What to Know
Chris Watts murdered his pregnant wife, Shannan, and their daughters, Celeste and Bella, on August 13, 2018. He’s currently serving multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole at the Dodge Correctional Institution in Wisconsin. Though he’ll never see the outside of a prison, Watts apparently found love. The 41-year-old reportedly found love with a 39-year-old realtor named Lizzie Henderson, whom Watts wants to marry within the prison system.
Henderson reportedly filed to change her name.
According to court documents obtained by People, Henderson made a confidential application to change her name and now goes by Lizzie Watts. Daily Mail reported that Henderson left her home in Ohio and moved to Wisconsin to be closer to Watts.
She told the news outlet that, while some may consider her relationship with a convicted killer unconventional, she is happy.
“How things began is between me, him and God,” she said.
Watts allegedly killed his family because he was having an affair.
Watts has blamed Nichol Kessinger as the mistress who was the driving force behind the grisly murders. In prison letters, he called his lover “Jezebel.” He blamed Kessinger for leading him to a life of sin. Watts dragged her name so deeply through the mud that she was forced to take on a new identity to distance herself from Watts’ crimes.
Henderson said she and Watts have an understanding about his crimes.
Watts killed and strangled Shannan inside their Colorado bedroom after she allegedly confronted him about his affair. Watts wrapped his dead wife’s body in a sheet and took his young daughters with him to bury her in a shallow grave at one of his job sites. Watts then strangled four-year-old Bella and three-year-old Celeste and hid their bodies in crude oil storage tanks. He confessed to the murders two days later during an interview with police.
Henderson told the Daily Mail that she only knows Watts and not his late wife or children, but the killer knows how she feels.
“How I feel about it? He knows. He knows how I feel. I don’t know all the people involved, but I would want to respect them.”
Henderson called the crimes “something harsh for anyone to experience.”
The couple will never be able to consummate their marriage.
According to the New York Post, the Dodge Correctional Institute, a maximum-security prison, does not allow inmates conjugal visits. Inmates are allowed just 10 seconds to embrace. Watts and Henderson reportedly took full advantage of the contact during a visit, according to witness Lisa Johnson. She told the Daily Mail she was at DCI visiting a loved one when, at the same time at Watts and Henderson.
Johnson said that Watts clutched a Bible as Henderson looked at Watts with “googly” eyes and seemed extremely excited to take a photo with him.
“They hugged their whole ten seconds while they were kissing,” Johsnons said.
No word on whether or not Watts’ petition to marry Henderson will actually be approved, though Johnson said Henderson appeared to have a wedding ring on her finger.
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