Shanann Rzucek never anticipated finding love through a random friend request, but two years later, she tied the knot with Chris Watts. The newlyweds left North Carolina behind and made a fresh start in Colorado.

Following their first anniversary, Shanann and Chris welcomed their daughter Bella. Two years later, Bella became a big sister to Celeste. Despite facing financial challenges, the couple was overjoyed to discover they were expecting a boy. They shared this joyous news with Shanann’s parents during a summer trip to North Carolina.

While Shanann and her daughters were visiting North Carolina, Chris began an affair with his colleague, Nichol Kessinger. Merely a week after Shanann’s departure, Chris and Nichol went on their first date. Chris falsely claimed to Nichol that he was in the midst of a divorce, and their relationship quickly intensified.

In fact, Nichol was already browsing wedding dresses!

Cheryln Cadle, a grandmother of eleven with a background in writing short newspaper pieces on true crime, felt compelled to connect with Chris Watts. Serving five consecutive life sentences for the murder of his pregnant wife and daughters, Watts became the subject of Cadle’s book inspired by his tragic story.

Cadle is surprised to receive a letter back, knowing Watts receives hundreds of letters. When Cadle meets with Watts behind bars, he says he will not speak to her about the murders—but he will write letters about what really happened on August 13th.

Watts writes to Cadle that he “never would have killed his family” if he hadn’t met Nikki, his Anadarko co-worker, Nichol Kessinger. Cadle says Watts was ‘mesmerized’ by Kessinger and felt she gave him a respect Shanann never did. Watts writes as his relationship with Kessinger grew, he actually contemplated killing his family for weeks.

Even before his homicidal daydreams, Watts tries to end Shanann’s pregnancy by giving her oxycodone, because Nikki tells him she wanted to give him his first son.

Watts addresses some of his letters to Shanann and the girls directly, discussing how badly it hurts that they’re gone. Watts often refers to them in the present tense, and Cadle observes Watts acts more like they died in an accident than that he murdered them.

Cadle also notices Watts never once apologizes to them for what happened. Confronted with that omission, Watts tells Cadle he didn’t realize he never expressed his remorse and says he is sorry.

Cadle says the few times Watts discusses the murders with her in person, his eyes turn almost black.

Joining Nancy Grace today:

Cheryln Cadle – CC Publishing, Author of “The Murders of Christopher Watts” and “The Many Faces of Christopher Watts: A 5-year Update”

“Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” on Fox Nation is also a national radio show on SiriusXM channel 111, airing for two hours daily starting at 12 p.m. EST. You can also subscribe and download the daily podcasts at iHeart Podcasts.

[Feature Photo: Watts family/Facebook]