The fact that he HATED her but didn't show it outwardly and, in fact, showed NO signs at all of hatred is beyond frightening

He did not count on her friend being so insistent on finding her and notifying the police, she knew immediately after entering the house that something was wrong! He thought he had all the time he needed to cover things up. Her friend was her hero.

I also admire how Nicole Atkinson has NEVER tried to commercialize this tragedy… every woman needs a friend like Nicole!

This FBI lady is amazing she is so calm and intelligent.

Megyn at 35:18 talks about him being so dumb because he left his wife's purse, keys, shoes and car at home. I think it's quite probable he planned to come home after work and take care of those things to make it seem like she left with the kids. He thought he had more time before anybody discovered they were gone. But Shanann's friend called the police while he was at work and foiled his plan.

I'll never forget the Grandfather sobbing uncontrollably in court while they described the deaths. To me that image is Hell on Earth

This is a Perfect example of the importance of being aware and not ignoring our gut instincts.

When Chris Watts did the interview 'pleading for their return' I KNEW 111987% he was guilty.

Listening to this woman is how to conduct a conversation. She always completely waits until Megan has finished speaking, pauses then answers methodically

This was the first case that actually felt like it stole a piece of my soul.

And he never even got to spend one hour with Nikki the mistress. That is justice.

Falling out of love, meeting someone else, that can happen. But damn it, step up and break up, separate, divorce!! Nothing justifies a crime like that!! This case has haunted me too ever since I heard of it 😖

My sister dated a guy (Bill) in high school for 2 years…our families were friends. After they stopped dating they all remained friends. Even After both My sister & her ex-boyfriend we’re married they all remained friends. The ex boyfriend’s parents had an annual Christmas party for years …by this time both couples had been married 30 years (had grown children & grandchildren). Then Bill ( a favorite school teacher of 16 years at the same school) had an affair with a co worker. Bill’s wife found out & the affair ended (supposedly) but 6 months later when it was found out that the affair hadn’t ended- Bill’s wife decided to file for divorce ( she had kept it a secret but had confided to a couple friends in which one was her neighbor… And when she planned to tell Bill, she had texted with The Neighbor and said I’m gonna tell him… A couple hours later the ambulance pulled up, and the neighbor was concerned and found out that Bill had shoved his wife down the steps, and said he that she tripped at the story fell apart. There was bruising around her neck, where she had been strangled, and then thrown down the stairs…then on several computers he had done multiple searches on how to kill your spouse. He is currently in prison. You just never know😱

I was married to him for 16 years. We had two children eight and 10. Out of left field he had an affair. Nothing was going to stop him. I hung on until one day he said to me “if you would just die all our problems will be over.” I knew then I had to divorce and move on. Looking back it shocked me how quickly he detached from the three of us almost overnight. It was almost like he hated us for trying to hold him back.. One other thing he said to me in anger one day was “ You will never control me like my mother did”. I never picked up on that before!

No human being is able to understand that depth of evil.

I am here remembering Shannon, Bella, Celeste and Nico today. The five year anniversary of their deaths. 😢

Thank you Megyn for remembering the 4th victim, the unborn baby.

He killed his precious little babies TWICE!!?? Can you imagine the terror those babies felt knowing daddy tried to kill them then they wake up only to have to watch him dump mommy in a hole then come back and suffocate them for the second time!? This is even more horrific than I ever realized.

I met my husband on July 23 1974 and married him the next day. We have been married almost 50 years. 3 children, 6 grandchildren. We are still in love.

Its bizarre to me that Bella looked just like Chris and he just killed her. Its heartbreaking.

The dumbest thing he did was to call Bella's school to unregister her before anyone else even knew she was dead.

My stepfather could actually be classified in the same category as CW. Quiet, unassuming, went to work daily, went on family vacations etc...my mother finally divorced him and WE moved out of the house. Why? Because my mother feared he'd kill us if we didn't. He actually had tried. He died 3 years after the fact and I found out he tried to kill his first wife...it was an act of God she survived.

When someone is innocent, they have nothing but questions. When someone is guilty, they have nothing but answers.

He went on live news and not only didn’t shed one tear while begging for his family to come home safe but laughed and smiled while doing the interview…pure, calculated evil, and I knew he did these murders that minute he smiled so big on camera.

After my mum died i was so numb and lost, i met a guy and just to feel happy feelings was so good. He ended up being the most evil and violent person i had ever met. We are prey when we are in dark emotional places so my advice is not to newly date when you are vulnerable. They can sniff you out. Mary is spot on, im her new fan 😊

Hearing how he detached himself really freaked me out. My ex husband did exactly the same thing. I decided to leave within the day and take our son and pets with me. It was just after the ascot Pedersen case so I was alert to what could happen. I was devastated and tried by phone to talk to him but he 💯 shut down and detached from us in such a short time. We never found out why this happened either. It haunted me for years that someone I loved and was married to for 9 years would behave this was very disturbing and out of character. I feel like we did the right thing by leaving quickly.

Bella singing breaks my heart… I will never forget this family. 💔😭🙏

Shanann’s doctor apt, that morning, that she missed, from having been killed, by her husband, is what helped her friend, to know, that something was terribly wrong- to make Shanann, miss that apt. Her friend knew, that baby, and her girls- were everything to her, and having a safe and healthy pregnancy, meant so much to Shanann. So in a way, Shanann, helped point towards Chris.

I am so glad Megan said how this case has haunted her! I have NEVER been obsessed with a true crime case like I was this one. My husband tried to ban me from watching videos about it because I was having nightmares. I feel like there is SO MUCH being left out of this. I feel like the girlfriend was more involved than people think.

Her friend is a hero for calling the police and her persistent follow through💕🎉😍👀🎉

I’m a psychology student and wanted to thank Megyn for having ginormous balls and thank you Mary Ellen for your amazing psychopathy breakdowns.

You cannot comprehend this type of behaviour! There are no words for it!

What this case proved to me was that LUST is the most powerful emotion there is. This man killed his children over it. I didnt know he had only known the other woman two months when this happened. Wow EVIL IN THE FLESH

Shananne's friend Nicole knew that Shananne and Chris were not getting on. The work trip to Arizona that weekend, Shananne was not herself. Woman talk to each other about their personal life to their friends. Nicole knew straight away, when Chris finally turned up when the Police were at his house, Nicole knew, you could see how uncomfortable she was around Chris. Her gut feeling was spot on.

Nichol Kessinger plays a importent role in this case and it's disusting she's not further being investigated!

I was married for 15 years to a type just like Chris Watts. Now that I watched this episode with Megan Kelly, I can look back in time, and realize how MANY times I got SO close to ending up like this lady. He had that seething anger/rage, was never home and cheated- lied for 10 years. He WAS living the life he really wanted… Four children later, ( I confronted him with my evidence 6 months pregnant….😢) we got a divorce. I filed, after he had left. Maybe he left so he wouldn’t do the unthinkable. By the way…. his reaction to my first pregnancy was worse than Chris Watts in that video. I was mortified. Long story short, he got entangled with a woman who is a living nightmare, and he misses his old life with us. I’m just glad to be alive.

One of the scariest things to me is that Chris worked all morning at that sight acting completely normal after what he’d just done and also that his dead babies were mere feet away in those oils tanks. He was normal, that’s what’s scary. Also, i know everyone needs some 100% answer as to why but Chris told and showed you all on your that interrogation tape. As they broke him and he admitted one of the first things he said was “please don’t think I’m this horrible person” he’s been so soulless his entire life that his abnormal and psychotic self worth was entirely weighted in how others viewed him. Therefore rather than the shame and embarrassment he’d get from cheating and leaving his preg wife and kids it was profoundly easier to have them not be alive than to know what a liar and fraud he was.

Online are her texts to her best friend up until the day she died. It’s heart breaking, she was deeply in love with him and fully devoted to him. And he wanted the third baby. At least until he met his affair partner. He's a stone cold sociopath.

Those little girls asking their daddy if he loves still loves them and then why he doesn’t love them anymore is so heartbreaking. Especially the second daughter after seeing what he did to the first daughter. It’s so horrifying to realize what he wanted to do and how he chose to it. He will suffer for all eternity seeing their faces and hearing their little voices asking why he doesn’t love them anymore. It’s hard not to hate him. MsS

This case is so horrifying as a mother, a wife, as a child. Then on top, I can't imagine as a parent having to pull out a confession of this type from my child.. It's a lot to wrap our minds around, that's why this case is so incredibly disturbing. He's a monster.

Hey Megan, Beth, my wife 47 years ago I knew her three weeks knew I was going to marry her. We were married seven weeks after that I know we live in a different time but it shouldn’t take anyone two years figure out whether or not the guy or woman wanna spend the rest your life. I think that’s what’s wrong in today’s society. The both of us agree marriage has been one of the hardest things. Either one of us has had to do the good times outweigh the bad. We have seven children together All of them are productive part of our society. Now that I’m retired and so is she, she retired from being a housewife and a mother I retired from a corporate job that I had for 35 years. We now travel the world and are extremely happy. I can honestly say I love her more than I did the first time I saw her if that makes any sense. Thanks for read my comment.

The scariest thing about this case was that there were absolutely no sign he was remotely capable of what he did. It makes us question how well do we actually know the people laying beside us.

Chris didn’t want kids. When he married Shannan, she said she couldn’t have kids. She said she was surprised when she got pregnant. He just lost himself quietly as they all started consuming his time. They we’re all eating dinner and Shanann asked for a neck rub and of course he did it. Shanann laughs in the video saying each girl pointed to their own neck/backs and demanded it was their turn. Shanann says in the video, Chris is done for. He has 3 women now needing him. This man had demons and they also had had enough. A perfect storm of disgusting murders 😔

Thank God for the friend who checked on Shannan the next day. She absolutely knew.

This story is exactly why you need to believe someone when they say they are afraid their boyfriend could kill them. I had an ex that was scary and yet no one believed any of my fears... people think your crazy until it's too late

I believe his girlfriend was involved and was so jealous of his family that he felt he has to come without any ties .. because she lied on so many accounts

I will NEVER be able to UNDERSTAND on why a father who these 2 little girls adored can do such a evil thing? unreal..this story is so heartbreaking..makes me cry 😢😢

His mother is disgusting a well, her behavior is why he is this way. She has made it clear she did not like her and justifies this horrible crime .It is the most baffling crime

He had the perfect opportunity to leave. Shanann and the kids were out of state for several weeks. He could've packed up his stuff, drop the dog off at a friend's house and moved in with his girlfriend. He could've then told Shanann to contact him through his attorney. It might have been cold and heartless and would have been ugly for a long time, but everyone would've been alive and eventually the smoke would clear. I was in a similar situation and when I was done, I packed up and left. And it was ugly, but the smoke did clear. This case has haunted me for years. So senseless.

I think Chris was so invested in being seen as the "good guy" that he could never leave his wife and kids

If you think that Nicole Kessinger had absolutely nothing to do with the murders, YOU HAVENT DONE ANY HOMEWORK ON THIS CASE!

This is such a tragedy! I keep Shanan’s parents and her brother and all of Shanans family members in my prayers.

As a former Law Enforcement Officer, I followed this case in 2018. Watching the officers cam videos, I was convinced by Chris Watts demeanor, that he was guilty. And watching the officers demeanor, they knew he was guilty. The fact that they caught him within a day, reinforced my opinion. Such a sad story.

I am a victim of a violent crime, the mother of my perp asked the judge to lock him away for a long time. She loved him and raised him and raised him to be a man, not to hurt people. It was shocking, extremely emotional but I really respected her at that moment. I can not imagine how hard that was. My perp was sentenced to 15 years and spent 10 years in jail.

In answer to the question about why he didn’t plan the murders better. Car, keys, phone. He didn’t anticipate Shannan’s friend Nicole Atkinson. He had no time to get rid of evidence because she sounded the alarm about Shannan being missing.

He was a mama's boy. The fact that his parents didnt go to their wedding, the fact that they ignored Cece's allergies is a huge red flag. He's their golden boy and thinks his actions can be justified. I didnt agree with the way Shanann showed the family on social media, she wanted to portray they as the all american perfect family, however that was her choice. Him having an affair and wanting to erase his family was his choice. He is an abhorrent human being. I hope those little girls haunt his dreams forever.

There are people out there who say horrible things about Shannan. Okay, let's imagine she really was a horrible person, BUT people forget he killed his children too. He is a selfish, narcissistic, disgusting monster and whoever is even remotely trying to put the blame on Shannan is the same. Shame on you!

The image of the fetus on the neighbors TV after the cam footage ended is so heartbreaking and haunting. 😢

This man is a monster to have a family. Which is a gift from God means more to me than anything in this world. I hope he gets what he deserves.

Such horror - how can a person, a father, kill his own children? And for what? This is very disturbing and sad. Shannan, Bella, CeCe - my heart breaks for them and the fear they no doubt experienced in their last moments. Chris Watts is where he deserves to be - even that might be too good for him.

I'm shocked CW is still alive. I thought he would have been killed by now.

These girls were extremely precious. It is so hard to watch them without tears. So heartbreaking.

Love how the profiler keeps it big picture without getting caught in drama

Also, Amber Fry does not seem like a bad person at all but Nicole has a very different aura and darkness about her.

I can't stop thinking about the little girl seeing her momma being dragged and asking if that is going to happen to her too, I'm so affected by this crime. I keep crying for the little girls and their momma, hope they are all together in heaven now. Rest in peace angels 😢🙏

His mother is a full blown narcissist. She’s partly to blame

I feel Chris has a deep-rooted hate for his mom. Shanann and his mother were both the Alphas of the family. All his resentment, along with his affair, set the stage for this horrific event.

He’s a psychopath and not better than any other serial killer… no empathy, no compassion, no conscience, not fit to be in society with the rest of us!

Oh God, I spent 2 years down the Chris Watts rabbit hole. I’ve poured over every page of discovery, read every text, watched all the police bodycam footage & interviews/polygraph/interrogation videos from start to finish (multiple times!). I’ve pondered over witness statements, body language analysis and micro-analyzed the neighbor’s security camera footage and all kinds of theories with other web sleuths. I’ve read every post and watched every video Shannan made, and I’ve battled heartless victim blamers, ugh! I, Ike so many others out there drove myself mad desperately trying to understand why this seemingly decent, milquetoast man could do something so egregious! Before I walked away from this case for good, I could only conclude that he was just a slimy little coward who couldn’t handle confrontation. And his wife came home that night ready to shatter his new dream life now that she had proof he was having an affair. He knew it the minute she texted about the restaurant bill. Shanann wasn’t going to let that go and he knew it. Killing her was easier than admitting he had another woman. I don’t believe for a minute he ever told her. And I don’t think the children fit into his vision of his dream life with NK which is why he killed them. He wanted a brand new start. All this because he lost some weight, got fit and finally became the guy who got the attention from the “hot girl at the office”. I think he was living in a high state of limerence during those weeks Shannan and the kids were away in NC and became completely hooked. It would have been like a powerful drug to him. It’s why he turned cold the minute he landed in NC for that last week. He resented being pulled away from his shiny new perfect life. It would have been eating away at him how much he wanted to be free. Not just of his family, but of his financial burden too.

This guy NEVER showed any violence whatsoever. There was no domestic violence at all. This is what makes this case so scary, and why we're all so fascinated by it. They appeared to be a normal family. He seemed to be a perfect husband and father. There are no red flags.... and that's scary.

The concerned friend. Called cops early. Gave specific info. Gave clear communication, specific info & w/ minimum emotion but not emotionally flat. Love love love Nicole A. May all my friends be “Nicole”. ❤❤❤ Love you girl. And Mary Ellen - you are on the one hand warmly human and also cooly observant. Thank you for your observations.

He didn't want to have to pay for spousal or child support in a divorce.

I hope the people who had to go into the oil field to retrieve the bodies were offered counseling. I can’t imagine what they saw when they had to handle the bodies of the children.

This subject matter expert Mary Ellen O'Toole is my absolute favorite. Not only does she emanate class and high intelligence; her insights are always spot on. And love Megyn's variety of interviews that are so relevant to today.

I wish someone would do a psych eval on Chris’s mom

Mary Ellen O'Toole was a knowlegeable and likable guest! I hope you have her on again for True Crime in the future.

The whole “standout” of this case is Poor Bella, it’s what Bella saw, it’s what Bella smelled, it’s what Bella sensed, it’s what Bella heard, it’s what Bella didn’t hear and it’s what Bella knew that’s haunting. Chris says nothing about Cece to the CBI on the 45 minute ride to Cervi. I believe she was dead or close to it. Poor Bella saw it all. Having to ask her poor excuse of a father if the same thing was gonna happen to her as Cece! Rips my guts out. Ugh😢😢😢 RIP Shanaan, Cece and Sweet Bella❤ and Baby Niko

I am the same. I can't quit thinking about this case and doubt I ever will.😢😢😢

Heroes and monsters don't look like we see on the white screen , they look like the random person we come across everyday and say hello to!

Fantastic guest. Mary Ellen O’Toole. Her insight on this dangerously quiet man is astonishing and brutally true.

Shanan's female friend had alot of empathy and emotional intelligence because her actions proved she cared about her friend's well being. This should/could be a lesson to those who shame, blame or judge or are too self absorbed to hear or notice cries for assistance.

He wanted a new life. He did not want the responsibilities, or the financial burden of child support, etc. What makes no sense is, how he ever thought he would get away with it. He wanted freedom, now he has none for the rest of his life. Evil exists everywhere.

I must've been living under a rock, because I never heard of this case until a month ago, and now I can't stop watching content because it's so unbelievable.

OMG! To see that beautiful baby singing about how much she loves her dad. 💔

Shanann actually said when he said he didnt want this baby he thought it would make him feel different..she told her friend i dont feel safe with him since he told me he doesnt want the baby.

I'm still surprised at how the mistress Nicole was not pursued further. She was stalking Shanan online. Both Chris and Nicole are both disturbing individuals

Shannan the best Mom and great wife is not to blame no matter how she acted with her marriage, there is a thing called divorce and he's a fool for taking the coward way out so I say he is to blame. Now we have 2 little girls gone with a brother that didn't even have a chance to see the world yet and of course beautiful Shannan, great Mom and tried her best to keep her family together. God bless and may they all rest in peace 🌹

The guy more than deserves the death penalty for killing 4 people, which incudes the dead baby. Pure evil. The problem with the death penalty is that is takes over 20 yrs to execute. He's a psyhopath.

I honestly liked this interview. I like that they talked about risks of jumping into relationships when you are not at your best, physically or emotionally. This is important for people to hear. There were a lot of warning signs early on, especially when his parents didn't show for the wedding. The nasty things they said about Shannan after her death.

This is such an excellent interview and i reach for this from time to time. Thank for the great work!

The little girls filmed saying something for her father looked very uncomfortable. she didn’t feel happy about him!!!😢

These killers (Chris Watts, Lori, Chad, Alex Murdaugh, Etc) are so evil not even Hollywood can make this up.

I truly believe his personality originates from his mother. Not to blame her for the murder but she clearly has a narcissistic personality as well.

He was and is sick. Will be brought to true justice when he meets his maker.

Narcissists can be extremely dangerous. They are first in their own eyes.

What a great episode. I could listen to Mary Ellen O'Toole talk forever. So smart, insightful, calm, with a soothing voice that's a welcome counterpoint to the subject matter.

I am always suspect when anyone constantly posts their “ happy life.” I always feel like they are trying to convince themselves more than anyone else! Now, clearly Shanann was the victim and completely unaware of the psychopathy going on in her husband’s mind. I don’t think she would have left her kids alone with him.

If it had not been Shanann and his kids with her…..It would have been someone else w/kids…..and if he and NK had their way….then she could have been the next in line.

The new murder (just happened June 15th)out of Ohio of “Chad Doerman” the father that executed his 3 young boys in the front yard of his home in front of his wife and there mother,has absolutely rocked the cor of my soul,it has taken the Watts story out of the lime light completely…. The poor families that must go on and the fear that these 3 baby boys must have felt,especially when the 7 yr old escaped then the father hunted him down and drug him back to the house and then executed him , im still just so sad over this horrific crime….these men are truly monsters

Ms. O'Toole states it perfectly: "We are not raised and we are not trained for what to look for." We fall in love with someone, and that's enough for most of us to jump in with both feet. Even when we get red flags, we don't know enough to recognize them. Kids need to learn about the grooming tactics of dangerous narcissists and sociopaths in junior high school or high school, just like they learn about physiology and sex. None of this would have helped Shanann and her girls - Watts took years to reveal who he really was.