Chris Watts is serving five life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus 84 additional years, for the 2018 murders of his pregnant wife Shanann and their two young daughters. Three of the life terms run consecutively, one after the other, and the remaining two run at the same time. Under Colorado law, he will never be eligible for release.
The Sentence, Count by Count
Judge Marcelo Kopcow handed down the sentence in a Weld County courtroom on November 19, 2018. The judge called the crimes “the most inhumane and vicious” he had ever seen in his career.1CBS News. Chris Watts Sentenced to 5 Life Sentences for Killing Pregnant Wife, Young Daughters
- Three consecutive life terms without parole, one each for the first-degree murders of Shanann, four-year-old Bella, and three-year-old Celeste.
- Two concurrent life terms without parole for the position-of-trust murders of Bella and Celeste. Colorado treats a parent killing a child under twelve as a separate form of first-degree murder, which is why each daughter generated two counts. These two life terms run simultaneously with the other three.2NBC News. Christopher Watts, Charged With 5 Counts of Murder, Accused Wife of Killing Their Daughters
- 48 years for unlawful termination of a pregnancy in the first degree, for the death of the couple’s unborn son, Nico. Shanann was 15 weeks pregnant.3Colorado Public Law. Colorado Revised Statutes Title 18, Article 3.5, Section 18-3.5-103 – Unlawful Termination of Pregnancy in the First Degree
- 36 years for tampering with a deceased human body, 12 years for each of the three victims whose remains he concealed at an oil work site.4Justia. Colorado Revised Statutes Title 18, Article 8, Part 6, Section 18-8-610.5 – Tampering With a Deceased Human Body
Even setting aside the 84 additional years, the three consecutive life sentences alone guarantee Watts will die in prison.
Why Three Life Terms Run Consecutively
Colorado defines first-degree murder as a deliberate, intentional killing and attaches a mandatory sentence of life without parole for adults.5Justia. Colorado Revised Statutes Title 18, Article 3, Part 1, Section 18-3-102 – Murder in the First Degree That much was fixed once Watts pleaded guilty. The choice Judge Kopcow made was whether to stack the sentences or run them together.
Colorado law allows judges to run sentences consecutively when a defendant is convicted of multiple counts involving separate victims.6Justia. Colorado Revised Statutes Title 18, Article 1, Part 4, Section 18-1-408 – Prosecution of Multiple Counts for Same Act Stacking the terms is largely symbolic in a case like this, because no one can serve more than one life sentence in a literal sense. But it forecloses any theoretical future argument that a single life term should be commuted or revisited, and it puts the weight of each victim on the record.
The Plea Deal That Took Death Off the Table
Watts pleaded guilty to all nine felony charges on November 6, 2018.7CBS Colorado. Chris Watts Reaches Plea Deal in Frederick Murder Case At the time, first-degree murder was still a capital offense in Colorado. The plea agreement removed that possibility in exchange for a guilty plea to every count.
Shanann’s father, Frank Rzucek Jr., said at sentencing that the family did not want prosecutors to pursue death because they believe nobody has the right to take another person’s life.8Denver7. Shanann’s Family Reads Statements at Chris Watts Sentencing Weld County District Attorney Michael Rourke acknowledged the family’s preference and also pointed to the state’s rare use of capital punishment, noting only one execution had occurred in Colorado in more than fifty years.99news.com. Plea Deal Reached in Chris Watts Case
The agreement required at least three consecutive life terms without parole, plus 16 to 48 years on the remaining charges. By pleading guilty, Watts forfeited most of his rights to appeal. Colorado has since repealed the death penalty for offenses charged on or after July 1, 2020, which means the central tradeoff in the plea would not exist for a case charged today.10Colorado General Assembly. SB20-100 Repeal the Death Penalty
Where Chris Watts Is Serving His Sentence
On December 3, 2018, two weeks after sentencing, Watts was transferred out of Colorado’s prison system to Dodge Correctional Institution, a maximum-security men’s facility in Waupun, Wisconsin. A Colorado Department of Corrections spokesperson said the transfer was made because Watts was a “high-profile offender” whose presence created security concerns in Colorado facilities.11A&E. What Is Chris Watts’ Life in Prison Like?
As of late 2025, Watts remains at Dodge Correctional Institution. He is reportedly housed in general population rather than protective custody, works a custodial job, and has received minor disciplinary write-ups. None of that affects his sentence.
The $6 Million Civil Judgment
Separate from the criminal sentence, Watts owes more than $6 million to Shanann’s parents, Frank and Sandy Rzucek. They filed a wrongful death lawsuit the same day he pleaded guilty, and in December 2019 a judge ordered him to pay $1 million for each of the three deaths plus $3 million for emotional pain and suffering, with the balance accruing 8 percent annual interest.12Denver7. Chris Watts Settles Wrongful Death Lawsuit, Agrees to Pay $6M
Watts has no meaningful income or assets, so the judgment is largely symbolic. What it does accomplish is blocking him from profiting off the case. Any money from a book, an interview, or a similar venture could be seized to satisfy the debt.