Colorado man charged with murder in deaths of wife, 2 kids

DENVER — Prosecutors charged a Colorado man with murder Monday in the deaths of his pregnant wife and their two young daughters.

The charges against Christopher Watts, 33, come a week after a friend reported Shanann Watts, 34, and the girls missing from their home in Frederick, a small town north of Denver.

Watts faces nine felony charges, including three first-degree murder charges, two counts of murdering a child, one count of unlawful termination of a pregnancy and three counts of tampering with a deceased human body.

Before his arrest last week, Christopher Watts lamented in interviews about missing his wife and daughters. No motive has been released.

Authorities found Shanann Watts’ body Thursday, buried near an oil tank on property owned by the oil and gas company that her husband worked for. The bodies of 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste were found in oil tanks near their mother’s grave.

Prosecutors have said they would ask a court to unseal the warrant for Christopher Watts’ arrest after filing charges. He’s being held without bail and will next appear in court Tuesday.

Family and friends said they were shocked by the slayings, saying the family seemed happy and Christopher Watts appeared to be a good father. The social media accounts for Shanann Watts, who was from North Carolina, are filled with photos of the family smiling and playing and posts praising her husband and expressing excitement about the couple expecting their third child.