Amanda McMahon, who had a relationship with convicted murderer Chris Watts, has broken her eight-year silence to share new details about their affair and Watts' behavior prior to the killings of his pregnant wife, Shanann, and their two young daughters.
In an exclusive interview for the Daily Mail's "Trial USA" podcast, McMahon stated that her relationship with Watts lasted for months, not days, as she had initially told investigators. She described the affair as beginning in April or May 2017 via Tinder and continuing for approximately eight months. McMahon's account contradicts her earlier statements to police that their relationship was a brief fling.
McMahon detailed unsettling experiences during their relationship, including Watts becoming "extremely rough" during their first sexual encounter and choking her without consent. She also recalled Watts vilifying his wife, referring to Shanann Watts as a "gold digger" and a "psycho," and blaming her for his unhappiness. Watts had reportedly told McMahon that he was separated from his wife and referred to Shanann only as his "baby mama."
On the podcast, investigative reporter Luke Kenton, who conducted the interview, noted that Watts' apparent "lust for violence" was a recurring theme. McMahon expressed her later realization and fear that Watts might have been directing anger toward her that he actually harbored for Shanann.
Chris Watts strangled his wife, Shanann Watts, 34, at their Colorado home on August 13, 2018. He then transported their daughters, Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3, to a remote oil field, where he smothered them and concealed their bodies in oil tanks. Shanann Watts was buried in a shallow grave nearby.
Investigators discovered Watts had been leading a double life, including an affair with a coworker, Nichol Kessinger, in the weeks leading up to the murders. Prosecutors argued that Watts murdered his family to start a new life without them. Watts is currently serving a life sentence.
McMahon recounted the "harrowing moment" she realized she had been involved with a killer, which occurred months after their affair had ended. The interview is featured in the latest episode of "Trial USA," an award-winning podcast from the Daily Mail that is marking the eighth anniversary of the 2018 killings.