Chris Watts, incarcerated for the 2018 murders of his pregnant wife, Shanann, and their two young daughters, Bella and Celeste, is reportedly planning to marry a woman named Lizzie Henderson.
Henderson, 39, who is a realtor, has relocated from Ohio to Wisconsin to be closer to Watts at the Dodge Correctional Institution in Waupun. Relatives of Henderson have stated that she and Watts have applied to marry within the prison system, and she has begun using the name "Lizzie Watts." Photos obtained by the Daily Mail show her wearing rings on her wedding finger, and court records indicate she has filed for a legal name change.
Prison visit logs show Henderson is a frequent visitor. An eyewitness at the facility reported observing Watts and Henderson engaged in a passionate embrace during a visit in August 2025, one day after the seventh anniversary of the murders. Prison policy generally restricts physical contact to a brief embrace at the end of visits.
Henderson confirmed her relationship with Watts in a phone interview, describing it as "weird" and stating that how their relationship began was "between me, him and God." When asked about Watts' crimes, she called them "something harsh for anyone to experience," appearing to downplay their severity. She also indicated that Watts knew how she felt about his actions.
Watts pleaded guilty to the murders of his family and was sentenced to multiple consecutive life sentences without parole. He told authorities that he killed his family because he felt trapped in his marriage and desired a new life with a colleague with whom he was having an affair. The judge who sentenced Watts described his crimes as the most brutal he had ever seen.
Henderson reportedly visited Watts 20 times in 2024 and spent Christmas Day with him. Her family members were aware she was dating an incarcerated individual but were reportedly unaware of his identity or the full extent of his crimes until contacted by the Daily Mail. Her brother, Johnny Henderson, expressed shock upon learning the details, calling the situation "kind of messed up."
Watts' former stepfather, George Wilson Jr., stated he was aware of the relationship and that marriage had been discussed. He also claimed a marriage request had been submitted to prison officials, though such requests require strict approval from the warden under Wisconsin regulations.
Henderson, who has an active real estate license in Wisconsin, is reportedly working at a local supermarket and is believed to be caring for her mother, whom she moved with from Ohio. This new life has been established around her plans to marry Watts. Investigations into Watts' history have also revealed other past relationships with admirers and pen-pal girlfriends since his conviction.