40, is currently housed at a maximum-security facility out of state, having been moved for his own protection due to the high-profile nature of his crimes. While the world remembers the gruesome details of the August 2018 tragedy, Watts's reality is now a monotonous, isolated existence within the walls of a Wisconsin correctional facility, where he reportedly spends his days working and reflecting on his horrific actions.

Christopher Lee Watts: A Complete Biographical Profile

Christopher Lee Watts, known simply as Chris Watts, was an American man who gained international notoriety after confessing to the murder of his entire family in 2018. His case became the subject of intense media scrutiny and the basis for the popular Netflix documentary, *American Murder: The Family Next Door*.

• Full Name: Christopher Lee Watts
• Born: May 16, 1985
• Age (as of 2025): 40 years old
• Birthplace: Fayetteville, North Carolina
• Marital Status: Married to Shanann Watts (deceased)
• Children: Bella Watts (4, deceased), Celeste Watts (3, deceased), Nico Watts (unborn son, deceased)
• Residence at Time of Crimes: Frederick, Colorado
• Occupation: Former Operator at Anadarko Petroleum Corporation
• Date of Murders: August 13, 2018
• Victims: Shanann Watts (34, pregnant with Nico), Bella Watts (4), and Celeste Watts (3)
• Motive (Alleged): Desire to start a new life with his mistress, Nichol Kessinger.
• Sentence: Three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.
• Current Location: Dodge Correctional Institution, Waupun, Wisconsin.

The Chilling Details of Chris Watts’ Life Sentence and Charges

Chris Watts avoided the death penalty by accepting a plea deal on November 6, 2018, a decision that was made with the consent of Shanann's parents, the Rzucek family, who wished to avoid a prolonged trial. The Weld County District Attorney’s Office formally charged Watts with a total of nine counts related to the murders. His final sentencing resulted in a staggering punishment that ensured he would never be a free man again.

A Breakdown of Watts' Multiple Life Sentences

Watts was convicted and sentenced on the following charges, with the judge ordering the life sentences to be served consecutively, one after the other.

• Three Counts of First-Degree Murder: One for Shanann, one for Bella, and one for Celeste. These resulted in three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.
• Two Counts of Murder in the First Degree (for a child under 12): These were for Bella and Celeste.
• One Count of Unlawful Termination of a Pregnancy: This charge was for the death of his unborn son, Nico Watts, who was 15 weeks along. This carried an additional 48 years.
• Three Counts of Tampering with a Deceased Human Body: One for each victim, which added a further 36 years to his total sentence.

The total sentence is effectively a permanent incarceration, locking him away from the public for the rest of his natural life within the walls of the Colorado Department of Corrections system, though he was transferred out of state.

Where Chris Watts Is Imprisoned Now and His Daily Routine

Following his sentencing, Chris Watts was transferred from Colorado to the Dodge Correctional Institution, a maximum-security prison located in Waupun, Wisconsin. This move was deemed necessary by the Colorado Department of Corrections due to the high-profile nature of his crimes and the risk of violence from other inmates. Watts's day-to-day life is one of extreme isolation and regimentation. He is generally kept away from the general population, spending most of his time either in his cell or in isolated work environments.

The Monotonous Reality of Life Behind Bars

According to reports, Watts’s routine is simple and solitary. He is known to keep to himself and has very few, if any, visitors. * Prison Job: Watts holds a job within the facility, working as a custodian. This is a common role for inmates who are required to maintain the prison environment. * Isolation: Due to his status as a family annihilator, Watts is highly vulnerable to attacks. He is largely segregated, limiting his interaction with other inmates. * Communication: Watts has maintained communication with a few individuals through letters, which have provided insight into his current mindset. In these letters, he has described himself as "haunted" and "hopeless." He has also reportedly claimed that God has forgiven him, a claim many find deeply disturbing given the nature of his crimes. More recently, he has attempted to shift blame onto other women for his actions.

The Enduring Legacy of the Watts Family Murders

The tragedy of August 13, 2018, continues to resonate globally, not just because of the gruesome crime, but because of the betrayal of trust and the chilling normalcy Watts projected in the days following the murders. The investigation, which included a televised plea for his family's return and a failed polygraph test, captivated millions. The victims—Shanann, Bella, Celeste, and Nico—are often remembered as the central figures in this case, not the killer. Shanann was a vibrant, active woman who documented her life and family extensively on social media, making the sudden disappearance and subsequent discovery of the bodies at his former work site, Cervi 319, all the more shocking. The Watts case serves as a dark reminder of the hidden dangers that can lurk behind the facade of a perfect family life, and the intense scrutiny that follows a crime of this magnitude. Chris Watts remains alive, but his existence is a perpetual punishment, isolated from the world he so violently rejected.