Chris Watts, who is serving multiple life sentences for the 2018 murders of his pregnant wife, Shanann, and their two young daughters, Bella and Celeste, is reportedly planning to marry again. The news has prompted public outcry and renewed debate surrounding the rights of incarcerated individuals, particularly concerning marriage.
Watts confessed to strangling his wife, Shanann, 34, and then suffocating their daughters, Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3. He admitted to killing his family in cold blood, not in a fit of rage, and subsequently disposing of their bodies in oil tanks and a shallow grave. He was transferred from a Colorado prison to one in Wisconsin due to safety concerns.
Reports indicate that Watts's fiancée, identified as 39-year-old Lizzie Henderson, has moved to Wisconsin to be closer to him. An eyewitness reportedly saw Watts and Henderson being physically affectionate in a public area of the prison shortly after the seventh anniversary of the murders. Henderson, who previously worked as a realtor in Ohio, has reportedly changed her surname to Watts.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1987 that marriage is a constitutionally protected right that extends to prisoners. Despite this ruling, the circumstances of Watts's crimes have led to widespread questioning of whether individuals convicted of heinous crimes should retain the right to marry and pursue relationships while incarcerated.
Commentary surrounding the case suggests a need for federal laws to potentially restrict remarriage for individuals convicted of severe crimes like Watts. Concerns have been raised about the possibility of such inmates fathering children through new marriages or sperm donations. Comparisons have been drawn to other high-profile inmates, such as Scott Peterson and Lyle Menendez, who have also married while serving life sentences.
The case also highlights the apparent paradox of prison systems prioritizing the well-being and rights of inmates, even those convicted of extreme violence, while their victims' families endure lasting grief. The legal framework that allows Watts to marry while serving sentences for the murders of his family has become a focal point of public discussion and ethical debate.