Chris Watts' $600,000 Colorado house where he killed his wife Shanann and daughters sells

Publish date: 2024-08-25

The house in Colorado where convicted murderer Chris Watts strangled his pregnant wife before murdering their two daughters has finally sold for $600,000.

Watts, 36, strangled his wife Shanann - who was 15 weeks pregnant with their son - inside the couple's home on August 13, 2018. 

He later took her body away in his truck with his two daughters, Bella, four, and Celeste, three, and smothered them both with a blanket.

Since Watts's arrest, the house has been on and off the market and its tainted reputation is believed to have made it a hard sell for real estate agents.

Now, four years after the infamous 2018 murders, the home has sold and will soon be occupied by a new family that will 'fill it with smiles,' The Sun reported. 

The Colorado house where convicted murderer Chris Watts killed his pregnant wife, before murdering their children, sold for $600,000

The Colorado house where convicted murderer Chris Watts killed his pregnant wife, before murdering their children, sold for $600,000

Listing photographs show that the house has hardly been changed since the Watts lived there. Pictured, Watts in the home's foyer when police attended the house in 2018

Listing photographs show that the house has hardly been changed since the Watts lived there. Pictured, Watts in the home's foyer when police attended the house in 2018

The house was previously listed under a fictitious address on reality website Rocket Homes

The house was previously listed under a fictitious address on reality website Rocket Homes

The house was built in 2013 and the Watts were its first owners. It features five bedrooms, four bathrooms and three parking spots. They paid around $400,000 for it

The house was built in 2013 and the Watts were its first owners. It features five bedrooms, four bathrooms and three parking spots. They paid around $400,000 for it

Watts (left), 36, strangled his wife Shanann (right) - who was 15 weeks pregnant with their son - at the home on August 13, 2018. He later took her body away in his truck with his two daughters, Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3, and smothered them both with a blanket

Watts (left), 36, strangled his wife Shanann (right) - who was 15 weeks pregnant with their son - at the home on August 13, 2018. He later took her body away in his truck with his two daughters, Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3, and smothered them both with a blanket

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The 4,200-square foot house is located at 2825 Saratoga Trail in Frederick, Colorado, and has views of the Rocky Mountains.

Based on photos of its interior shared by Rocket Homes real estate company earlier in the year the house is seemingly unchanged since it was occupied by the Watts family four years ago. 

The house was built in 2013 and the Watts were its first owners. It features five bedrooms, four bathrooms and three parking spots. The couple paid around $400,000 for it. 

In 2015, the couple filed for bankruptcy, according to documents obtained by CBS Denver, after failing to meet their $3,000 monthly mortgage payments. They were due to appear in court in August 2015 after they were sued by the homeowner's association for $1,533.80 and issued a summons.

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Since Chris Watts's arrest in 2018 the home has remained unoccupied and he defaulted on the mortgage. 

After the murders, the lender foreclosed the property and placed it on the market. But it did not sell so remained an asset of Watts.

'It's not getting any bids because people know the sordid history of the house, and nobody wants it,' Denver-based bankruptcy attorney Clark Dray told Realtor.com in 2020.

Despite this terrible reputation, the house does have its merits.

'It's a great neighborhood of nicely built homes. It's family-friendly. It's a great location. You can get to Denver quick from there, you can get to Boulder,' local real estate agent Tanja Nelson said.

The kitchen, which features a marble island and dark wood cabinetry, looks untouched since police showed up to the house with body cams in 2018.

The seller, which was listed as Coldwell Banker Realty, opted to keep the living room the same shade of pale blue that the Watts family had chosen.

The laundry room and bathroom, which were painted bright blue, are also unchanged. 

In 2018, soon after the murders, visitors would come to the house and leave gifts and tributes for the murdered mother and daughters

In 2018, soon after the murders, visitors would come to the house and leave gifts and tributes for the murdered mother and daughters 

The laundry room and bathroom, which were painted bright blue, have remained that color

The laundry room and bathroom, which were painted bright blue, have remained that color

The kitchen, which features a marble island and dark wood cabinets, looks almost untouched

The kitchen, which features a marble island and dark wood cabinets, looks almost untouched

Police body camera footage shows the interior of the Watts home back in 2018

Police body camera footage shows the interior of the Watts home back in 2018

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Watts killed Shannan after she came home from a business trip to Arizona in 2018.

He strangled her in bed and then put her body and their two daughters in his truck and drove to isolated oil storage tanks owned by Anadarko Petroleum, where he worked.

He buried his wife in a shallow grave and then smothered his two daughters and placed their bodies inside the storage tanks.

For two days Watts claimed that he had nothing to do with his family's disappearance and went on television to plead for them to come home.

After his arrest he initially claimed that Shanann had killed the girls after he had told her he wanted a separation, and then he had strangled her in anger.

At his trial, he pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty, which has since been abolished in Colorado.

He is serving five life sentences plus 48 years in prison without the possibility of parole at the Dodge Correctional Institution in Waupun, Wisconsin.

At his trial, Watts pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty, which has since been abolished in Colorado

At his trial, Watts pleaded guilty to avoid the death penalty, which has since been abolished in Colorado 

Watts is pictured standing near the front door of his old home

Watts is pictured standing near the front door of his old home

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