In the weeks leading up to her tragic death, Shanann Watts was meticulously organizing a gender reveal party, an event that would be her last, as revealed by financial documents obtained by the Daily Mail.

Shanann, a devoted mother of two, invested hundreds of dollars into making the event memorable, purchasing a cake, cookies, various party supplies, and floral arrangements.

However, plans for the celebration were abruptly canceled just 11 days before the event when Chris Watts, her husband, confessed he was not ready for a third child, according to a series of devastating text messages.

At 34, Shanann had envisioned hosting around 50 guests at their Frederick, Colorado home on August 19, 2018, for the special celebration.

Her credit card statements reveal purchases amounting to $482.94 for cake and party food from Costco, a $124.37 cookie arrangement, $89 for flowers, and $168.40 for party supplies.

But the event was canceled on August 8 and instead of celebrating their impending arrival, Shanann asked her husband for a divorce.

Five days later and at 15 weeks pregnant, she was dead. Watts strangled her before fatally suffocating their two daughters Bella, four and Celeste, three. 

The Daily Mail has obtained tragic texts Shanann sent to a friend revealing her anguish over her marriage in the run up to her murder.

Shanann Watts was 15 weeks pregnant with her third child when she was strangled to death by her husband Chris Watts. Pictured: The couple with their two daughters Bella, four, and Celeste, three

She had planned a gender reveal for around 50 people to be held on August 19, 2018, which she ultimately canceled amid mounting tension in her marriage

The Daily Mail obtained credit card statements which outline the efforts that Shanann went to to plan her gender reveal before she was forced to cancel it

‘Chris told me last night he’s scared to death about this third baby and he’s happy with just Bella and Celeste and doesn’t want another baby,’ she texted one close friend just hours after she had gone shopping for the party on August 7.

‘He said we’re not compatible anymore. He refused to hug me after he said he will try to “work it out.”‘

In another message on the same date, Shanann wrote: ‘I grabbed his hand during ultrasound and he didn’t grab back.’ 

A disappointed Shanann decided to call off her party and disinvited her guests – but did not get a refund for the hundreds of dollars she had spent. 

She had entrusted her friend Nicki Atkinson as the only person who knew her baby’s gender.

Had the celebration gone ahead, Shanann would have learned she was carrying a boy by popping a balloon which Atkinson would have filled with blue confetti.

The couple had settled on the name Nico for their unborn child, which many have pointed out was eerily similar to the name of Watt’s mistress, Nichol Kessinger. 

Shanann’s family said the name was actually a nod to her Italian heritage. 

Shanann canceled the party and later on August 7 asked Watts for a divorce after voicing suspicions he was cheating to a friend. 

‘I haven’t slept most of the week. My eyes burn from crying so much,’ she wrote in a text to a friend. ‘I canceled gender reveal. Nicki is going to tell me [the baby’s gender] today. I need happy news today.’ 

Heartbreaking texts sent to a friend reveal the depth of Shanann’s anguish over her rapidly unraveling marriage as well as her suspicions Watts was cheating

Shanann splashed out hundreds of dollars for a cake, cookie arrangements, party supplies and flowers for the canceled party

‘This baby in my belly deserves his full love either way,’ she added. 

But she never got to welcome Nico into the world. 

The next day, Shanann headed to Arizona on a business trip, texting friends that she would figure things out upon her return.

According to Watts’s confession, Shanann returned home from her trip early on the morning of August 13 and the two had sex just hours before he went on to murder her.

The couple began arguing about their relationship and Watts confessed that he was having an affair. 

Angry and hurt, Shanann allegedly threatened to take her daughters with her when they split. Watts admitted that he then strangled her in the bedroom of their home. 

He wrapped her lifeless body in a blanket and dragged her down the stairs of their upscale home in Frederick, Colorado. He loaded her into the back of his truck. 

Watts then bundled up his little daughters and put them in the passenger side of the truck. He drove to a job site at Anadarko, the oil company where he worked. There, he buried his wife in a shallow grave near an oil tank. 

Watts would later tell police that he then turned on his daughters, smothering Celeste while Bella begged him to stop. Then he smothered Bella and dumped their little bodies in separate oil tanks nearby.

The family’s upscale home in Frederick, Colorado was to be the site of a massive gender reveal party for the couple’s unborn baby boy, Nico

Watts sits in court for his sentencing hearing at the Weld County Courthouse on November 19, 2018

Watts was having an affair with Nichol Kessinger (pictured) who sent him racy photos and had ‘continuous’ sex with him, according to his jailhouse letters 

Watts then went on the local news after claiming that his family was missing and begged for their safe return. 

But authorities weren’t buying it. They soon deduced that Watts was responsible for eradicating his entire family. 

In a recorded confession, Watts gave an alleged motive: he had been carrying on an affair with a coworker Nichol Kessinger who thought he was separated. He later said that he killed his family because he wanted to be with his mistress.

After pleading guilty to the murders, Watts was sentenced to life in prison. He is being held in Wisconsin without the possibility of parole. 

Last year the Daily Mail revealed the murderer’s prison letters in which he claims God has forgiven him for his sickening crimes.

‘I am a new man,’ he said in one letter viewed by the Daily Mail, whose recipient asked not to be identified. ‘I am not the person who committed those horrible acts.

‘I know that God does not see me as a sinner who killed his family; he sees me as His child.’

However, Watts is not an entirely changed man and has persisted with his womanizing ways, exchanging letters with around a dozen women on the outside according to his former cellmate.

The inmate described how the murderer would routinely become fixated on various women. 

One admirer, who asked only to be identified as Deborah, told the Daily Mail Watts believes he has a divine purpose and likens himself to Jesus. 

In Chicago, nearly 1 in 12 defendants released under pre-trial conditions with ankle monitors have disappeared, leaving authorities uncertain of their whereabouts. This situation persists even as some individuals in the program are suspected of committing further violent crimes.

Statistics from the Circuit Clerk of Cook County reveal that 246 of the 3,048 defendants who were released pre-trial with ankle monitoring are currently unaccounted for and are not wearing their devices. Among those released, some are believed to have engaged in violent acts, including Alphanso Talley, who is accused of the murder of Chicago Police Department Officer John Bartholomew.

Numerous defendants on pre-trial release with ankle monitors face accusations of violent offenses:

• 13 individuals charged with attempted murder
• 103 individuals charged with sexual assault
• 21 individuals charged with murder
• 173 individuals charged with aggravated battery

Alphanso Talley, for instance, has been charged with murder following the alleged shooting of two police officers. (Cook County Sheriff’s Office)

Cook County Chief Judge Charles Beach informed WGN that law enforcement is making efforts to locate the missing individuals who were under electronic monitoring.

“It doesn’t mean they’re out committing crimes necessarily,” Beach said. “Some might be. But they’re actively being searched for right now by law enforcement.”

John Bartholomew was shot and killed at Endeavor Health Swedish Hospital. (Chicago Police Department)

He also defended Judge John Lyke, who was presiding over Talley’s previous criminal cases and said in December that the convicted felon’s “mind is finally developing, and he may be on the path to making better decisions,” according to ABC7 News. Records indicated that Talley first got an electronic monitor on Dec. 11, 2025, but his monitor alerted two violations within three days in early March.

“I wouldn’t call it a mistake,” Beach said. “The judge made the best decision with what was in front of them at the time, right? Unfortunately, you know, we’ll go back to that concept: How do you predict what another human being is going to do?”

Talley is hardly the only person accused of committing a violent crime while on the ankle monitor program.

In November 2025, repeat offender Lawrence Reed, 50, allegedly lit a woman on fire while on the city’s blue line train, yelling “burn b—-.”

Lawrence Reed, 50, is charged with committing a terrorist attack or violence against a mass transportation system, according to officials. (Chicago Police Department)

Reed was charged with aggravated battery in August 2025, but was released pre-trial with an ankle monitor, against prosecutors’ wishes.

Reed has been arrested at least 13 times by the Chicago Police Department since 2017, records indicate.

Marlon Miller, 40, was arrested in December 2025 after he allegedly attacked three women in the downtown area and was charged with three felony counts of aggravated battery in a public place, according to Fox 32 Chicago.

Marlon Miller was accused of attacking three women in Chicago. (Chicago Police Department)

At the time of the alleged attacks, Miller was wearing an ankle monitor, according to ABC7.

Sherri Bester, one of the women allegedly attacked, said “He yelled —- and then he swung and hit me in my left eye.”

“He hit me hard enough that even with my glasses on my eye still did swell,” Bester said.

Beach, however, insisted the SAFE-T act along with the state’s move to cashless bail isn’t making the county less safe.

“When monetary bail existed, we had people who posted monetary bail who went out and committed atrocious offenses. It happened. It happened frequently. We no longer have monetary bail. We have other factors. Those things are still happening, right? That is the nature of a system that is designed with the presumption of innocence,” Beach said.

BEIJING – During his visit to China, President Trump faced an unexpected challenge: being unable to use his cherished cell phone. This precaution, aimed at shielding his data from potential hacking attempts, is a common advisory for anyone traveling to China and posed a logistical hurdle for the president and his team.

For a leader known for his frequent phone use—whether it’s calling friends, fielding calls from journalists, or sharing memes—this was indeed a significant adjustment. A White House official confirmed that Trump had to refrain from using his personal device while in China.

Consequently, his presence on Truth Social, the platform where he regularly shares his thoughts, noticeably diminished during the summit. It’s likely that any updates coming from his account were managed by White House staff stationed in Washington D.C., who have been working according to Beijing’s time zone to ensure seamless logistical support.

A White House official confirmed the president wouldn’t be using his personal phone in China.

Posts to his Truth Social account have been limited during the summit — and have likely been posted from Washington DC, where several White House staff are working Beijing hours to provide logistical support from afar.

Because the president is not the only one making do without his personal cellular device during this “digital lockdown.”

Administration staffers are using burner phones and burner email addresses during the two-day summit – all part of the White House’s efforts to keep information secure while ensuring the trip flows smoothly.

These devices are stripped of most basic functions and apps to serve as “clean” devices – designed to have minimal information if breached.

The State Department warns Americans traveling in China, “there is no expectation of privacy on mobile or other networks in China,” and notes many travelers bring electronic devices without personal information.

For White House staff, personal devices were stored on Air Force One in Faraday bags, which block all signals, including GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and RFID.

The bags protect sensitive data from being hacked remotely.

Trump and his staff will get access to their devices as soon as they board the presidential plane.

Air Force One is considered American territory no matter where it’s parked, and the plane, which functions as a flying Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) has other ways of protecting data.

Trump has been discussing thorny issues with China’s leader, Xi Jinping, over two days of meetings, including the Iran war, Taiwan, trade and tech.

The two world leaders also built on their personal rapport during a grand welcome ceremony, a state banquet dinner, and even a Chinese band rendition of his favorite campaign song, “YMCA”.

A member of the Chicago Fire Department tragically lost their life during a training exercise on the city’s North Side, according to an announcement made by the department on Thursday.

Note: The video above is from a previous report.

“The Chicago Fire Department grieves the passing of a dedicated firefighter who served for 30 years and died in a training exercise today,” stated the department. “Plans for a procession to the Medical Examiner’s Office are currently underway.”

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

The incident occurred during a training session in the 6600 block of North Kedzie Avenue, as reported by the department.

The firefighter was transported to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, where they were pronounced deceased, confirmed officials from the Chicago Fire Department.

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the fallen firefighter as 61-year-old Steven Decker.

The president of Chicago Firefighters – Local 2, Erik Steinmetz, said the training exercise was in a twice-a-year mandated hose testing.

“We have to roll, unroll the hose. We have to empty all the water out of the hose,” Steinmetz said. “There’s a lot of listing and moving and everything. It’s, it’s a lot more strenuous than it would sound.”

An ambulance carrying Decker’s body was later escorted by colleagues in a more than 10-mile procession to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, where first responders stood at attention, saluting his service and sacrifice.

Decker, a 30-year CFD veteran, was assigned to Engine 71 on the North Side and was widely respected by colleagues.

“One of those guys that, we all have them, that are… they know everything about the apparatus that they work on,” Steinmetz said. “Just has everything diligently set and ready to go. That’s the kind of guy he was.”

No further information about Decker’s cause of death was immediately available.

An Alabama man is facing manslaughter charges after reportedly accidentally shooting his son’s girlfriend.

Jeffrey Scott Towers, 54, was taken into custody by the Trussville Police Department on Monday in connection with the death of 22-year-old Whitney Robeson, originally from Virginia.

The incident occurred on May 7 at approximately 9:30 p.m. when police responded to a report of a gunshot victim in a residential area of Trussville, a city located just northeast of Birmingham.

Officers found Robeson at Towers’ residence and she was swiftly taken to UAB-St Vincent’s East hospital. Sadly, she was pronounced dead at 10:49 p.m., according to a report by AL.com.

The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office has deemed the death accidental, but details about how the shooting occurred and why it is considered an accident remain undisclosed.

An ‘extensive investigation’ was conducted by the Trussville Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Unit, and detectives obtained and served an arrest warrant for Towers on Monday. 

The father was charged with manslaughter and booked into the Jefferson County Jail on a $30,000 bond at 7.02pm. 

He posted bail and was released the same day at 11.32pm, according to the jail’s records.

Jeffrey Scott Towers, 54, was arrested on Monday and charged with manslaughter for the alleged accidental killing of his son’s girlfriend

Towers’s alleged victim is 22-year-old Whitney Robeson. The coroner’s office ruled her death as accidental, but details surrounding the circumstances of the shooting were not released

Towers’s attorneys, John Amari and Dain Stewart with the Amari Law Firm, have maintained their client’s innocence.

‘What happened to Ms. Robeson was a tragic event,’ the lawyers told AL.com in a statement. 

‘While we understand that the justice system must play out, we know that the facts will show that Mr. Towers has no criminal history, has been a productive and upstanding citizen for his entire life and is not guilty of these charges.’

A court date has not yet been scheduled for Towers, according to Jefferson County Jail records. 

In her obituary, Robeson was described as having, ‘inimitable grace; keen, quiet attentiveness and loyalty; boundless generosity and an uncanny way of always knowing just what she needed to do.’

The young woman had recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from Auburn University, where she was a member of the Delta Gamma sorority and earned a degree in interior design. 

Just weeks before she died, Robeson had begun working as a trade consultant at Restoration Hardware with the aim of building a career in interior design. 

‘In the precious little time she had been in that role, Whitney’s new colleagues and supervisor were instantly taken by her kindness, talent, attentiveness, and integrity,’ the young woman’s obituary said.

Robeson had recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from Auburn University and was beginning a career in interior design. She is pictured (center) with friends

Police found Robeson shot on this residential street in Trussville, Alabama. The exact address was not released, and the house pictured is just one of many on the block

‘To have known Whitney, no matter where, how, why, or for how long, is to have been touched and transformed by her radiant soul.’

The Daily Mail has reached out to the Trussville Police Department and the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office for comment and additional details. 

A Michigan man, who had evaded capture for more than 30 years after allegedly murdering his punk-rock singer roommate, has finally been apprehended, authorities announced.

Richard Werstine, also known as Joseph Alan Stavros, aged 56, was detained in Panama City, Panama, this past April, as revealed in a statement by the U.S. Marshals Service.

Werstine became a fugitive following the suspected murder of his 23-year-old roommate, Rodney Barger, in Detroit on September 15, 1993.

At the time of his untimely death, Barger was the frontman for the punk band Cold as Life, as reported by the Detroit Metro Times.

Richard Werstine is accused of killing his roommate, Rodney Barger, in Detroit, Mich., on Sept. 15, 1993. (U.S. Marshals Service)

Federal authorities said Werstine was arrested just days after the alleged murder but failed to appear for his trial — prompting an arrest warrant to be issued in 1994. 

“He was a ghost since ‘94,” a federal source told Local 4. “He was very cunning, very crafty while on the run.”

Richard Werstine was arrested in Panama City, Panama, and extradited to the United States on April 29, 2026, according to officials. (U.S. Marshals Service)

He allegedly remained on the lam for several years, and in 2022 the USMS adopted the arrest warrant after investigators learned he had been arrested several times under different aliases while he continued to evade authorities.

“Over the course of the investigation, the USMS utilized state-of-the-art investigative resources and techniques and devoted numerous hours in efforts to find the fugitive,” federal officials said.

Richard Werstine admitted to entering Panama illegally in 2005, according to federal authorities. (iStock)

The investigation led authorities to arrest Werstine at a dog park in Panama City on April 29, 2026. 

Upon being taken into custody, officials said Werstine confessed to his true identity after he was allegedly found with fraudulent documentation and admitted to entering Panama illegally in 2005.

He was subsequently extradited from Panama to the United States and handed over to Wayne County officials. 

“The tenacity and commitment of the United States Marshals Service working to bring Werstine and those like him into police custody where they belong is at the forefront of our daily mission here in Detroit,” Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal Jimmy Allen said.

“His arrest not only works toward bringing closure to the friends and family who have lost a loved one but also demonstrates our promise to pursue those who think they can prey on the members of our communities without being held accountable.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the U.S. Marshals Service for comment.