Found Deceased CO - Shanann Watts (34), Celeste"Cece" (3) and Bella (4), Frederick, 13 Aug 2018 *Arrest* #23

[Bill Carson]

What reaction advice do u think he got from his lawyers?

Something like,

"We're about to go in for the first appearance. It's a small courtroom, but there will be a lot of people there, including media and possible some of Shanann's family members. You will be directed to have a seat at a table in the front of the courtroom facing the judge. I will sit on one side of you and your other lawyer will sit on the other. You do not need to acknowledge the media or anyone in the courtroom. I want you to have a seat at the table and sit up straight and keep your eyes forward. The judge is going to read the charges against you and discuss the punishment range---I have already discussed that with you. The judge will ask you questions, such as whether you understand the charges. I want you to answer him clearly, 'Yes, sir' or 'No, sir' or 'Yes, Your Honor'/'No, Your Honor.' I don't want you to react one way or the other to what the judge says. Keep a poker face. If you have any questions, you can whisper them to me, but keep in mind that there is a microphone on our table and it may pick up your voice. It would be better for you to ask me questions now or after we are done. When this is over, the judge will leave the courtroom first, and then we will be directed to leave. Stay close to me and do not communicate to anyone in the gallery."

 

[Mosaic]

SBM.

I get that his actions after the "event" are unexplainable. But if it was all CYA, then he did a terrible job of it--not taking her phone or purse, not cleaning up the house, leaving sheets in the trash can, not having a plausible explanation for her disappearance.

My only explanation is that he disassociated himself with the act, went into shock, and everything that occurred after the violent event was zombie-like, almost in a trance, autopilot.

I suspect that he may have intended to commit suicide (like 81% of other family annihilators), but he didn't get a chance to finish what he started. He was caught off guard by NU and never got a chance to go back to the tank site to take his own life.

@Bill: suicidal people don't primp up for an interview with the media. Lying about his family whereabouts and asking them to come back. Call me naïve, but when I was watching the porch interview and he said: This has to stop; for a brief moment I thought oh my gosh he is breaking down and going to confess on national tv.
NU visit derailed his agenda.

JMO

 

[kebdal23]

IMO, he gave the response she wanted, not how he really felt.

IMO, this was an interaction that they had rehearsed and she coached him.

IMO he didn’t want Nico and Shanann was the one who wanted the third pregnancy. I think he had one foot out the door, and she knew it. This pregnancy was her way of keeping him in the marriage. She knew how it would make him look, if he left his sick pregnant wife and two sick kids.

I think you're onto something here. I find this entirely plausible. If she was worried about him leaving, she wouldn't be the first person to try a pregnancy to turn their relationship around. IF this is true, it will be really interesting to see what pushed him over the edge - if there was a trigger or if it was just a landslide of things mounting upon him. FWIW, I don't believe his story about SW strangling the girls for one second. There are way too many holes in that story and his behavior post-death doesn't make any sense except to cover his you-know-what.

 

[flourish]

I agree to disagree. For one: the eyeglasses. Probably you will reply he has them on other pictures...

Because he does...

 

[molly1255]

yeah I re-watched that long interview on Wednesday. IIRC he said that CW had pretty much lost the majority of the weight before they knew each other . Let me go see if I can find it easily

Edited to add
Here's the interview where he says that CW had pretty much lost the majority of the weight before they knew each other and then yes she chips in with: he also lost a lot once they started Thrive+running, then she tails off.
So yes it's ambiguous.

All I can deduce is CW lost weight over a longer period.

At c. the 13.00min mark

I see A's statement as contradicting N's statement. N stated CW they never saw CW in his bigger days and A stated he lost a bit, a lot of bit of weight when he started to run with N.

We can agree to disagree!

 

[Whiteorchids]

IIRC, AF called LE immediately after she found out SP was married and Laci was missing.

On the AP in this case, LE has talked to this person. It is very likely we won't be hearing anything on this until trial.

JMO.

LE has his phone he could have confessed to the lover. We really just don’t know anything but I’m sure they spent a lot of time together while SW was away on her trip. Possibly CW felt he was in love with her and wanted out of his marriage badly.

 

[mtnlites]

The video could have been staged, too, and that they had already spoken of it. A re-creation as they say.

Yep. As I said upthread, my own husband hates opening gifts in front of people because he always feels awkward and is never sure how much excitement is too much/too liitle to show. He is very unnatural during such things and sometimes it comes across as wooden. Some people need time to marinate in news and just can't process that quickly.

 

[cottonweaver]

@Bill: suicidal people don't primp up for an interview with the media. Lying about his family whereabouts and asking them to come back. Call me naïve, but when I was watching the porch interview and he said: This has to stop; for a brief moment I thought oh my gosh he is breaking down and going to confess on national tv.
NU visit derailed his agenda.

JMO

Can I ask you what leads you t think he "primped up " for the interviews? I thought he was wearing the same style he usually did. Shorts, T and flip-flops.
( I agree that he doesn't seem suicidal to me in those interviews though)

 

[Allabouttrial]

I agree to disagree. For one: the eyeglasses. Probably you will reply he has them on other pictures...

Sorry I'm confused?

 

[amysmom]

Thank you for posting that. I had not watched it. I am surprised they didn't have him stand for the reading of the charges. I thought he did exhibit some emotion, although it was subdued, and he certainly looked to take the proceeding seriously. Some defendants can't suppress goofy grins when they are the subject of so much attention, but he didn't. I think he followed the instructions of his attorney marvelously.

What horrible camera work though, am I right?

YW! I thought most had seen it..Good point about standing for the charges..Hmmmm! He did look serious during most of it..The physical reaction (heavy breathing) hit me way more then any emotional facial expressions could or would have.

The camera stayed too long on the judge, it was way too invasive to focus so much on Shanann's dad, & one of the attorneys was often blocking Chris which was probably done on purpose. imo

 

[Allabouttrial]

Traditional or mechanical?

Traditional.

 

[Bill Carson]

Wouldn't it be to early for actual coaching - by the time of that hearing? Access to his lawyers by that date - slim? Limited time? PDefenders - not well funded?

Isn't coaching done later, in most cases, eg pre trial for witnesses who will be speaking?

help me out , I'm from the UK and know nothing about US procedures, except the bare basics!

No, his lawyers would have plenty of access to him, both at the jail and in a holding cell before this hearing. (In fact, the courtroom is sometimes in the same building as the jail so they don't have to transport defendants for preliminary hearings.) The lawyers would definitely prepare him for what was about to happen at the hearing. They don't want the client to have any surprises. I'm sure they also discussed with him what it meant to waive his preliminary hearing, with pros and cons, and made a recommendation to him, but ultimately let him make the informed decision.

 

[wattsgoingon]

He is wearing the glasses because he usually wears contacts and isn't allowed them in jail and I guess needs to....well...see?

 

[NuttMegg]

deleted by me

 

[Bill Carson]

And they gave Cooey crayons to play with at his trial.

LOL. We did that with a criminal defense client one time! I had nearly forgotten. Must have been 20 years ago. Murder trial. I was assisting the attorney I worked for. Defendant was accused of killing his sister, and we wanted the jury to know how childlike and simple he was.

Sorry for the OT.

 

[cshea99]

Yes, I would think so. Especially if he admitted to having an affair. I don't see how he could get the house or the kids.

Most lawyers recommend not to leave the house for a myriad of reasons. In my state, the person filing could say they were abandoned when the spouse left. Also, in my state....affairs don't matter. I don't think they really weigh in on many states. Just the at fault ones. Colorado is a no fault state.

 

[Bill Carson]

Yes, I've seen the mowing pic but still unconvinced. My husband is about as bulked up as Chris (taller though) and he does it just from working out, he doesn't even eat that well and definitely drinks.

ETA - My husband does not do steroids

I tend to agree with you. And have you seen pictures of SW's father? He is in really good shape, and wears Thrive patches, so he must be on the program. He definitely got in better shape over the years based on earlier pics. The Thrive system must work well.

 

[Mosaic]

Because he does...

… but not for his interview with the media.

 

[Tippy Lynn]

@Trinket78 - In your opinion do you think a lot of people will be surprised when more information is released? TIA

 

[Mosaic]

Can I ask you what leads you t think he "primped up " for the interviews? I thought he was wearing the same style he usually did. Shorts, T and flip-flops.
( I agree that he doesn't seem suicidal to me in those interviews though)

He looked well groomed, clean shirt, combed hair. JMO

ps. the lack of puffy or red eyes from crying and not been able to sleep was a bit puzzling for me.