The quote from Nichol Kessinger comes at 3:21:04 in the clip below. It’s from Kessinger’s second interview, close to the end.
Kessinger adds that over the final weekend, Watts also informed her that they were putting the house up for sale [something she adds a few seconds after the first quote].
What this clearly indicates is when Watts returned from North Carolina on the evening of August 7th, he knew then what he intended to do. It seems clear then that the premeditation was in place at least 1 week prior to the murders, but given Watts’ standoffishness in North Carolina with Shan’ann, it possibly started during the first week of August while in North Carolina, when he was away from Kessinger.
In fairness to Shan’ann Watts, this is taking a single phrase completely out of context and applying it back to her. We don’t mean to do this in a nasty or victim-blaming way, we simply want to look at something she said on its own merits, and with the benefit of hindsight.
First of all, it’s likely Chris Watts also wanted a drama-free life, either as much as Shan’ann did, or possibly even more. Trouble was there was plenty of drama on the horizon as it was. Shan’ann was about to fall pregnant, intentionally, and Watts was about to begin an affair that would have apocalyptic consequences.
With these huge dramas waiting in the wings, it would be important to everyone’s survival not to add unnecessary drama to an already loaded situation. Even the financial storm brewing around them meant the odds of staying at an even keel were minimal.
So there is a lesson in this. All extremely loaded situations are by default difficult to deal with effectively. In a circumstance where there’s not one but three [and arguably more] devastating situations to deal with [a pregnancy, an affair, a second bankruptcy], it’s possible to make this bad situation infinitely worse.
Whether we blame Shan’ann and/or Chris Watts for the pregnancy, for the affair or for their financial distress, what we can agree on is that all these issues were preventable in the first place. They were individually and collectively matters of choice.
Nut Gate – the explosion of resentment that preceded the ANNIHILATION – was similarly unnecessary. Whatever it’s connection to the murders, it clearly didn’t help anyone. It added to a sense of emotional compromise, irritation and aggravation. By the same token, committing triple murder was hardly any kind of practical, workable solution either [let alone moral or ethical], but this “alternative” was selected for reasons that had to do with Watts’ low social prowess. There’s also another reason Watts chose the way he did: he chose what he considered the “easy” instant option for him. Millions are programmed to do that each the every day.
In the modern world we’re constantly faced with simple, convenient opportunities to deal with complex and difficult situations. MLM companies thrive on people who want to make the easy but ill-informed choice. Invariably these simple, convenient choices don’t make life simpler or more convenient. Our self-delusion and greed draws us into wanting more but without paying the price or making a real sacrifice to get it.
Wanting a drama-free life is one thing. To achieve it means when things hurt, when we want to lash out, we’re able to suck it up, we’re able to exert discipline and see the bigger picture, if not for others then for ourselves.
Seeing the bigger picture includes attaching real consequences to ourselves, and our choices, especially those that seem to offer a quick and easy solution. There is never a quick and easy solution to complicated situations. But we can make a choice not to add unnecessary drama to already dramatic and difficult situations. That resolve, and keeping to it, is the first step on a road to somewhere better than we presently find ourselves. We’re very quick to blame others, but other people are beyond our control. The drama-free way is not to blame ourselves, but to turn to ourselves as both the source and the solution to what’s wrong with our world.
It’s just a hunch, but since Kessinger was employed in the capacity of Safety contractor, and Anadarko had a roster of regular safety briefings at the Platteville hub, wasn’t it likely they’d rub shoulders at one of these briefings?
Significantly, Watts initially stored Kessinger’s number [on June 22nd when he and Shan’ann travelled together to San Diego] under the bogus contact name of APC Health Safety Environmental.
Also worth noting – Watts’ spiel to visit the CERVI 319 site first thing Monday morning was to prevent a safety issue from coming up.
According to the Discovery Documents, mandatory safety briefings at Anadarko’s Platteville hub are done:
2 days a week
twice a day
3-4 times per month
Reading into the briefings a little further, we know for certain Watts attended a briefing on CPR safety on May 16th, 2017. The subcontractor charged with some of the safety briefings [Raymond Gibson from SRP Environmental] is obtuse in describing [or failing to describe] the details and the people attending his classes. He mentions 300-400 employees “blending together in his mind.”
If Kessinger Googled Shan’ann Watts in September 2017, then is it really so unlikely that they encountered one another casually for the first time a couple of months prior to that search.
It’s also conceivable that given her position, Kessinger might have given advice or possibly lectured during these classes, which would have attracted everyone’s attention, including Watts’. It’s a theory. Strangely on so simple a question as when Kessinger started working at Anadarko we don’t have a straightforward answer. What we do know is everyone in the industry was preoccupied with safety and so under the rallying call of safety briefings, Watts and Kessinger likely made first contact.
Amazon is funny in the way they allow leeway to troll reviewers, and yet are hypervigilant when it comes to blocking any reviews from someone who might be connected to authors. I purposefully use the word connected – if you’ve ever emailed, Tweeted or interacted with an author online, Amazon seems to track this, and this becomes grounds for disqualifying a review and a reviewer. That’s fair, if only Amazon also rooted out the trolls.
They’re easy to spot: they leave multiple reviews on a single day, they’re all 1 star, and all of them have virtually nothing to say about the content.
Although none of these “reviews” make any specific gripes about anything specific, I do want to respond to the grey highlights.
1. “A fondness for conspiracy theories…” If anyone knows my work they know the exact opposite is true. I often say I’m allergic to conspiracies, and tend to avoid them unless they deserve to be debunked. This discussion with Ed Opperman is a good example.
2. “He doesn’t bother with research…” This is one of the most popular criticisms. What malarkey. Each book has hundreds of links to research documents, interviews, videos, photos, news reports,. You’d be hard-pressed to find any true crime writing with more research, sentence by sentence, paragraph for paragraph, page for page, than the Rocket Science books.
3. “He lashes out at his victims…” There is some truth in this. I do interrogate the victims from all perspectives, including the perpetrator’s perspective, but try to maintain a compassionate and sympathetic view. Victims never deserve to die, or suffer, but we can occasional fathom mechanisms and dynamics that lead to criminals acting out in destructive ways. It’s important to understand this aspect to know how or why a situation triggered a particular crime in a particular individual. The notion that this analysis is ever “lashing out” is ludicrous.
A final aspect I want to deal with here is the criticism that I’m not a widely published or prolific photojournalist, and that all my work is self-published.
Before I wrote full-time I worked as a freelance magazine journalist. Over the course of about a decade I published hundreds of articles in over 40 different local and international magazines, and at least a dozen different newspapers. So none of that qualifies as “self-published”. Most of the written work was published “as is” in magazines with virtually no editing and no need for editing. It was this circumstance – a long form magazine article – that led me to publish my first two books. Both books started off as a series of magazine articles.
In terms of pounding the streets and interviewing people in person, I’ve done that and am in the process of negotiating possibly two books – one with a prosecutor and another with the relative of a victim. So at certain times cases are researched remotely, at other times I do venture into the field. The entire Van Breda axe murder series involved travelling hundreds of miles to attend all the trial days, and staying at some expense in hotels and guest houses.
I do have a publishing contract with a US publisher for one of my books. I’ve found it more practical, effective and efficient to self-publish, because in True Crime, time is of the essence.
If you’ve read any of the Rocket Science books and were moved by them [positively or negatively], please be moved enough to leave a review. More reviews lead to more sales, and more sales lead to more writing, and more books, and more books mean more choice – for you.
“I killed this selfish b**** who tortured me for two years.”
The jury also heard from the victim’s co-worker, who went to the home after she didn’t show up for work. Police discovered Kaur’s body in a bathtub, filled with water. She had been strangled. The defense said Grewal will testify during the trial, in his own defense.
I don't understand the problem? Just use the fund to "Find Madeleine" to pay for it. Isn't that what it's for? #McCann McCanns hit with £29k bill after losing libel case against Portuguese cop https://t.co/pgy4EhDcMA
The Idaho nurse who reached a plea agreement in relation to the case of missing Woodland Park mom Kelsey Berreth has a court date in Teller County at 11 a.m. Monday. However, it’s unclear if she’s will appear for the hearing.
Dina Shacknai had serious questions about whether Max's death was an accident. EP3 Mansion of Secrets: The Mysterious Death of Rebecca Zahau. @DrPhil Listen to the full episode: https://t.co/crLAHsjt9apic.twitter.com/ny5R4PaDJ8
On the finale of Death At The Mansion: #RebeccaZahau, we finalize our theories on Rebecca's mysterious death and the San Diego Sheriff's Department makes a long-awaited announcement. It all starts this Saturday at 6/5c, only on @Oxygen. pic.twitter.com/q84RnKmlpc
Got some stills of my fleeting appearance on Oxygen's limited series on the Rebecca Zahau death case, which they are portraying as a whodunnit murder, not a suicide. pic.twitter.com/jioIhfM3Da
Today this 7 mm Lefaucheux will be auctioned as "probably, maybe, believed to be" the weapon used to kill or murder #VincentvanGogh – or what the artist himself used to shoot himself. Found 75 years later it's "very likely" the weapon. We really are a confused society, aren't we? pic.twitter.com/ERCMjG5v7I
Naifeh noted that there was no evidence linking the gun either to Van Gogh or to the manner of his death.
“What forensic evidence is there to tie Vincent van Gogh to this gun? And, even if there were forensic evidence tying Vincent to this gun, what does this say about who pulled the trigger?” he asked: “Those are the two big questions, and I do not see any answers.”
Although Van Gogh is one of the most famous artists in the world — one of his paintings of a farmed field, completed a year before his death, sold for $81 million in 2017 — he sold only one painting during his lifetime, for 400 francs.
The most expensive Van Gogh painting to date was sold for $82 million in 1990, the “Portrait of Dr. Gachet” from 1890. Gachet was the doctor who would ultimately attend his death later that year.
I think we all know why you might wish to avoid interviews with British TV journalists, especially those like me who once worked with Meredith’s father. Mine would start with this question: your lies sent an innocent man Patrick Lumumba to jail, so what else did you lie about? https://t.co/p0zDeXAfHf
Our search for the truth behind Rebecca Zahau's suspicious death continues. Don't miss the second-to-last episode of Death At The Mansion: #RebeccaZahau this Saturday at 6/5c on @Oxygen. pic.twitter.com/z9BsQUtDMA
Was #RebeccaZahau really alone on the night she died? We dive deeper into the case on a new episode of Death At The Mansion: Rebecca Zahau, tomorrow at 6/5c on @Oxygen. pic.twitter.com/hce6YltIhf
The plaintiff’s forensic pathologist was none other than the famed Dr. Cyril Wecht, known for his consultation on other high-profile cases. Dr. Wecht performed a second autopsy on Rebecca on October 28, 2011, three and a half months after her death. Her body was exhumed and shipped to his facility in Pittsburgh. He found the cause of death to be asphyxiation due to hanging, and the manner of death “undetermined.” Revealing his findings on the Dr. Phil show, Dr. Wecht said there was a rush to judgment in the case and this “bizarre situation” demanded further investigation.
Once retained by the plaintiffs for the wrongful death suit, Dr. Wecht did further investigation and came to a…definitive conclusion…At trial, Dr. Wecht testified, “In my opinion Rebecca Zahau’s death was a homicide. She was manually strangled, and it was set up to look like a suicidal hanging.” He found the fractures to her neck were more consistent with strangulation and questioned why her neck was not broken from the nine-foot fall. In attorney Greer’s closing to the jury, he said the drop hanging would have decapitated Rebecca, but since there was no fracture to her vertebra, it was consistent with someone slowly lowering her down. The bed only moved seven and a half inches. If she was falling, the bed would have moved significantly more.
Dr. Jonathan Lucas of the San Diego Medical Examiner’s Officer performed an autopsy on Rebecca on July 14, 2011, the day immediately following her death. He found the cause of death to be asphyxiation from hanging and ruled the manner of death a suicide. Although Dr. Lucas was listed by the defense as a witness for the trial and the defense informed the court he would be testifying, for reasons never disclosed in open court, he was never called. The defense instead called Dr. Gregory Davis, a forensic pathologist from Kentucky. He agreed with Dr. Lucas’ findings.
Dr. Lucas found Rebecca sustained neck fractures to her left hyoid bone, left thyroid bone, and the cricoid cartilage. Were these fractures caused from the length of the drop or were they from a manual strangulation, such that Rebecca was dead before being thrown over the balcony? Dr. Lucas found they were consistent with a drop hanging, and Dr. Davis agreed with this conclusion. Dr. Davis further testified with a manual strangulation, one would expect to see bruising and fingerprint marks. None were found on Rebecca’s neck.
The court heard the pathologist concluded Susan committed suicide because there was no “definitive fracture of the hyoid bone or the thyroid cornua” – an injury that usually [occurs] with manual strangulation.
The fact that Shan’ann Watts had no fractured hyoid bone is therefore noteworthy. How was she asphyxiated without injuring her?
Amanda Knox writes a missive on Medium ahead of her speech in Italy accusing the media of a Trial by Media. Was it because of the media that she got convicted, or because of the media that she was exonerated? Or both? Or neither?
"I had prepared myself to grow old in prison. I’d forgotten what it was like to walk on grass…" #AmandaKnox sounding like Damien Echols. Did she also forget how to walk or how to use a fork? https://t.co/fZF0WGwLTk
#AmandaKnox had a horrible Trial by Media experience. Book tours, interviews, Oprah, Diane Sawyer, Chris Cuomo. And now she's the victim of another horrible Trial by Media. Who invited the media to cover her return to Italy? Oh right. Oops. https://t.co/x1QXrxWbVepic.twitter.com/HjhDcCwNyo
#AmandaKnox will have you believe she is the victim in the murder of Meredith Kercher. The odd thing is Kercher's family years later don't agree. Have they forgiven her? >>>Amanda Knox: Kercher family label her return to Italy 'inappropriate' https://t.co/3769tMqHx7pic.twitter.com/TBAT8GR76C
Packham had inflicted more than one blow on his middle aged wife, who was of “petite stature”. He had broken the strongest bones in her skull, and “attacked her in the sanctity of her home”.
Judge Steyn also referred to the case of former property mogul Jason Rohde, who was also convicted of murdering his wife, and defeating the ends of justice by staging the crime scene to make it look like a suicide.
Reminder. Jon Stewart has had to fight for the lives of 9/11 first responders for nearly a decade.
In 2010, John had 4 responders on his show to fight for the Zadroga Act. When the bill was up for renewal 5 years later, 3 of them could not make the show due to sickness or death pic.twitter.com/p9j0Jem1Zc
Some interesting speculation here from Armchair Detective. Why does the GPS data refer to Watts starting his truck at 5:18 but only backing it up to the garage at 05:27? Watts also refers to this exact time – 05:27 – while standing beside Trinastich’s TV. The Vivint data shows the garage door opened at 05:27.
Van Niekerk added at the same time it renders the State’s narrative, that he managed to attack his entirely family with an axe; engage in a severe struggle with Marli; and dragged Rudi around whilst the latter is lying in a pool of blood without stepping in any blood at all; highly improbable, if not impossible.
“If van Breda’s appeal against his conviction on premeditated murder is upheld but substituted for conviction on murder, it is also submitted that an appeal against the life sentences imposed also has a reasonable prospect of success,” she said.
The National Prosecuting Authority will file its replying affidavit next Friday.
The finale of the 4-part series is by far the best, basically because the presenters finally quit pussyfooting around the main suspect – Adam Shacknai – and finally get to grips with the idea of Rebecca’s death being a homicide, not a suicide. Why it takes these documentaries so long just to get up to speed is just plain sad. If each of the 4 episodes was as solid as the last, it would have been a damn good package.
One aspect touched on in the final few minutes of the finale was the same limiting aspect I discovered writing the first book and second in the Red Rope series. There is a heck of a lot of information that the public and the media simply don’t have access to. This restricts the scope of documentaries and to some extent written narratives too. That being said, episode four provides some useful glimpses at items of evidence from the crime scene that haven’t been seen before. So, without further ado, let’s deal with seven significant evidentiary aspects.
1. Rebecca’s Bed
For some strange reason it’s been very difficult to locate images of the bed besides where the rope is connected to it. It’s obvious from the image that no one lay or say on the bed. This is a weakness in the sexual assault theory. It’s certainly indicative that the sexual assault a) didn’t occur on the bed and thus b) was likely brief.
2. The Orientation of the Room
In a scenario where the suicide is staged, we can imagine Rebecca’s killer standing behind her and lifting her already dead body over the railing, and letting it descend in a relatively controlled motion. The obvious point to clarify is if we impute a killer in the room and on the balcony [or even simply his foot on the balcony], why wouldn’t he be in front of Rebecca? It’s obvious right. The upstairs balcony was very visible through line of sight from very many vantage points, an issue I clarified and illustrated in detail inINTO THE BELLY OF THE WHALE. Greer actually mentions as part of his theory that the killer stood behind her, basically just off the balcony and maneuvered Rebecca’s body over the railing. The balcony isn’t very wide at all, around half a meter, so this would be fairly easy to pull off.
But the mere fact that the doors were closed calls into question the entire suicide hypothesis. Did Rebecca close the doors with her hands tied behind her back, and while the heels of her feet were right against the door? If she did, why on Earth would she do that? Meanwhile, we can see clearly why a murderer would want the door or doors closed. Firstly to hide behind while lowering her, but secondly, and importantly, to hide behind while staging the bedroom [including painting the message on the door].
3. The Candle
The candle on the grass is one of the seemingly inexplicable idiosyncracies of this case. Although I will be dealing with this aspect in more detail in AT THE EDGE OF CIVIL, for now it’s worth mentioning that the candle may have been used for “low light” illumination late at night, not only in Rebecca’s room but outside on the lawn. It’s also possible, but unlikely that the candle was used to “cut” the rope by burning through it. As unlikely as this scenario is, we nevertheless have to ask why the candle is where it is? What function did it serve? Was it only illumination?
And that raises the issue of the rope. Why is the length of rope so long behind Rebecca? Why is it in a virtual straight line?
Why are Rebecca’s legs bent inwards, and her face turned upwards? Were her legs bent when she “fell” when she was cut down? Or was she cut down and carried, placed on the lawn and this “bent” her legs? The position we see here suggests the position she lay in when she was struggled at some other location. Note, her knees also appear slightly open.
4.The “Rope Burn”
If the injury to Rebecca’s middle finger is rope burn, it suggests that she was lowered fast enough to inflict the injury – post mortem – but slow enough that she suffered no significant trauma to her neck vertebra. Since this would be the riskiest manoeuvre of all for her murderer, he had to do it quickly but also not too quickly. Too quickly would jolt the bed, perhaps breaking the leg that was ultimately anchoring the entire rig, and limbs might dislodge out of their bindings.
It’s very clear that Greer is quite correct and the Defense witness [Williams] judgement on the nature of the wound is questionable, to put it mildly. It also beggars belief that the cops didn’t test the blood for vaginal epithelial cells, but if the San Diego cops were trying to fuck up this case, and their forensic technicians trying to frustrate the prosecution of it, they were doing a great job in that department.
5. “Blood Imprint” on Rebecca’s Left Inner Thigh
We know there was also tape residue on Rebecca’s legs, possibly from duct tape. It does make sense if she was murdered and then a suicide was staged that the original device used to bind her wouldn’t be the lengthy ski rope.
In episode four Greer suggests a bloody imprint fits the size of a knife handle with the blade facing outward and handle facing inward. This impression, frankly, reminds of the blade impression left on a sheet in the Amanda Knox case.
6. Two Pairs of Gloves were Found at the Crime Scene
I will deal with the gloves and additional analysis in a follow-up post at CrimeRocket II. But the issue of two pairs of gloves raises the possibility of a killer and at least one accomplice, an aspect Oxygen provides some reinforcing evidence to support.
7. 3D Rendering of Rebecca’s Route to the Balcony
The animation in episode four is extremely brief – a few seconds – but it’s arguably the best footage in the whole series. The animation seeks to cast doubt of the absence of blood drops in the imputed route Rebecca would have taken if she hopped [bound, obviously] from the bed to the balcony.
But what the animation also achieves is that it provides a context to imagine her attacker. Where is he? Where would he have stood [especially in the final image], and what would he have done with the shutters to avoid being seen? Probably he had one of those shutters [the left] completely closed, while the other was slightly ajar. Did he use a candle to illuminate what he was doing?
That’s seven assessments – that’s enough. This analysis covers the first 18 minutes of the final episode. The last 20 minutes or so, including some of the insights from the DEATH AT THE MANSION crew and their experts, will be highlighted in due course at CrimeRocket II.
A final point: when the presenters enter Greer’s “Zahau Room” Adam Shacknai’s signature features prominently in the room, along with handwriting analysis taken from that signature as well as other handwriting.
Although Adam Shacknai has been found guilty by a civil court [where the burden of proof is lower], the producers have been careful to be explicit that the evidence presented is “the opinion” of the prosecutor, and that Adam Shacknai “expressly denies all allegations”.
Interestingly, both Greer and the DEATH AT THE MANSION presenters share a kind of consensus on their four primary person’s of interest. Adam, Nina, Dina [and Max] and Jonah.
We can see why DEATH AT THE MANSION spent a relatively short time dealing with Adam as its “main suspect”. Although a jury and Judge supported Greer’s version, the medical examiner and San Diego cops do not, and most important, Adam’s billionaire brother also still seems to be in his corner.
There is so often a connection in True Crime between dead bodies and garbage bags, dead bodies and excrement, dead bodies and toys left lying around, and between the supersmooth suspect and a sudden desire to do laundry and take a shower.
The doll in the trash stood out to me even more than the book on marriage improvement in the garage dumpster. This is because toys are often a give-away clue when children are murdered. The favorite toy itself either has cadaver traces on it, or the location of the toy provides some insight into where the child died and what happened.
There’s a lot of Intertextual data on this in the Casey Anthony case, also Madeleine McCann and JonBenet Ramsey. In fact, toys are a key feature of the JonBenet Ramsey case, and the secret key to unraveling that case. [It’s not for nothing the little girl was murdered over Christmas, with a wrapped Christmas toy beside her body in the basement].
In the Discovery Documents the word toys features 13 times. Although Watts claimed he took toys out to CERVI 319, this seemed to be more a case of Coder or Lee leading him in that direction. In other words, Watts never volunteered this information. If the children were murdered first, it also makes no sense why there would be any toys at the site [and none were found].
It does seem clear that the only “toy” or “toyish” object associated with the children were their blankies. It seems all three bodies were wrapped in “blankies” and in Shan’ann’s case, a fitted sheet.
Interestingly, Watts also claimed not to want to go upstairs because he “couldn’t handle seeing the toys and stuff”.
While watching Toy Story 4, the new Pixar film, I couldn’t help revisiting aspects of the Toy Narrative as it relates to the Watts case. What stood out was the lackadaisical cruelty of the children [seen from the toy’s point of view], and how easily toys are replaced, disposed of – and yes – thrown in the trash. In fact, each of the Toy Story movies deals with these aspects in different ways.
In the second movie when Andy accidentally damages Woody’s arm, Woody instantly goes from being a favorite toy to trash.
The film then explores the transactionality of toys – toys can be worth something to collectors, but only if they’re in mint condition, and if evidence of their owners has been removed.
Buzz meanwhile experiences an identity crisis, where his delusions are and his lack of individuality are exposed. It’s unsettling to watch because we as consumers often feel the same way – like zombies, drones, nameless automatons herded into shops like sheep.
Toy Story exposes the capricious nature not only of children, but society as we know it today. One moment you’re someone’s world, the next you’re trash.
When Woody is replaced by a much fancier, new toy, there’s metaphor in the Cowboy being replaced by the flashier, but somehow more vacuous Space Ranger. When that happens the interior of the boy’s room changes, even what he cover himself in [his clothing and his blankets, and the pictures on the wall] changes. We can see how a disposable society is also expressed visually. We see acquisitions. Just as social media overtly shows the degree of influence, the pulling power of a profile and bio, or lack of.
In one scene in one the films a plague of red monkeys swarms over the prairie. This is an interesting metaphor for children. How mindless monkeys can overwhelm individuals, and by implication, so can a house full of children.
Like Shrek, Toy Story inverts the modern fairy tale by showing the adventures toys have in spite of their mercenary and often sociopathic owners.
QUESTION: I have a question that has been addressed before on your blog, but only briefly, and (not that I can ascertain) not very clearly: It is widely reported that Shan’ann had Lupus. You subscribe to this belief, also, it appears. However, in the autopsy report, the coroner states….NO OTHER EVIDENCE OF DISEASE was found. Is it possible Shan’ann did not have Lupus? I don’t know that she actually did? Wouldn’t SOMETHING of the effects of Lupus be present in an autopsy report? I am 40 and have survived 2 cancers. I am healthy now, but I promise you, if I was murdered, systemic signs of problems just from cancer treatments (osteoporosis, damaged salivary glands from chemo, bad thyroid hormone levels, hormones out of whack, scars, etc) would be reported. Could you re-visit this, or is it your absolute opinion that Shan’ann did, indeed, truly have Lupus? I would love your to read more insight on this issue from you. Thanks!
TCRS: Thanks for your question. You raise an excellent point on the Lupus issue. There does seem to be a possibility that Shan’ann was a hypochondriac, but on the other hand, Lupus probably causes folks to react with a lot of anxiety due to its very nature, and may not appear to show symptoms even when there may be inflammation etc. It seems unlikely Shan’ann didn’t have Lupus if so many people close to her “knew” she did – not only her immediate family [the Rzuceks] but also her husband.
Shan’ann seemed to me to have a lot of issues, and didn’t want to work away from home. The Lupus seemed to be a big part of that, unless it was a con. It also seems significant to me that she had a childless marriage with her first husband.
I’m no expert, but I suspect her Lupus was completely in remission in 2018. When you ask about “something of the effects of Lupus be present” in the autopsy, I would think so, but I’m not sure if Lupus leaves the sort of trail cancer might. I guess it depends on the Lupus. Shan’ann seemed to have a fairly mild case. It doesn’t appear that the autopsy did a very thorough check. I’m not sure whether the restrictions on health related information had a bearing on this aspect, or the Thrive aspect, or both.
The autopsy also made no references to elevated levels of any Thrive-related chemicals. This also seems odd, but since she was pregnant, perhaps she wasn’t using the patches. All of this would doubtless have come out in a trial. So what we’re left with is conjecture, unfortunately. In May I think, Shan’ann was sort of talking about being cured of Lupus [thanks to Thrive] which may nor may not be part of the answer.
Christopher Lee Watts, 33, born Spring Lake, North Carolina [Former mechanic, Rover/Field coordinator at Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Platteville, Colorado at the time of the murders. Convicted of triple homicide and felony tampering with deceased human remains].
Shan’ann Watts, 34, born in Passaic, New Jersey [Former call center nurse, computer assistant at Longmont Ford. Sales promoter at Le-Vel from January 2016 to August 2018. Accused of murdering her two children by Chris Watts].
Ronnie Watts, 62 [Father of Chris Watts, present during the CBI/FBI interrogation and confession on August 15th, 2018 at Frederick Police Station. Mentioned the life-size doll to law enforcement when his son implicated his wife in the murders of his children].
Cindy McLeod Watts, 63 [Mother of Chris Watts. Campaigned in the media prior against the plea deal, arguing that it was coerced. Spoke emotionally at the sentencing hearing on November 19th, 2018. When she turned to Watts, telling him she loved and forgave him, he did not acknowledge her].
Jamie Lyn Williams, 37, born Spring Lake, North Carolina. [Active on Websleuths under the profile “Trinket78”]
“Maw Maw” [Chris Watts’ paternal grandmother. He visited her on August 5th, without Shan’ann while in North Carolina].
Nichol Lee Kessinger, 29 years old. [Geologist, HSE Representative, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation].
Dwayne Kessinger, 59 years old. [Engineering Group Lead. Sat in on first two interrogations with his daughter on August 15th and 16th, 2018].
Ex-husband, ex-boyfriend and ex-employers
Leonard King [Lawyer, Shan’ann’s first husband between 2002 and 2008. No children. Took out life insurance policies on themselves during their marriage. After divorce Leonard King changed the beneficiary on his own life insurance].
“Sean” [Ex-boyfriend of Nichol Kessinger mentioned in texts to Charlotte Nelson on Sunday August 12th, 2018].
Hisham Bedwan [Owner of Dirty South, a car accessory company based in Fayetteville, North Carolina].
Morrisville Ford and Longmont Ford [Watts worked at these dealerships between 2001-2012 and 2012-2014 respectively. Shan’ann Watts also worked at Longmont Ford].
Jeff Hiebert/Dax [Boulder County Open Space officer].
Alan Duffy [Greenfield, Colorado – Offered but not used].
Dogs
Deeter [Dachshund, family pet. Spelled “Dieter” on family’s social media. Spelled Deeter in Discovery Documents, page 461. Animal was left at the crime scene on August 13th, presumably in the basement. Transferred from Watts home, to Thayer’s home, to victim’s brother Frankie Rzucek].
Amanda McMahon [Claimed to have hooked up with Watts in March, 2018, and watched the movie Shutter Island together, a psychological thriller about a man who murders his wife because she kills his children].
In POST TRUTH, the 100th True Crime Rocket Science [TCRS] title, the world’s most prolific true crime author Nick van der Leek demonstrates how much we still don’t know in the Watts case. In the final chapter of the SILVER FOX trilogy the author provides a sly twist in a tale that has spanned 12 TCRS books to date. The result may shock or leave you with even more questions.
SILVER FOX III available now in paperback!
“If you are at all curious about what really happened in the Watts case, then buy this book, buy every one he has written and you will get as close as humanly possible to understanding the killer and his victims.”- Kathleen Hewtson. Purchase the very highly rated and reviewed SILVER TRILOGY – POST TRUTH COMING SOON.
TCRS MERCH available now – just in time for Christmas!
Book 5 – ALL NEW! “I have thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook…” – Connie Lukens. Drilling Through Discovery Complete Audiobook
Read the entire 9-Part TWO FACE series, the most definitive book series covering the Chris Watts Case
Visit the TCRS Archive of 100 Books dealing with all the world’s most high-profile true crime cases.
Join the TCRS Community on Patreon for as little as $1 per month. Multiple daily posts, interesting discussions, amazing audiobooks narrated by the author, ongoing series and powerful, informative weekly podcasts.
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Book 4 in the TWO FACE series, one of the best reviewed, is available now in paperback!
“Book 4 in the K9 series is a must read for those who enjoy well researched and detailed crime narratives. The author does a remarkable job of bringing to life the cold dark horror that is Chris Watts throughout the narrative but especially on the morning in the aftermath of the murders. Chris’s actions are connected by Nick van der Leek’s eloquent use of a timeline to reveal a motive.”
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6. Two Pairs of Gloves were Found at the Crime Scene
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