‘American Murder: The Family Next Door’: Chris and Shannan Watts’ Colorado Home Is Still for Sale
Some true crime stories affect fans more than others due to their horrific details. The case of Chris and Shannan Watts shook the U.S. because of the brutality and callousness. If you missed the story in the news, you can now catch up on Netflix with the documentary, American Murder: The Family Next Door.
Since Chris received his prison sentence, Shanann’s family and friends have tried to grieve and move on. One element of the former couple’s life still lingers in Colorado: their family home where it all took place.
Chris Watts claimed his wife, Shanann Watts, killed their daughters
Chris and Shannan Watts bought a five-bedroom home in Frederick, Colorado, in 2013. They lived there with their two young daughters, Bella and Celeste, as well as their dog. On August 12, 2018, Chris murdered Shannan, pregnant with their son, by strangulation inside their home. He then murdered Bella and Celeste, also by strangulation, at his worksite. The bodies were discovered at an oil-storage site owned by Chris’ employer. The daughters were found in oil tanks and Shannan had been placed in a makeshift grave.
According to Inside Edition, Chris initially claimed Shannan killed their two daughters in response to his asking for separation. He said that he came home to find his two daughters dead, and he “went into a rage” and attacked Shannan.
Shannan and her daughters were reported missing after she missed a doctor’s appointment. Chris did multiple interviews pretending he didn’t know where his wife and were. Chris was arrested two days later on suspicion of murder.
Chris initially confessed to killing Shannan but not his two daughters. He failed a polygraph test and then, finally, confessed to murdering his entire family. The father accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to five life sentences, three consecutive and two concurrent, without the possibility of parole.
The sale of Chris and Shanann Watts’ Colorado home
Shannan’s family moved her personal belongings out of the house she shared with Chris in 2018. There was a deputy police officer present during the moving-out process.
According to The Sun, the home where Shannan was murdered is now for sale. It is listed with a fictitious address and no photographs of the front of the home.
Because nosey true-crime fans might want to flood the location, stiff rules exist for getting a tour. The listing agent is requiring prospective buyers to provide a funding commitment letter from a bank for at least $660,000. Those interested must be escorted by a real estate when viewing the house. The house is estimated to be worth $816,200. The house has a three-stall garage and views of the Rocky Mountains.
There have been no prospective buyers, according to Realtor. The company that owns the mortgage foreclosed on the property and put it up for auction. No one bought it within the year, and the county removed it from foreclosure. The house stays in legal limbo.
Chris’ girlfriend worked with the police
Nichol Kessinger found herself in a very awkward and horrifying situation in 2018 when she discovered her lover killed his wife and kids because of her.
Chris’ employer contracted Kessinger’s company, and the two met on the job. They hit it off quickly and started a whirlwind affair. Kessinger knew that Chris had a wife and children, but she believed he was separated. Once Kessinger learned that Chris was not separated from his family and that he murdered them to be with her, she distanced herself from him.
Kessinger contacted the police when she suspected Chris might have been involved in his wife’s and children’s disappearance. She worked with the police throughout the investigation and provided critical information.
Once Chris was convicted, Kessinger went into the witness protection program. She received a completely new identity and address. Her exact whereabouts are kept hidden because of the criticism she received from being involved with a convicted murderer.
Viewers of American Murder: The Family Next Door may also wonder what has happened to Shannan’s dog, Dieter, and her parents. Briefly after the murders, Shannan’s dachshund, Dieter, went to live with another family in the Colorado area. In September 2018, Dieter permanently moved to live with Shannan’s brother, Frankie Rzucek.
As for Shannan’s parents, Frank and Sandra Rzucek, they want to be left alone, according to The Cinemaholic. During Chris’ sentencing, the Rzucek’s decided not to go forward with the death penalty because Chris “made the choice to take those lives. I do not want to be in a position of making the choice to take his.”
The Rzucek’s have faced horrible and relentless online bullying. In response, they said, “Please just stop. Get on with your lives. Leave ours alone.” Their social media presence is understandably non-existent.
