Newly revealed prison correspondence from convicted family annihilator Chris Watts provides a chilling insight into the mind of a killer seven years into his life sentence. In letters accessed by The Daily Mail, Watts, who murdered his pregnant wife Shannan and their two toddlers in 2018, engages in a complex dance of claiming divine forgiveness while simultaneously deflecting blame onto his former mistress, Nichol Kessinger. He describes himself as a “new creature” in Christ, quoting 2 Corinthians 5:17, and states that God sees him not as a murderer but as His forgiven child.
This narrative of redemption, however, is complicated by his persistent attempts to attribute responsibility to Kessinger. Despite being ruled out as an accomplice by investigators, Watts labels her a “wicked woman” whose “flattering speech” clouded his judgment and morals. This blame-shifting is seen by many experts and observers as a classic trait of avoidance, revealing an inability to accept full and sole responsibility for his premeditated actions. The investigation proved Watts killed his family, drove their bodies to an oil site, and callously concealed them before lying on national television.
The case forces a grim examination of justice versus redemption. While many religious doctrines hold that sincere repentance can lead to forgiveness, the human and legal consequences remain absolute. Watts’s plea deal ensured he would never walk free, a small measure of justice for Shannan’s family, who must now endure his public musings on forgiveness. The letters serve as a stark reminder that while a convict may find personal peace in faith, it does not undo the horror of the crime or alleviate the perpetual suffering of the victims’ loved ones.
