The Subtle Way Shan'ann Watts' Mom Honored Daughter & Grandkids as She Confronted Killer Husband - 2 — Transcript

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1. 0:08For all of the pain he had brought to her family, when Sandra Rzucek stood up on Monday morning at the sentencing for triple murderer Chris Watts, she spoke mostly of affection, peace and gratitude
2. 0:24“I want the world to know that our daughter and her children were so loved by us,” she said in court in Weld County, Colorado, of her slain daughter, 34-year-old Shan’ann Watts, and her grandchildren, Bella and Celeste, and Shan’ann’s unborn son, Nico
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4. 0:58“They will always be protected by God and his mighty angels,” Rzucek said.  She wore a purple ribbon in honor of Shan’ann and her kids, whom Chris, Shan’ann’s husband of nearly six years, murdered before sunrise in their Frederick home on Aug
5. 1:1813.  “I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has prayed for our beloved family, who have sent gifts, cards to us from all over the world,” Rzucek said
6. 1:32“I know God will put the evil people where they need to be. I also want to take the time to thank the town of Frederick, Greeley, [the] FBI, the DA’s office, the CBI, for exceptional work
7. 1:50We thank Nickole Atkinson [who reported Shan’ann missing], Shan’ann’s neighbor Nathan and his family
8. 2:00To me their our heroes, they really are. God bless.”  Since the slayings, which attracted international media attention, the town of Frederick has distributed purple ribbons to remember Chris’ victims, placing them on local signs and light posts
9. 2:19The town announced the tribute in August, to plaudits.  “I can’t imagine how much this means to Shananns family and friends!!!” one follower wrote on Facebook
10. 2:33“Such [a] beautiful tribute for a beautiful mother and her children.”  On Monday Chris, 33, was sentenced to life in prison for his crimes, two weeks after he surprisingly pleaded guilty to all of his charges in exchange for avoiding the death penalty
11. 2:52Prosecutors said he was motivated by a selfish desire for a “fresh start” with an unwitting mistress he had met at work
12. 3:03He strangled Shan’ann by hand and smothered his girls. Shan’ann was 15 weeks pregnant at the time
13. 3:14At Chris’ sentencing, each of Shan’ann’s immediate family members gave emotional statements — ruing their loss and excoriating Chris for what he’d done
14. 3:27Her mother said that family had been her daughter’s entire world.  “Shan’ann put a crown on your head, but unfortunately the day that you took their life, God removed that crown,” Rzucek told Chris, who sat largely stoic during the hearing, his leg sometimes shaking beneath the table
15. 3:50“We loved you like a son. We trusted you, your faithful wife trusted you, your children adored you and they also trusted you,” Rzucek continued
16. 4:04“Your daughter Bella Marie sang a song proudly — and I don’t know if you got to see it, but it was, ‘Daddy you’re my hero
17. 4:16’ “  “I have no idea who gave you the right to take their lives, but I know God and his mighty angels were there in that moment to bring them home to paradise,” Rzucek said
18. 4:30Though the murders qualified Chris for the death penalty, Shan’ann’s family adamantly opposed an execution and prosecutors agreed to allow him to plead guilty at their insistence
19. 4:44Rzucek explained on Monday: “God gives us free will, so not only did you take the family of four — your family of four — you took your own life
20. 4:58… I didn’t want death for you because that’s not my right. Your life is between you and God now, and I pray that he has mercy for you 21 00:05:11,163 --> 00:05:10,163 ”