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Sentencing Hearing - Nov. 19, 2018 - Christopher Lee Watts Case — Transcript

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0:12mr watts why did you kill your wife and
0:14two children
0:35that's true
1:10so
1:32thank you governor john walsh and
1:35catherine harold on behalf of mr ross
1:37thank you mr work did you want to make a
1:40record regarding compliance with the
1:42victim triathlon your honor president of
1:45the courtroom
1:45are frank rusik sandy rusick and frank
1:48rusek jr
1:49they are shannon's mom dad and brother
1:52um they have been fully advised of
1:53nature the proceedings today
1:55also based upon the order that the court
1:58entered last week i can tell the court
1:59that
1:59um mr cindy watts are present in the
2:02courtroom as well
2:04they've also had opportunity to meet
2:06with representatives from my office
2:08over the weekend to discuss the nature
2:10of the hearing today i believe that we
2:12are fully in compliance with the victims
2:13rights act
2:14thank you
2:17so what i would like to do is explain
2:19the procedures that we're going to use
2:22regarding the sentencing hearing let me
2:24first say that i realize that the
2:26sentencing hearing is emotional
2:28for many of us and
2:32i expect that your behavior in the
2:34courtroom both in this
2:36courtroom and the overflow courtroom is
2:37appropriate
2:39if the court determines that your
2:41demeanor behavior
2:42while in the courtroom during the
2:44hearing is not appropriate
2:46i have advised the deputies that i will
2:48be asking you to be escorted out of the
2:50courtroom so please
2:52be mindful of your demeanor during the
2:55sentencing hearing
2:57also as a reminder all electronic
3:01devices must be turned off the only
3:03electronic devices
3:05that i have authorized to be used are
3:08those
3:08through the expanded media coverage
3:10order
3:12if deputies see that you are using an
3:14electronic device not authorized by the
3:17court
3:18the deputies will take action on that so
3:20please be mindful of that if you need to
3:21turn off
3:22your electronic devices please please do
3:24so now
3:26so these are the procedures that we are
3:28going to use for the sentencing hearing
3:31first the prosecution will have an
3:33opportunity to present
3:34evidence once the prosecution finishes
3:38the defense will have an opportunity to
3:40present
3:41evidence then
3:44if there are any victims under the
3:48victims rights act including cindy and
3:50randy ronnie watts that have
3:51not been called by the prosecution or
3:53the defense or any other
3:56defined victims under the victims rights
3:58act they will have an opportunity
4:00to make a statement to the court as it
4:02relates to their rights under the
4:03victims rights act
4:06thereafter the prosecution will have an
4:08opportunity to
4:09argue the defense will have an
4:11opportunity to make an argument if mr
4:14watts
4:14chooses to he will have an opportunity
4:17to make a statement
4:18and then the court will impose a
4:20sentence in this case does everybody
4:22understand okay
4:26and so mr work are you going to be
4:28speaking on behalf of the prosecution
4:30yes
4:31and you are welcome to present evidence
4:34thank you
4:35your honor if i may approach i want to
4:36tender to the court would have been
4:38marketed as sentencing exhibits 1
4:40through 21 inclusive i have provided
4:41copies of these two defense councils
4:43thank you
4:47photographs one through twenty one
4:49sentencing exhibits one through twenty
4:51one
4:51um represent a number of different
4:53photographs that
4:54are in discovery that shenan's mother
4:57and father wanted the court to
4:59have um for your consideration as you
5:01impose sentence today
5:02um they may allude to those and i've
5:04asked them to do so by way of sentencing
5:06exhibit number
5:07um but that's the the sum and substance
5:09of exhibits one through twenty one
5:10thank you and
5:14do you have individuals who would like
5:16to make a statement i do
5:17your honor if i could first call upon
5:19frank rusik to join me
5:20thank you
5:32good morning mr rusick good morning
5:41well i'd like to say to the courts that
5:46shannon bella and nico love and caring
5:49people
5:51they love life they love being around
5:54people
5:54who love him they also
5:58they always had good times
6:01this is the first time they went to the
6:03beach this year
6:04and they loved it but god only knows
6:09what happened that night life will never
6:11be the same without shannon
6:13bella and celeste nico
6:18had all their lives to live
6:21they were taken by a heartless one
6:25this is the heartless one the evil
6:27monster
6:28who dare you take the lives of my
6:30daughter shannon bella
6:32celeste and nico i trusted you to take
6:35care of them
6:36not kill them and they also trusted you
6:40the heartless monster and then you take
6:43them out
6:44like trash you disgust me
6:49they were loving and caring people you
6:52may have taken their bodies from me
6:55but you will never take the love they
6:57had for me
7:00they loved us more than you will ever
7:02know
7:03because you know what love you don't
7:05know what love is
7:06because if you did you would not have
7:08killed them
7:10you monster thought you would get away
7:13with this
7:15i don't know how the cameras do not lie
7:18you carry them out like trash of the
7:21house
7:23yes i seen the videotape
7:28you buried my my daughter shannon and
7:31nico in a shallow grave
7:33and then you put bella and celeste and
7:34used containers of crude oil
7:36your heartless monster you have
7:41you have to live with this vision every
7:43day of your life
7:45and i hope you see that every time you
7:46close your eyes at night
7:49oh i forgot you have no heart or
7:51feelings
7:52or love let me tell you something i will
7:55think of them every day of my life
7:57and i love them every day of my life
8:00prison is too good for you
8:03this this is hard to say but may god
8:06have mercy on your soul
8:08i hope you enjoy your new life it's
8:10nothing like the one you had out here
8:12may the courts have no mercy on you it's
8:15hard every day
8:16it hurts in so many ways
8:20i have heard people say that you're not
8:22a monster
8:24no you are not you're an evil monster
8:28thank you love you shannon bella and
8:31nico
8:32love you pop up and dip and one other
8:35thing
8:36and shannon says she is super excited
8:41for justice today thank you your honor
8:44thank you sir
8:52sure
9:07jr he has asked me to read his statement
9:10for him but he would like to stand with
9:12you if that's okay of course
9:14sir if i could just have you state your
9:16name for the record
9:17uh frankie what's that junior thank you
9:19for being here
9:21you're on the past three months i've
9:22barely slept because i've been going
9:24through a lot
9:25of different emotions because i didn't i
9:28did not see this coming
9:30you went from being my brother my
9:31sister's protector
9:33one of the most loved people in my
9:34family to someone i will spend the rest
9:36of my life trying to understand
9:39what gave you the right to put your
9:40hands on a woman let alone my best
9:42friend
9:43my beloved sister your daughters and
9:45your son
9:46why weren't they enough for you in the
9:49blink of an eye you took away my whole
9:50world
9:51the people that mattered to me the most
9:54everything in my life i loved
9:55your children they trusted you they
9:57loved you
9:58they looked up to you because you
10:00promised to keep them safe
10:02instead you turned on your family my
10:04blood is boiling as i write these last
10:06words because they
10:08are the last you will ever hear from me
10:10i can't even think of the right words to
10:11describe the betrayal and the hate i
10:13feel
10:14and to be honest you aren't even worth
10:15the time and effort it takes to put my
10:17pen to this paper
10:19there isn't a day that goes by that i
10:21don't cry for my family they were my
10:22whole world
10:24all i do is ask myself why why would you
10:26do this
10:28you don't deserve to be called a man
10:29what kind of person slaughters the
10:31people that love them the most
10:33did you really think you would get away
10:34with this did you really think
10:36that this was your best option to throw
10:38away your family like they were garbage
10:40they deserve better and you know it i
10:42hope you spend the rest of your life
10:43staring at the ceiling every night being
10:45haunted by what you've done
10:48none of us deserved this hearing my
10:50mother and father cry themselves to
10:51sleep in this hotel room
10:53causes me anguish that is beyond words i
10:56can't
10:56describe how this feels how badly my
10:58heart is breaking for my poor parents
11:00we trusted you you have taken away my
11:03family from this earth
11:04but you can never take them from my
11:05heart you took away my privilege of
11:08being an uncle
11:09to the most precious little girls i've
11:10ever known i will never hear the words
11:13uncle frankie again
11:14but you will never be called dad again
11:16either you'll never be able to put your
11:18hands on another woman let alone my best
11:20friend
11:21my beloved sister and your son i just
11:24can't comprehend how they weren't enough
11:25for you
11:26shanann bella and cece love you more
11:28than anyone you were their hero
11:30how could you destroy the people who
11:32loved them the most
11:33i pray that you never have a moment's
11:35peace or a good nice rest in the cage
11:37you'll spend every day of your life in
11:39a cage you are privileged to live in
11:41because my family isn't evil like you
11:43we begged the district attorney to spare
11:45your life despite because despite
11:47everything
11:48we believe that no one has the right to
11:49take the life of another
11:51even even someone like you
11:54i feel sorry for your family i know the
11:56pain that they must feel knowing that
11:57they can't hug you
11:58because that's how my mother father and
12:00i feel every time we cry for our family
12:03nothing hurts more than watching or
12:04hearing my family weep for their loved
12:06ones
12:07i just wish that i could tell that that
12:09you would tell the truth
12:10but i know that that is asking for more
12:12than you are capable of
12:14i stayed up all night writing this
12:15statement i don't sleep because of you
12:18my life will never be the same because
12:19of you but at least my conscience is
12:21clear
12:22i get to live free but i can't say the
12:24same for you
12:25i haven't slept in two days because i've
12:27been anxiously waiting for this moment
12:29the moment i get to tell you how i feel
12:32how this has affected my family and i
12:34my family and i can finally grieve after
12:36today
12:37if anything we will come out of this
12:39stronger today than we were before and
12:40we will continue to pray for your family
12:42sincerely frankie roosev thank you
12:53your honor sandy bruce would like to
12:55address support
13:04good morning good morning thank you for
13:06this moment
13:07i can just have you just identify
13:09yourself for the record my name is
13:11andrew wasak shannon's mother
13:12[Music]
13:14i wanted to say thank you for this
13:16moment i want to take a moment to thank
13:18everyone who has prayed
13:20for our beloved family let's send gifts
13:23cards to us from all over the world
13:25i know god will put the evil people
13:27where they need to be
13:29i also want to take the time to thank
13:32the town of frederick
13:34um greeley uh fbi
13:37the da's office the cbi for exceptional
13:41work
13:42we thank nicole um atkinson um
13:45shannon's neighbor nathan and his family
13:50to me they're our heroes they really
13:52they really are god bless
13:54um god makes no mistakes on who he puts
13:59in your life
14:00marriage is about love trust and
14:02friendship and unity
14:05we marry for sickness and health to
14:06death do us part
14:08our daughter shannon loved you with all
14:10of her heart
14:12your children loved you to the moon and
14:14back shannon's family was
14:16her world shannon put a crown on your
14:18head
14:20but unfortunately the day that you took
14:23their life
14:23god removed that crown we loved you like
14:27a son
14:27we trusted you your faithful wife
14:31trusted you your children adored you
14:34and they also trusted you
14:38your daughter bella marie sang a song
14:40proudly
14:41i don't know if you got to see it but it
14:43was daddy you're my hero
14:46[Music]
14:47i have no idea who gave you the right to
14:51take their lives
14:54[Music]
14:57but i know god and his mighty angels
15:00were there
15:02at that moment to bring them home to
15:03paradise
15:04[Music]
15:06god gives us free will
15:08[Music]
15:09so not online did you take the family
15:11for your family of four
15:14you took your own life i want the world
15:17to know that our daughter
15:19and her children were so loved by us
15:22there will always be protected by god
15:24and his mighty angels
15:26i didn't want death for you because
15:28that's not my right
15:32your life is between you and god now and
15:35i pray that he has mercy for you
15:38from shannon's mother bella marie
15:40celeste catherine and nicoles
15:43nana thank you your honor
15:55that's all the witnesses that i had
15:56intended on calling i know that corey
15:58addressed this during the procedural
15:59posture i am aware that mr and mrs watts
16:02would also like to address the court
16:03i would certainly invite the court if
16:04you want at this point to call upon them
16:07or we can certainly do it after
16:09any uh evidence that the defense has as
16:10well sure
16:12does cindy or ronnie watts wish to make
16:14a statement
16:16for the victims rights amendment
16:24good morning mr powers good morning
16:26honor
16:30and we're gonna have you folks introduce
16:32yourself for the record
16:34i'm cindy watts ron watson thank you and
16:37i have
16:38authorized you to make a statement to
16:41the court
16:42as paternal grandparents uh of
16:46the children and if you choose not to
16:49make a statement but your designee miss
16:51powers chooses to she can do so as well
16:53how would you like to proceed today
16:59who's going to be speaking today your
17:01honor initially um
17:02they've asked me and they're hoping that
17:04they have the strength to speak
17:06but if they do not have written out
17:07their statements and ask me to finish
17:09with them so
17:10that would be fine who would like to go
17:12first if i could start your honor
17:14on behalf of the watts your honor and to
17:18the community
17:19we thank you for the opportunity and the
17:21recognition
17:22under the victim bill of rights we come
17:25today as the grandparents
17:28and the parent of the daughter and
17:31children
17:32whose life was taken in this case
17:35we are not here to ask for leniency we
17:38are not
17:38in any way condoning or tolerating
17:42the car the crime that has occurred and
17:44the pain that has been
17:46caused we join
17:49in our daughter-in-law and
17:50grandchildren's family and saying
17:53this should never have happened
17:56this is not condonable
17:59this is something that we will never get
18:02over
18:04we appreciate the consideration that
18:07everyone has paid
18:08most especially the families that have
18:12lost
18:12everyone we appreciate that they begged
18:17for christopher's life
18:20we agree and echo what they have said
18:23that it is not his place to take
18:25anyone's life
18:26nor would it be our place as a community
18:29to take his life
18:31so we thank you for the opportunity and
18:34for
18:34every consideration and effort that's
18:37been put out
18:38the prosecution in this case has in fact
18:41respected the victim bill of rights
18:42they took the time to explain that the
18:46information that my clients had at the
18:48time that they were interviewed
18:50was not correct they were misinformed
18:53they were searching for answers they
18:55were not intending to cause any pain to
18:58anyone
18:59and they appreciate that the prosecution
19:01answered
19:02their questions and gave them the time
19:04and the respect and the consideration
19:07so that they could tell this court and
19:09everyone in this community
19:10that the interview content was not their
19:13message
19:14that they accept that their son has done
19:17this
19:18that they accept that he chose to plead
19:20guilty
19:21that he sought and requested their
19:24consent and agreement for a life
19:26sentence
19:27they appreciate that he's given the
19:30opportunity to serve that life sentence
19:33it is his responsibility it is his
19:35sentence
19:36and it is not enough to make up for
19:40what has done we understand and we join
19:44the family and that we have questions
19:46we don't know how such a thing could
19:48possibly happen or that a man that was
19:50responsible for raising
19:52his children and protecting his wife
19:54would take the steps that he did
19:56and that he would disregard their bodies
19:58and the love that he had for them and
20:00they had for him and everyone else
20:02and take the gestures and put this
20:04community through the investigation
20:06and the discovery and the responsibility
20:09of bringing justice
20:11we do not understand that we do not
20:13think it was appropriate
20:14we cannot begin to think that an
20:17explanation will ever justify it
20:20my clients indicate that they understand
20:23that
20:24a full opportunity for a confession with
20:27all of the responsibility and
20:29accountability has not occurred
20:31when they support the family and the
20:33requests that that
20:34happen if not today at an appropriate
20:37time
20:38in an appropriate manner so that
20:40everyone can have peace
20:41to understand to the best of their
20:44ability the details that they need
20:46and to have their questions answered and
20:48by giving this opportunity of a life
20:50sentence
20:51we hope that he embraces that moment
20:55that had the death penalty been pursued
20:57there would not have been an opportunity
20:59to be accountable and to give a full
21:01confession and had the death penalty
21:04been sought
21:05counsel would have fought for his life
21:08the prosecutors would have been engaged
21:09in a multiple year battle
21:12the families would have been torn apart
21:13this community would have had to
21:15subsidize it and endure it
21:17and we have so much respect and
21:20gratefulness that that did not
21:21happen we would strongly encourage
21:25christopher watts to give that full
21:27confession in the tone and in the timing
21:29that he thinks is appropriate with the
21:31guidance of his counsel
21:32we feel that it would be appropriate and
21:34helpful to
21:36ease the pain and the suffering but we
21:38also
21:39say we don't think that there's anything
21:42that he can say
21:43that will ever account for his behavior
21:46there is nothing that can be done to
21:48cure the harm he has caused
21:50and he has the responsibility
21:54to serve his sentence with dignity
21:58and with regard for everyone and to
22:00spend every breath
22:01that he has left in an atonement for
22:04what he has done
22:07[Music]
22:09so if i could just have you state your
22:10name for the record cindy watts
22:12thank you my name is cindy watts
22:15i am the grandmother of two beautiful
22:17granddaughters bella marie
22:20celeste catherine watts i am also the
22:23mother of christopher watts
22:25who i will be directing most of my
22:26statement to
22:29first i'd like to begin by recognizing
22:31the absolute horror of this crime
22:33and acknowledging the devastating loss
22:36that both the rusek family
22:37as well as our family have faced
22:40our families have been irreparably
22:42broken by the needless deaths of shanann
22:45bella sisi and nico
22:48this is something we will never get over
22:51we will always mourn the loss of our
22:53family
22:54and in that we are united in our grief
22:58i am still struggling to understand how
23:01and why this tragedy occurred
23:04i may never be able to understand and
23:07accept it
23:08but i pray for peace and healing for all
23:10of us
23:12now to my son christopher
23:15i have known you since the day you were
23:18born into this world
23:20i have watched you grow from a quiet and
23:23sweet
23:24curious child who bellow reminded me so
23:28much of
23:30to a young man who worked hard in sports
23:32and later mechanics
23:34to achieve your goals
23:37you are a good friend brother father and
23:40son
23:42you have we have loved you from the
23:44beginning
23:45and we still love you now
23:51this might be hard for some to
23:53understand
23:55how i can sit here under these
23:57circumstances and tell you all that we
23:59are heartbroken
24:01although we can't imagine what could
24:03have led us to this day
24:05but we love you maybe you can't believe
24:09it either
24:11as the lord said and jeremiah 3 31
24:15i have loved you with an everest lasting
24:18love
24:19therefore i have continued my
24:21faithfulness to you
24:23and you as your mother chris i have
24:26always loved you and i still do
24:29i hate what has happened your father and
24:31sister and i are struggling to
24:33understand why
24:34but we will remain faithful as your
24:37family
24:38just as god remains faithful because of
24:41his unconditional love for all
24:43for us all we love you
24:47and we forgive you
24:50[Music]
24:54thank you judge if i could read mr
24:57watt's statement
24:58yes my name is ronnie watts
25:01and i am the grandfather of bella
25:03celeste
25:04nico watts and i am the father of
25:07shannon
25:09i am the father of christopher watts as
25:12well
25:13and one of the most important things
25:15i've done in my life is to raise my
25:17children and to watch
25:18as they started their own families i
25:21spent many years coaching little league
25:24and talking to my son taking him to the
25:26races
25:27and sharing my love and knowledge of
25:30cars with him
25:32he was just as involved with his girls i
25:35believe he loves his girls
25:37i know he does this tragedy has impacted
25:41my family
25:42in so many ways beyond losing my
25:45precious grandchildren
25:46our beloved daughter-in-law we are
25:49forced to question
25:50everything we still don't have all the
25:53answers
25:54and i hope one day christopher you can
25:56help us
25:58chris i want to talk to you as a father
26:03and son you are here today
26:07accepting responsibility but i want to
26:10tell you this
26:11now i love you
26:15nothing will ever change that and i want
26:18you to find peace
26:19and today is your first step
26:23the bible says if we confess our sins
26:26god is faithful and just and will
26:29forgive
26:30us chris i forgive you
26:33and your sister forgives you and we will
26:36never abandon you
26:38and we love you dad
26:40[Music]
26:42judge thank you for the opportunity to
26:44address the court
26:54are there any other statutory victims
26:58under the victims rights act that would
27:00like to make a statement today
27:03your honor i'm not for the record nobody
27:07is
27:07[Music]
27:09raising their hand mr walsh would you
27:12like to present any
27:14evidence we have no evidence thank you
27:18mr workers there any statements you
27:21would like to make on behalf of the
27:22prosecution
27:23yes
27:31there are no words to adequately
27:33describe the unimaginable tragedy
27:36that brings us before this court today
27:39by my comments
27:40i'm not even going to try to express the
27:41horror the pain
27:43or the suffering that the defendant has
27:45caused to these families
27:46to this community and to all who are a
27:49part of this investigation
27:51however i do want to spend a few minutes
27:53sharing with the court the details of
27:55the crime
27:56and so far you've only had an
27:57opportunity to review the affidavit and
27:59a few facts here and there
28:01that have been offered to the court in
28:02the motions and pleadings that have been
28:04filed
28:06the questions that have screamed out to
28:08anyone who will listen since august 13th
28:10of
28:102018 are why and how
28:15why did this have to happen how could a
28:17seemingly normal husband and father
28:19annihilate his entire family for what
28:24these are the questions that only one
28:25individual in this courtroom or on this
28:27planet
28:28knows the answers to i fully expect we
28:31will not receive
28:32the answers to these questions today nor
28:34will we will we at any point in the
28:36future
28:37i don't expect that he will ever tell
28:39the truth about what truly happened
28:41or why even if he did there is no
28:44rational way
28:45that any human being could find those
28:48answers acceptable responses
28:49to such horrific questions the best we
28:52can do is try to piece together some
28:54kind of understanding
28:55from the evidence that is available to
28:56us and the evidence tells us this
28:59the defendant coldly and deliberately
29:02ended four lives not in a fit of rage
29:06not by way of accident but in a
29:08calculated and sickening manner
29:12was 34 years old she married the
29:14defendant in november of 2012.
29:18over the weekend leading up to august
29:1913th she had been at a work conference
29:21in phoenix arizona
29:22and returned home in the early morning
29:24hours of august 13th
29:27we know that she got home about 1 45 in
29:29the morning the doorbell camera on their
29:30home shows her
29:31arriving back home from the airport
29:35shortly thereafter at least according to
29:37the defendant they had a
29:39what he referred to as an emotional
29:41conversation
29:42about the state of their marriage and
29:44about what their lives would look like
29:46going forward
29:48what was said during that emotional
29:49conversation only he knows
29:52what we do know is that shortly after
29:55that
29:55the defendant strangled her to death
29:58with his own hands
30:02we know that he slowly took her life the
30:05morning of august 13th
30:07we know that this was not done in an
30:08uncontrolled vengeful manner
30:10that he tried to describe to agents from
30:12cbi and the fbi
30:15if that were the case you would expect
30:17to see vicious
30:19horrible bruising about her neck
30:21shoulders
30:22and face you would expect to see the
30:24highway bone
30:25in her neck broken you would expect to
30:27see some kind of defensive wounds
30:29on his body as she struggled and fought
30:32for her own life
30:35none of those are present the only
30:38injuries that were on shanann's body
30:40were one set of finger or bruising what
30:43appeared to be fingernail or finger mark
30:45bruising to the right side of her neck
30:49we know that our experts will tell us
30:50that it takes two to four minutes
30:53to strangle someone to death manually
30:55with their own hands
30:56the horror that she felt as the man that
30:58she loved wrapped his hands
31:01around her throat and choked the life
31:03out of her must have been
31:04unimaginable
31:08even worse what must bella age four
31:12and celeste h3 must have experienced or
31:15thought is their father the one man on
31:17this planet
31:18who was supposed to nurture and protect
31:20them was snuffing out their lives
31:25they both died from smothering
31:29let me say that again the man seated to
31:32my right
31:33smothered his daughters
31:37why imagine the horror
31:40in bella's mind as her father took her
31:42last last breaths away
31:46your honor understand very clearly bella
31:48fought back
31:50for her life the frenulum
31:53the connective tissue between her upper
31:55lip and her gum
31:56had an inch and a half excuse me a
31:58centimeter and a half
32:00laceration she bit her tongue
32:04multiple times before she died
32:07she fought back for her life as her
32:10father smothered her
32:14celeste had no such injuries
32:17in fact she had no external injuries at
32:19all
32:20but according to the medical examiner
32:22she was smothered nonetheless
32:27the defendant then methodically and
32:29calmly
32:30loaded their bodies into his work truck
32:33not in a hasty hasty or disorganized way
32:37he was seen from the neighbor's doorbell
32:39camera
32:41backing his truck into the driveway
32:43going back
32:44and forth into the house and back out to
32:47the truck
32:48three different times one time for each
32:51of their bodies
32:53he then drove them away from their
32:55family home
32:56one final time intent on hiding any
32:59evidence
33:00of the crimes that he had just committed
33:04in one final sign of callousness for his
33:06wife his daughters
33:07and their unborn son and their remains
33:10he drove them to a location that he
33:12thought no one would ever find them
33:14to one of the oil tank batteries with
33:16which he was so familiar
33:18he knew this was safe he had texted a
33:21co-worker the night before
33:23saying i'll head out to that site i'll
33:25take care of it
33:28he had carefully ensured that he would
33:29be alone in the middle of the plains
33:32to secrete away the remains of his
33:34family in a place that he hoped
33:36they would never be found in one final
33:40measure of disrespect for the family he
33:42once had
33:43he ensured that they would not be
33:44together even in death
33:46or he so he thought he disposed of them
33:49in different locations
33:52he buried shanann and nico in a shallow
33:54grave away from the oil tanks
33:57bella and celeste were thrown away in
33:59the oil tanks at this facility
34:02different tanks so these little girls
34:04wouldn't be together in death
34:08imagine this your honor this defendant
34:12took those little girls and put them
34:14through a hatch
34:15at the top of an oil tank eight inches
34:19in diameter
34:21[Music]
34:22bella has scratches on her left buttocks
34:25from being shoved through this hole
34:28a tuft of blonde hair was found on the
34:29edge of one of these hatches
34:32the defendant told investigators that
34:34bella's tank seemed emptier
34:36than cc's because of the sound
34:39that the splashes made these were his
34:42daughters
34:45significantly when his co-workers
34:47arrived at the tank battery later that
34:48morning
34:49to a person they all described him as
34:51acting completely normally
34:52it was a normal work day even while his
34:56daughter sank in the oil and water not
34:57far away from him
35:00and then his efforts at deception truly
35:02began
35:04we've all seen the emotionless
35:06interviews
35:07that the defendant gives to the local
35:08media asking for help
35:11in locating his family we watched as he
35:14claimed that the house was empty without
35:15them
35:16and that he hoped that they were
35:17somewhere safe and he just wanted them
35:20to come home he told investigators that
35:23they were at home sleeping when he left
35:24for work that morning
35:26and that shanann had told him that he
35:28was she was taking the girls to a
35:30friend's house for the day
35:33what is striking about this case your
35:35honor beyond the horrors that i've
35:36already described to you
35:37is the number of collateral victims that
35:39he created by his actions
35:42while he stood in front of tv cameras
35:44asking for the safe return of his family
35:46scores of law enforcement officers
35:48neighbors friends and family scoured the
35:51area
35:53freddie for their safe return they
35:55texted him begging
35:57for any information and sending him
35:58their best wishes
36:00all the while he hid what he had done
36:03the list of indirect victims does not
36:05end there think of the firefighters and
36:07the colorado state patrol hazmat experts
36:09who had to don protective suits and who
36:12were called upon
36:13to pull bella and celeste out of those
36:16oil tanks
36:17or the coroner employees who had to
36:19conduct these autopsies
36:21or the victim assistants who frantically
36:23attempted to ease the suffering of those
36:25affected
36:27all of this your honor for what why
36:32why did this have to happen his motive
36:36was simple your honor
36:37he had a desire for a fresh start
36:40to begin a relationship with a new love
36:43that overpowered all decency and
36:44feelings for his wife
36:46his daughters and unborn son while
36:49shenan texted the defendant over and
36:51over again
36:52in the days and weeks leading up to her
36:54death attempting to save her marriage
36:56the defendant secreted pictures of his
36:58girlfriend into his phone
37:00and searched and texted excuse me texted
37:03her at all hours of the night
37:05while shanann said the defendant
37:06defendant's self-hope self-help and
37:09relationship counseling books one of
37:11which ironically enough was thrown in
37:12the garbage
37:14he was searching the internet for
37:15secluded vacation spots to take his new
37:18love
37:18in researching jewelry and while shanann
37:22took the girls to visit family in north
37:23carolina
37:24the defendant went to car museums in the
37:26sand dunes
37:28with his new girlfriend the stark
37:31contrast between the subjects of their
37:33internet and text content is absolutely
37:35stunning
37:37even the morning after he killed them
37:39and disposed of their bodies
37:41he made several phone calls one was to
37:44the school
37:46where the girls were supposed to start
37:48telling the school that he would
37:50that the girls would not be coming to
37:52school anymore that they were being
37:53unenrolled
37:54presumably to give him some more time
37:56before
37:57law enforcement notification about them
37:59going missing
38:02he contacted a realtor to start
38:05discussing the selling of his house
38:07and he texted with his girlfriend about
38:09their future
38:12none of this answers the questions of
38:14why however
38:16if he was this happy and wanted a new
38:18start
38:19get a divorce you don't annihilate your
38:22family
38:23and throw them away like garbage
38:26why did nico celeste bella and shanann
38:29have to lose their lives
38:31in order for him to get what he wanted
38:34your honor justice demands the maximum
38:36sentence under the agreement reached by
38:37the parties
38:39as you will recall the agreement calls
38:41for life sentences as to shenan
38:43bella and celeste and all of those to
38:46run consecutively to one another
38:48it also calls for the count of unlawful
38:50termination of a pregnancy as to nico
38:52to run consecutively to counts one two
38:54and three
38:56i would suggest that the extreme
38:58aggravation present in the defendant's
39:00conduct
39:01and it is that the efforts that i have
39:03described
39:04mandate that the sentences for count
39:06seven eight and nine the tampering with
39:07the deceased human body
39:09each be the maximum of 12 years and that
39:11those sentences run consecutively to one
39:13another
39:14it is very clear that each of these acts
39:17excuse me that these were not the
39:19subject of one act but each oil tank
39:21that he walked up with his daughter's
39:23bodies and the hole that he dug
39:25for his wife and unborn son mandate a
39:28mandatory consecutive sentence
39:32it's been alluded to this morning but
39:34the defendant was certainly eligible
39:36for the death penalty in this case under
39:38the existing law in the state of
39:39colorado
39:41as you heard shenan's family strongly
39:42opposed my office seeking the death
39:45penalty
39:46and being bound to the criminal justice
39:48system for the next several decades
39:50that's in large part as you've heard why
39:52we have reached the agreement that we
39:55four lives were lost at the hands of the
39:57defendant on august 13th
39:59for reasons that we will never fully
40:00understand nor will we know
40:03in the end the rusek family was much
40:05more merciful towards him
40:07than he was towards his wife his
40:09daughters
40:10and his unborn son prison for the
40:12remainder
40:13of his life is exactly where he belongs
40:17for murdering his entire family thank
40:19you
40:21are you seeking 91 days to file a
40:23request for restitution i am your honor
40:25please
40:25grant that request
40:29mr walls will you be speaking on behalf
40:31of your client
40:34thank you good morning
40:40good morning your honor mr watts has
40:42asked us to share this morning
40:44that he is devastated by all of this and
40:47although he understands
40:48that words are hollow at this point he
40:51is sincerely
40:52sorry for all of this thank you
40:55thank you
40:58mr watts as i indicated when we began
41:01that you have the right to make a
41:02statement if you choose to
41:05would you like to make a statement no
41:07sir
41:08thank you
41:09[Music]
41:11so the court has considered the
41:14arguments made by the attorneys the
41:16court has considered
41:18the statements made by the victims in
41:21this case
41:24the court's going to find that the plea
41:25agreement is fair and reasonable
41:28under the circumstances i want to
41:33acknowledge the rusik family as well as
41:36the watts family that
41:40showing mercy on mr watts
41:44is understood and i respect that
41:47decision to
41:49request that the district attorney not
41:51seek the death penalty in this case
41:53and so the court is going to accept this
41:57plea bargain
41:57under the circumstances
42:01words that come to mind when i hear
42:04the evidence in this case are
42:07a senseless crime and
42:11the viciousness of the crime
42:15and equally aggravating in this court's
42:18determination is the despicable
42:22act of disposing of the bodies in the
42:26manner in which
42:27they were done in this case
42:30i've been a judicial officer now for
42:33starting my 17th year
42:36and i could
42:39objectively say that this is
42:44perhaps the most inhumane
42:48and vicious crime that i have handled
42:51out of the
42:51thousands of cases that i have seen
42:55and nothing less than a
42:58maximum sentence
43:00[Music]
43:02would be appropriate and anything less
43:05than the maximum
43:06sentence would appreciate the
43:08seriousness of this offense
43:12so the court is going to sentence mr
43:14watts as follows
43:16with regard to count number one
43:20murder in the first degree as it relates
43:22to shane watts
43:23the court is gonna sentence you serve to
43:27a life sentence in the colorado
43:29department of corrections
43:31followed excuse me with no
43:36possibility of parole
43:40and that is going to run consecutively
43:43to all but counts three and four
43:46with regard to count two as it relates
43:49to murder in the first degree
43:52with bella the court is going to
43:54sentence you to life
43:56in the colorado department of
43:58corrections with no possibility
44:00of parole with regard to count number
44:05three
44:06the court is going to sentence you as it
44:08relates
44:09to celeste to life in the colorado
44:12department of corrections
44:13with no possibility of parole
44:17with regard to counts four and five
44:21relating to bella and celeste as a
44:24different
44:25theory of first degree murder the court
44:27is going to sentence you to
44:29life in the colorado department of
44:31corrections
44:33and legally those sentences must run
44:35concurrently
44:36as a different theory of first degree
44:38murder
44:40recognizing
44:44the unlawful termination of pregnancy
44:47for the unborn child that has been named
44:51nico the court absolutely believes
44:54that the maximum sentence of 48 years
44:57would be appropriate
44:59to run consecutive to the other charges
45:03with an additional mandatory parole
45:05period
45:06of three years and set forth by statute
45:11with regard to count number seven as it
45:13relates
45:15to tampering with a deceased body
45:18as well as counts eight and nine each a
45:21class three felony the court is going to
45:23impose
45:25a maximum sentence of 12 years each for
45:28those
45:29counts to run consecutively to the other
45:32counts the court is going to order that
45:37statutory fees be paid in court costs
45:40the court's going to grant the
45:41prosecution
45:4291 days to file a
45:46notice of restitution
45:50and that will be the sentence of the
45:52court
45:54we will shortly be in recess i would
45:58respectfully ask the parties that
46:01you remain in your seat there is a plan
46:04by the deputies
46:06on allowing people to exit the courtroom
46:08so please remain
46:09seated until you are authorized to leave
46:13the courtroom
46:15based on the direction of the deputies
46:18deputies i would respectfully ask that
46:21you take this defendant
46:22into custody and have him serve the rest
46:24of his life in the department of
46:27we are recess
46:33[Music]
46:37please rise
46:51[Music]
47:08so
47:22okay
47:36so
48:09members of the media reminder there's no
48:11interviews in the courthouse i do
48:12believe this
48:13journey is downstairs
48:32so
48:47[Music]
49:13series

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