So you've probably watched Netflix film American Murder: The Family Next Door, which dropped on the streaming site on September 30. The shocking and horrifying documentary was told through home videos, text messages, and police footage, and revealed how Chris Watts murdered his pregnant wife Shannan Watts and their two daughters Bela and Cece. At that time, he was having an affair with a co-worker named Nichol Kessinger. The case has captivated audiences, and there's even a Facebook group with 9.7 thousand members called "Shannan Watts' Friend Nicole Atkinson Is A Hero," a tribute to Shannan's co-worker who reported their disappearance.
MORE TRUE CRIME STORIES:
- 13 True Crime Documentaries And TV Shows To Watch On Netflix
- 10 *Fascinating* + Disturbing True Crime Shows To Stream On Hayu
In a 27-minute makeup video by YouTuber Bailey Sarian, who has a popular Murder, Mystery, & Makeup series on her channel, she discussed the case long before the Netflix documentary was released. In it, Bailey talked about the 2,000-page "discovery" of the criminal case, which contained court documents, interviews, and the case timeline. Needless to say, there were a lot of details that weren't in the Netflix film:
1. If you were wondering why Shannan "put her whole life" on social media, it was because it was part of her job in a multi-level marketing company. She held Facebook lives where she showed clients new products they could purchase. She built relationships and engaged with her clients, according to Bailey.
2. In 2018, before Shannan and her daughters went on a six-week vacation to North Carolina, neighbors reportedly "heard the couple screaming and fighting." The couple would be "out on the driveway, fighting."
3. Phone records and search history records lead people to believe that Nichol Kessinger was probably "interested in Chris a long time ago."
4. After Chris started an affair with Nichol, he told Shannan that he "no longer wanted to be together" and that he "did not want the baby," even though he was the one who said he wanted another child months ago. Shannan suggested marriage counseling but Chris turned that down.
5. Chris created a "secret folder" on his phone that contained photos of him and Nichol. He constantly updated the folder. He also Googled vacation spots.
6. Based on police records, Nichol's search history (which was "a mess," according to Bailey) included: "man I am having an affair with says he will leave his wife," "wedding dresses," and "marrying your mistress."
7. While she was away on her work trip, Chris sent Shannan a *chilling* photo of their daughter underneath a white blanket, with only her legs visible.
8. On the day of their disappearance, Chris told Shannan's friend Nicole Atkinson that Shannan mentioned they were going on a playdate. When Nicole kept trying to enter their house, Chris told Nicole that she should leave the property. He also told her not to call the police, but of course, she still did.
9. The bedsheets from the children's bedroom and the master bedroom were missing when the police got there. When authorities did a drone shot of Chris' worksite, they found the sheets that were missing from the house.
10. After Shannan and the children were reported missing, Chris tried to delete text messages and "anything that has to do with Nichol." Chris and Nichol also had a 51-minute phone call. Nichol's search history showed that she was Googling Shannan and whether cops could trace deleted text messages.
MORE TRUE CRIME STORIES:
- 13 True Crime Documentaries And TV Shows To Watch On Netflix
- 10 *Fascinating* + Disturbing True Crime Shows To Stream On Hayu
You can watch the full video from Bailey Sarian below:
***
We're officially on Viber! Be part of our growing community and subscribe to Cosmopolitan Philippines now!