Killer dad Chris Watts slammed by his father-in-law as he is jailed for life for murdering his pregnant wife and their two daughters
AN EVIL dad will spend the rest of his life behind bars after receiving five life sentences for slaughtering his pregnant wife and their two young daughters, and dumping their bodies on an oil work site.
Christopher Watts, 33, pleaded guilty on November 6 to three charges of murder in the deaths of his wife, Shanann, and their young daughters, Celeste, three, and Bella, four.
He also admitted two counts of murdering a child, one count of unlawful termination of a pregnancy and three counts of tampering with a deceased human body.
Prior to today's sentencing, prosecutors said they agreed not to ask for the death penalty in exchange for Watts' guilty plea, after seeking approval from Shanann Watts' family.
First-degree murder charges in Colorado require a minimum sentence of life without a chance at parole for adults.
Judge Marcelo Kopcow, who has 17 years on the bench, told the packed courtroom in Weld County District Court: "This is perhaps the most inhumane and vicious crime I have handled."
The couple also told the broadcaster they have “no idea” whether Watts was coerced into taking the plea deal on November 6.
Today, however, a spokeswoman for the Watts family told the hearing that they were not asking for leniency, as “this should never have happened; this is not condonable, this is something we shall never get over.”
They added: "Chris Watts still chose to dump the bodies of his own family in oil tanks. And Chris Watts still chose to lie about it until he could lie no more. He pled guilty to murdering his family because he is guilty."
Watts, 33, struck the plea deal to avoid the death penalty after slaying Shanann Watts, Celeste and Bella at their family home in August.
On November 6, he sobbed in court as he pleaded guilty to five counts of murder in the first degree, three counts of tampering with a deceased human body and one count of unlawful termination of a pregnancy.
He also admitted to hiding their bodies in an oil field. Watts’ plea deal sets out that he serves three consecutive life sentences for the three murders.
Shanann's body was found buried in a shallow grave and the girls had been dumped in oil tanks on the property of Watts' former employer.
He was arrested the following day and charged with first degree murder and other felony counts in the slayings.
Police said Watts was having an affair with a co-worker and had informed his wife on August 13 - the night before her disappearance - that he wanted to separate.