Convicted family killer Chris Watts, who murdered his pregnant wife and two young daughters in 2018, has continued to engage in sexual communications from prison, revealing a pattern of behavior that experts suggest fueled his crimes. Investigations into Watts's activities behind bars indicate a persistent obsession with sex and female attention, extending beyond his initial motive of starting a new life with a colleague.
Watts confessed to strangling his wife, Shanann, and suffocating their daughters, Bella and Celeste, before disposing of their bodies. He was sentenced to life in prison in November 2018. While prosecutors initially argued he killed his family to be with his mistress, Nichol Kessinger, new evidence suggests a deeper, more compulsive sexual drive was at play.
Prison Correspondence and Fantasies
Sources close to Watts, including fellow inmates and prison penpals, report that he has shared graphic details of his past sexual exploits and fantasies. These accounts include boasts about threesomes, pornographic material, and the use of unconventional sex toys. Cherlyn Cadle, a true crime author who has maintained extensive correspondence with Watts, stated that he relished recounting sexual details, including those involving his mistresses, and confided secrets he intended to keep hidden.
Watts has written hundreds of letters from prison, some of which contain spiritual reflections and others that are overtly sexual. In correspondence with admirers, he has expressed intense desires, requested explicit photographs, and written about wanting physical intimacy. One letter to an admirer named Deborah in 2025 stated, "I want to feel your body. I want to be next to you, inside you. But that is impossible now."
A Pattern of Behavior
Psychologists suggest that Watts's behavior in prison aligns with a pattern of "sexual boundary crossing" that predated the murders. John Delatorre, a psychologist interviewed by the Daily Mail, noted that such deviant behavior often escalates. Watts engaged in affairs in the months leading up to the killings, actions that Delatorre described as breaking down social barriers.
One woman who claims to have had an affair with Watts before he met Kessinger, Amanda McMahon, described an "animalistic fury" that Watts exhibited during sex, including aggressive choking. She stated, "He went from normal to crazy, like brutal, almost. I was scared to really say anything."
Manipulation and Control
Experts believe Watts's pursuit of attention from women in prison is less about seeking validation and more about maintaining a sense of control and manipulation. Delatorre suggested that Watts desires to be "worshiped" and uses attention from women to manipulate them. This behavior, he argued, allows Watts to feel powerful and in control, even while incarcerated.
Despite his prison confinement, Watts has reportedly continued to seek attention from women. Cadle indicated that Watts has sent romantic and sexual letters to at least a dozen women since his arrest, suggesting that his need for female attention is a fundamental aspect of his personality. He has also been seen with a new girlfriend, 39-year-old realtor Lizzie Henderson, who was reportedly wearing a wedding ring when spotted in Wisconsin.
Shifting Blame
In some of his prison correspondence, Watts has avoided taking full responsibility for the murders, instead blaming Nichol Kessinger. He has referred to her as a "harlot" and a "Jezebel," claiming she enticed him into his murderous actions. Delatorre stated that individuals like Watts often replace guilt and shame with anger and hatred, making it easier to assign blame to others and cast themselves as victims.
Watts's continued engagement in sexual communications and fantasies from prison suggests that these impulses were a critical, overlooked factor in the family murders. As Cadle observed, "I think the sex stuff is just who he is."