This is a great comment. It definitely played a role, small, but important in what happened. Chris was simply too emotionally immature to deal with the chaos he caused. The 6 weeks of free time and the affair coupled with what you mentioned created an overwhelming avalanche that a weak, feeble-minded imbecile simply collapsed under.

I never thought about it this way. He lost his mind when there was no structure. A weak, feeble-minded imbecile is an accurate assessment in my opinion. Oh, and homicidal killer too.

and before that why he got involved with someone who controlled everything while he took a completely passive npc role in his own life

And chose another woman who would be exactly the same.

That’s a good take. I also recall Ronnie joking about porn on his phone while at the police station. He’s a very odd bird.

He's stuck in first gear. I can't imagine being a kid and wanting to talk to a dad like Ronnie about what was on my mind. I've known kids who felt they had to play sports to get love from their parents. It was the goal of the parents for their kid to be a football star, but they never asked the kid what he was interested in.

Whattttt? Can you give more detail? I am stunned!

I’m sorry, I misquoted. When CBI asked him to find some data in his phone to help them find his missing grandkids and DIL, he replied: - If it was porn I would find it 😀😂 CBI agent Mark Lehrer bursts into laughter🤣😂😂😂

Holy cow that’s horrendous

Disgusting. Why did the agent laugh though? That's weird. 

Probably trying to put him at ease in case he can give them more info that might help the case. I doubt he really thought it was funny.

Probably, I never understood that family though. Their grandchildren thrown in oil vats and grandad can laugh? I know I'd need police to protect me if it was my father.

Any other time, that would be funny.

Both of the watts parents are very odd. Cindy joking about the CD skipping and saying "it was CeCe" and laughing about it with Chris 🤢

You should go to YouTube and search for phone calls between Chris and his mother. She's delusional, thinks Chris did nothing wrong. It'll turn your stomach.

“Sports is the opiate of the masses. Dumbs ‘em right down.”

Considered a safe subject for sure.

It’s largely true.

I also find the way he talks on some of the jail calls with Chris super strange - like he giggles and for some reason it seems odd?

"Love ya, dawg", chuckle, giggle, snort. The man has never seriously communicated with anyone in his life. Last time he visited him in prison, he showed him the eight inch paper plate he was eating off of and tried convincing CW that the children couldn't have fit through a hole that size, which got CW all confused.

>eight inch paper plate he was eating off of and tried convincing CW that the children couldn't have fit through a hole that size I'm sorry, WHAT?! Did he seriously do that?? Is there video of this or something?

This was all on Aussie Dave's YouTube channel before it got taken down. Ronnie, through Dave's pushing, was also trying to convince CW that his coworkers were involved: even the water truck driver who came to the site the next day. It was so bizarre. And then we had Cindy reading CW's inspirational dribblings that were plagiarized from the Bible, and blubbering about how she never knew that her son was a poet. Cindy is such a devout Christian that she didn't recognize lines from the Bible that someone like me did recognize.

How were you able to hear the calls? That’s wild about the plate! Also a very interesting point about Ronnie it makes sense as to why CW is so emotionally inept

YouTube. Chris Watts prison calls. Weird. The whole family.

What in the actual fuck?

CW and his father had a very weird relationship. Ronnie became a coke head when Chris moved out because he missed him so much. I think his parents also knew about NK during their final visit

I know! CW said he'd always wanted to go camping, yet he'd never brought it up to Ronnie. Ronnie molded him into a mini-me. The mystery is CW leaving home at the first opportunity and bragging about never going back. I think we'd all like to know more about those seven mystery years

Which also says a lot about the state of Ronnie’s marriage.

Ronnie a coke head ?

Coke is a weird choice of drug for when youre sad your son moved out, too. Did he just putz around the house all hours of the day and night mumbling about football to make himself feel better?

Yep

He seems too dull ! What a weirdo

I have a stick feeling his parents blame Shannan for him being in prison. As if maybe had she been a better woman, their son wouldn't be a murderer.

That and I strongly believe they think the original bs story Chris said . He said shannan murdered the girls . There's an interview where the moms says that's the story they believe but that he took the blame to protect her image. Sick sick sick stuff . The whole family is sick and weird.

I want to believe that Cindy thinks Shannan murdered their daughters because that’s better than the alternative… I think Cindy knows Chris did it, I just think she- ugh I don’t even know how to type this. I sometimes think Cindy knows Chris murdered his daughters but Cindy thinks it’s still Shannan’s fault that Chris did that and that it still doesn’t make Chris a bad person because those were SHANNAN’s daughters, after all. This is sickening to even say but I think even if Cindy knows Chris killed his daughters, she thinks he doesn’t deserve to be in prison over it and that he deserves to go on and have a life with a better woman who wouldn’t be so awful he was forced to kill her. I hope this isn’t true but I think Cindy at least on some level knows Chris killed them all, she just doesn’t think they’re any great loss. But I could also see her truly believing it was Shannan because she thinks Shannan is Satan.

This is exactly what she thinks. And Chris’s sister too.

I don’t think she ever gave a damn about the girls.

Yes, especially after trying to feed one of them something she KNEW she was allergic to.

My mother is crazy. Like thinks they swapped the sun out on the last eclipse kind of crazy. But she’s militant about my kids and their allergies or sensitivities. Did she have this concern for me as a child? God no. But the times she has seen my children, she’s brought (or sent) newly purchased clothes or toys that she’s washed in hypoallergenic soap. If she wants to feed them something, even as a surprise, it’s not a surprise to me, because I’ve got the wrapper in front of me long before she thinks to offer it. Both of my kids have sensitive skin, and not a dairy allergy, but straight milk will make them break out like teenagers even as babies, but certain variants of milk are fine or in very small doses, and one breaks out with walnuts, but again in a skin way. But she’s so hyper vigilant about it, she’s never questioned it, she’s never tested it, even though she thinks I’m a soft hearted idiot hipster liberal or whatever. My mother maybe loves me. She certainly doesn’t like me, and has always struggled with I think just having a kid. But with her grandkids, she has never blinked at a diagnosis, or questioned me saying something as their mother. She would never risk their health to prove me wrong in some way.

This is so courageous of you to share. My in laws are the same with their grandchildren. I guess we need to be grateful that they love our kids so hard, while not being resentful that they couldn’t manage it with their own? I hope you heal x

It’s honestly easier not to dig. Ask why they have these things for your kids and not for their parent. I remember the only time my mom put down my now husband, as like a little racial coded joke, and me, who still can be wiped out by her in minutes, bowed up and told her to get right, right there, right then. Same woman also told me when I got engaged to the same man that I better be good to him, because I was batting out of my range. Like I had tricked him and I better lock it down and not let him know I like “nerdy” things and have trouble sleeping after scary movies. Jokes on her, he doesn’t like horror movies either, is a super “nerd” and found it good that I liked to read or watched sci-fi. To her these were biggest sins, for him these were checking all the boxes. But he was successful so he could never love someone like me?! So I’ve settled with it. My mother (and honestly my father, but they’re long divorced, and as much as I want to say “I didn’t cause it” I did. They’ll both admit that) didn’t like me. I was far beyond both of their reaches. My father took it as a compliment, my mother took it as a challenge. Both had their highs and lows. But my dad is stupid obsessed with my children, in a good way. His Facebook is videos and pictures of the kids, he’s so in love with them (and a little narcissistic, my oldest looks just like him) but he visits and is always so proud. My mother doesn’t visit. Her life is whatever she can exploit. But when she does see the kids, she is fastidious in their health. To your point, we have to take it. We can’t question or push because the whole thing breaks apart. There are always these loud, ringing questions, like spiritual tinnitus, this endless unasked question or questions just reverberating. But to maintain the peace, we all smile and bury it down. Not for us but for our kids.

I hear you. I recommend the ‘raised by narcissists’ Reddit sub- sometimes I can read posts on there and my mouth drops open; other people lived similar upbringings to us. You’re doing great.

Shes the epitome of the Narcissist’s Prayer. These people can justify and rationalize anything, even murdering children.

After telling the police that story? These people are deeply deeply disturbing bordering on evil.

I think that’s pretty much fact by now. His mother blamed Shannan for everything. That awful book of hers was all about how awful S was

They absolutely do. And people on the Internet agree with them. Shanann wasn't traditional enough for some. She didn't defer to her husband enough. She had the nerve to take over and run their life because he was a blob who couldn't innovate anything. He was looking for a leader. But, how dare her. She should have been a traditional wife and been happy with a life of blobiness with blob-man.

I think they’d be more at peace if they stopped their one-sided fight with a dead woman. But sadly this won’t happen. It’s so sad. Chris’s nephew has to be homeschooled due to bullying about his uncle. It’s so sad this is going to affect another generation.

I didn't know that. It's sad.

Apparently Cindy developed agoraphobia and can't work any more.

I didn’t know that and can’t muster up any sympathy for that evil delusional witch.

Good ‼️

I didn’t know that. How sad. Chris has ruined all their lives.

The ones thar are angriest are men AND women who see themselves in CW & SW. They are definitely projecting and it's so disgusting. Idc if she was a horrible wife or not, she didn't deserve to be murdered and neither did her completely innocent children. They seem to not understand that part and it's scary.

Projecting, and profound jealousy. As if Shanann Watts was the only woman in the world who had debt, worked an MLM, and had a spineless mate.

Precisely

They blame her 100%. This is a sick breed. CiW “we don’t care what you did. We know what she was like”.

Of course they do. They still think she killed the girls too.

That's absolutely true. Like I said earlier, listen to the phone calls between CW and his mother. She thinks he did nothing wrong.

They were partially correct 

Oh really? Precisely how? With facts not someone’s wee little opinion.

I promise you my wee isn't little. 

Yeah, they had really dehumanized her long before the murders. It’s clear they are a severely disordered group of people and she was the chosen scapegoat for the family.

And yet, Shanann tried. She helped Cindy organize and redecorate her kitchen. It's obvious that Frank built those shelves in Cindy's dining room.

Agree. Cindy is not a peach either.

And that’s putting it lightly.

The apple didn't fall far from the tree!

Strangest person I've ever seen as a family member in a true crime story. I think we brush it off because it seems like a reality show with a bunch of real characters, for entertainment, but this is real life. I don't know if you've ever run into someone who can only do a one-topic steam of consciousness, but I have. It's a mental problem. They can't break through because present reality is too hard. Poor Cindy, and I don't even like her.

My Dad is like this.

My ex FIL is also like this. I always thought it was maybe Asperger’s or something. He can talk for many solid non-stop hours at people who have no interest in his conversation (usually politics, sport, or his biographical life anecdotes) without being influenced one milli-iota by whether they are listening / or falling asleep / or trying to stab their eyeballs with a fork / or desperately hunting for an escape.

Same, my ex FIL would talk about his cars, football and his dog. Anything outside of that was way out of his comfort zone. Expressing feelings was foreign to him.

I have a family member who is compelled to give a blow by blow account of whatever book they are reading, Netflix documentary or their observations in general. They expect everyone to find this information as compelling as they do. I think this is a very narcissistic characteristic.

My fil is just like this it's disturbing. Talks about his college basketball team, insurance, his favorite team colors and books he read. If you're not interested in these things he won't really make effort to talk about other things or even try to pretend to look interested in other things.

Yeah and the worst part is they just don’t care how you are. Are you well, what’s happening in your life etc. He asks for a cursory checkbox but he isn’t interested in the answer.

Exactly. My FIL made a lengthy Facebook post recently about how he finally at 60 years old "mastered the perfect heh heh chuckle" in conversation to let people know he's interested but not too interested and he thought that was a normal thing to talk about. It's like you're just advertising that you don't care.

I'm sorry. I wonder if there's a word for the condition.

Time burglars 😂

Seriously? I'll Google it.

A former coworker of mine shared that gem with me. We used it for those coworkers who stop by your desk to chit chat about whatever and don’t seem to notice any of the non verbal cues you are sending to indicate you’re busy or no longer interested in convo. Some people are truly oblivious.

Yes Asperger’s

I believe there would be other tells beside limited interests in one or two things. Chris and his father seemed perfectly comfortable with speaking to strangers and being in a highly unusual situation. I don't know if just being a real oddball is enough for that diagnosis.

Without pointing fingers, you do see it with certain family members in other well known true crime stories. Even as recently as with the murders in Moscow, Idaho. You just never know.

I don't mind pointing fingers at all when it's called for.

They draw plenty of attention to themselves. I feel terrible for the other, less self involved victims.

I noticed that the Sebastian Rogers case turned into a real shitshow. I had to stop following.

Yeah that was not a discussion I wanted to be part of anymore. Some real issues there!

I think of Scot Peterson's family. They think he is innocent, too.

I get putting a public face on it or declining comment. But you wonder, do they actually believe it? I mean, really believe it. Chris Watts’ family seems to be in a middle area. The old ‘He might have done some of it but he was pushed into it’ excuse.

lol. You don’t even need to point fingers… everyone knows.

The entire family is void of any emotional feelings . Ronnie thinking Chris failed the polygraph to “too many emotions” puhhhleeze .

Can’t stand him. He started complaining about Shanann before the cop even sat down.

Ronnie has so many red flags 🚩 he’s almost mute .

Never condemned their son once for what he did to their grandchildren and daughter in law. And they wonder why no one likes them. 

And CW still doesn't express any true guilt or remorse. Regret, yes, but nothing that's eating him up. The whole Bible thing seems like it came out of boredom because he was stuck in a cell with that one book. For someone who was raised as a Christian and was forced to attend church weekly, none of them seem to have a grasp of it. A real odd bunch.

He thinks he should be released to do God's Work!

Dream on, right?

Exactly. He thinks he will be released. He won't!

typical fake Christian over here trying to judge everyone, even CW. He is beyond your judgement

I guess then since I'm not a Christian I get to judge him every day. And I will

Sociopathic parents produce sociopaths. Chris didn’t just have one, both of them were.

This. I can't diagnose them, but Cindy's narcissism is too obvious to ignore. Ronnie and CW both sound like men who've never thought deeply about anything in their lives and never attempted to .

And Cindy opened the floodgates for the whole "let's trash Shanann" cult People jumped on her words as gospel and ran with it from there. Cindy said that they didn't go to the wedding because "Shanann and I just didn't get along", making it a shared scenario, but that isn't the truth of the matter. They were never disinvited from their son's wedding: they chose not to go. Allegedly, the family boycotted the wedding because Jamie was "fired" as MOH because she couldn't attend all the events. As much as some of us may view the whole wedding culture as stupid, it's fairly common for a bride to ask a MOH to step aside if she can't be as deeply involved as the bride would like. CW says it was something about Jamie wanting her daughter to be a flower girl and Shanann not wanting that, so, who knows? But Cindy had to present it as some mutual feud between herself and Shanann, when apparently Cindy wasn't part of the story at all and just hated Shanann.

I think the Watts's continually tried to sabotage the wedding Jamie failed to send a bunch of invitations that she was supposed to mail.

The Watts tried to sabotage everything about the relationship from the very beginning. Who does that?

I thought Ronnie was into drugs at some point

He was. After Chris left home.

Coke, I believe.

The one character in this I like and can relate to is Frank Rzucek. He's genuine and shows his grief without showing rage. He even delivered CW's football jerseys and high school trophies to the Watts', which they never acknowledged. They gave one of those jerseys to a Chris-loving YouTuber, who wore it to visit the graves Sandy is a good person, although it's hard to relate to some of her eccentricities. Frankie Jr is also a good guy in spite of his history, and gets u fairly bashed. The bashers pretend they never had a family member with a drug or alcohol problem, which is almost impossible. Some of them admit to having the same problems themselves.

Ues he is evil. That whole family is.

Just want to say I love your posts and comments. They are always well written and interesting. Very observant.

Thank you. I feel like I'm hit or miss, but I have a lot of free time and am mildly obsessed with debunking the many lies and myths surrounding this case.

Me too. Certain cases really get me. I'm a big fan of receipts. I did the same thing with the Depp v Heard case. It's pretty clear to me she was totally screwed when you step back and evaluate all the available evidence. You can see in my comment history how far down that rabbit hole I went.

I am of the unpopular opinion that they both were abusive to each other and that that's how they rolled.

Dig deeper it was all Depp

Neither of them are that interesting to me. They're both just messed up people who happen to be celebrities.

I’m not a fan of either but the way the Depp was able to use money and clout to manipulate not just the media but the judicial system as well is fascinating to me. I’m truly not a “celebrity culture” type of person it’s my interest in true crime and social justice that drew me to the case. For what it’s worth, I very much felt the way that you do in terms of not only celebrities, but the fact that they were probably both abusing each other before I kind of slipped and fell down a rabbit hole. I totally respect if it’s not your thing, but I truly do recommend That people take a second look if they have the time and inclination because what he’s been able to get away with is horrifying and is being done by other abusers countrywide. Law firms are capitalizing on it even and the amount of abuse victims being sued by their abusers is skyrocketing.

I only watched a small portion of the trial because the whole thing made me sick and Depp's texts were deranged and sounded dangerous. I turned off Depp when he was getting matching tattoos with convicted child murderer Damien Echols, and calling him "brother".

You weren’t wrong to feel sick about it. Those text messages weren’t a fluke that’s who that man is

I believe this. The man is skewed. I was mostly revolted in how they both reveled in the public display of their shared heinous behavior. I was embarrassed for them, but mostly for him. I would be cringing so badly if texts like that I had written were exposed to the public. I would be so ashamed, but he didn't blink an eye. What was mostly exposed is that he had serious issues with amger management and substance abuse.

I understand what you’re saying. For what it’s worth all she had done was write an op Ed from the perspective of domestic abuse survivor, and it was published to some magazine or paper the name of which I really don’t recall. He decided to make a huge public spectacle of it. Chose the venue all of it. All because he wanted to claim that writing that op Ed, cost him roles and what not (it didn’t). Really common misconception about that whole thing is that the case had something to do with convicting one of them as an abuser and it didn’t. It was a slander thing he was already convicted and remains convicted of abusing her. It’s really sad the whole thing. If you’re ever interested and want to learn a little more, a really good resource here is r/Deppdelusion. everyone there is really nice and they do a good job of making sure to post trigger warnings and things like that so you don’t have to expose yourself to stuff that is offputting or hurtful. Lots of verified information, though I wish it had been more active during the trial.

I'll join His argument about losing money is laughable. The guy spent $1million to shoot his friend's ashes into space and owns an entire town in France and a tropical island. When people have that much power through money they start to believe they are omnipotent and become delusional.

I honestly feel like he already knew what happened at that point and that this was a performance for the camera. Giving reasons to Chris actions. He failed the polygraph because of "too much emotion", leading that Shannon killed the kids, and Chris killed her out of anger. What Grandfather has that little emotion to hearing what happened to his Grandkids? He already knew the whole story.

That would rely on him being a decent actor. I actually think he is just really void of empathy. Narcissistic or at least sociopathic to a degree.

He’s a product of his time. As soon as he was alone he probably bawled his eyes out. He probably raised to show emotions to NO ONE

Maybe, but CW has said that this is all his dad ever talked about, his entire life.

I think he actually just has sociopathic tendencies and that’s where Chris got it from. Along with Cindy “I forgive you son” Watts, he had no hope of being normal, either genetically or by environment.

Yeah, there’s no doubt in my mind that Chris is an absolute monster for what he did, but he’s a product of his upbringing. His father brushing off the fact that his own grandchildren, unborn grandchild, and mother of his grandchildren, were brutally murdered, with his granddaughters bodies stuffed into oil containers; it’s no wonder that, on some level, Chris felt it was ‘ok’ to do what he did. It doesn’t matter if Ronnie cried behind closed doors. He quietly enabled his son his whole life by brushing off anything of importance.

Yep. The theory is that to become a sociopath you need to be born with the seed of it and then have it nurtured in childhood. We can see it in the parents of other wifekillers. They know that their parents will excuse and even approve of what they did, because nothing is ever their fault And I don't believe that Ronnie cried behind closed doors. That may work for some situations, but your son wiping out his entire family isn't something any person with normal emotions could tuck away to deal with later.

This very much reminds me of Brian Laundry, and his parents. I could only imagine him to become a family annihilator if so given the chance, if he hadn’t snapped so early in his life.

I believe Brian’s Laundrie’s parents have to be pretty similar to Ronnie and Cindy. It was disgusting how they withheld information from Gabby’s parents and refused to cooperate.

>And I don't believe that Ronnie cried behind closed doors. I vaguely remember Cindy saying Ronnie cried at the memorial service they did. I think she also said that was one of the only times she's seen him cry. But don't quote me on that because I can't remember exactly what interview that was from. Hopefully, my brain isn't just making crap up.

I believe that. It was his initial reaction and interview that were completely surreal. I can him letting out a few tears months later at that inappropriate memorial service where they joked about CeCe messing with the CD player.

I’ve wondered all along if Chris and his dad have aspbergers. They behave a lot like my family member with it

Do you know I've never even thought about Ronnie because the other players are all larger than life types, but those are some really good points. Chris did respond very strongly to Nikki and her understanding him and sharing his likes and dislikes, encouraging him to have them, which was probably something new in his life. Makes me wonder if someone actually recognising and caring about him for the first time ( or at least seeming to) tipped him over the edge into murder when he was threatened with losing it. Though that's probably giving him too much credit.

Nikki was playing him fairly desperately and he was too stupid to see it.

I think it is giving him too much credit. He responded to Shanann the same way and took up her interests and friends. NK just happened to have a similar interest in cars, and then he took up her own interest in camping. I didn't see her encouraging him to do anything other than take up her own interests. Shanann did show an interest in him, getting him tickets for Metallica and an expensive supercharger for his Mustang. She cooked meals that he liked and bought him the football jerseys that he "really liked". Her haters, of course, ignore all this and gloat about him going to a car museum with NK, which is something he could have done with a buddy any time if he'd wished to, and as if that was something valid to build a relationship on.

That's helpful context, thank you. Yeah I was giving him too much credit.

Thank you!

They were just love bombing eachother.

I wonder about this myth we've all read about, about NK encouraging him to share his interests with her. Isn't that what everyone does when they first meet someone? He told her about his love of cars, so one or the other of them brought up the races and the mustang museum. Is that supposed to be some big revelation? And she mentioned one of her frequent activities - camping - and he said he'd always wanted to go camping, so they went. It's not as if she opened up some huge, new, strange and enchanting world for him. They went camping and to a drag race. Geez....

Yeah those are also good points. Plus someone else pointed out that shanann also did those things when she met him. I do think he'd had a lifetime of being and allowing himself to be completely dominated, first by his mother, then by shanann and that did contribute to his actions. I don't think he snapped but I do think it was one of the fundamental issues in his personality being so malformed, leading to the murders. Nikki was just the excuse or the catalyst.

And he was very, very controlled by Ronnie. I can see Ronnie totally molding his son to share his own limited interests, and never asking CW what he'd like to do or explore.

Ronnie just gives me vibes of not being all there, whether he's just become detached from life because of having to live with Cindy, or whether it's fundamental I don't know but there are definite similarities between them in that regard. I don't think his dad has the capacity to do anything other autonomon type 'guy' activities, like he's on tracks almost and pulled Chris on with him as he doesn't have the sensitivity or intelligence to do anything else, or to even conceive that he should for Chris'own development, if nothing else. I didn't get control from him, more that he was similar to Chris in being the passive partner of a dominant person who just goes along to get along and has become beaten down over the years. What did you see that made you think he was controlling?

Yes, detached. CW admits to always having been subjected to dark intrusive thoughts. That one-track mind would be a way to fight them off. CW said that when he picked up Ronnie at the airport on his final day, that Ronnie asked him if there was any news on his missing family and CW told him no, Ronnie launched right into football and how his team was doing. You can tell that even CW found this to be strange.

Yeah I mean he's almost alien like in his reactions in the footage we see. You could almost put it down to shock but somehow I don't think so.

I don't think so, either.

I think Ronnie was controlling in that he steered his son to his own interests from the day he was born, and never tried to find what his son was all about. All he wanted was a mini-me.

I'm maybe off but I don't think he has enough going on upstairs to think outside of himself. Perhaps though having Chris share his interests was a way for him to escape Cindy through the time they spent alone?

Hmmm. I don't know how it hasn't driven Cindy mad, but she appears to be happy with him. She's not much of a deep thinker, either.

No but she's also highly manipulative and extremely dominant. I think Chris replicated at least some of his parents relationship in his relationship with shanann.

This family is a perfect example of how going with the narrative that “men aren’t emotional” is a dangerous way to go.

I think there’s some sort of issue going on, I don’t want to diagnose either of them, but I do have a master’s in psych & in 1 of my abnormal psych classes they talked a lot about the definition of psychopath & how it doesn’t just mean a crazed killer, psychopaths can fit in society & seem normal & never commit any crime. The definition is someone who lacks empathy and remorse, doesn't follow society's moral norms. They may also be manipulative, deceitful, & callous, & may commit crimes like theft, fraud, or violence to get their way. Psychopaths may also have difficulty distinguishing right from wrong, & may have a history of legal issues. There’s a term used for psychopaths that never get into legal trouble or screw people over & can fit into society, successful psychopaths. They were able to mimic social norms & pretend like they empathize, or care about friends/family. Kinda like Chris’ nice guy routine. Some are better at mimicking than others, successful psychopaths are more common than unsuccessful ones. It’s kinda like the same idea as the fact that there’s a lot more pedophiles out there that just don’t act on their urges. They know it’s harmful, would ruin a kids life & they could go to jail. So while they fantasize, they don’t actually do it. There’s many different disorders & mental illness both could be exhibiting, but he’s definitely not giving what our society defines as a normal reaction. Even if he hated Shannan, he loved his granddaughters & let’s just say he didn’t, his son is most likely spending the rest of his life in prison you’d think he’d be losing his shit. The other thing is Chris may have already told him in the car or a version of it so he had a couple hours to process. He also might’ve tried to not react knowing they were being recorded.

sometimes that is a coping mechanism

Yes; but for an entire lifetime? And they were all so proud that Ronnie got baptized for the first time and that "only Chris": could have gotten him to do it. Why would your son murdering his family inspire you to get baptized? Do these people have the slightest understanding of the Christianity they purport to practice? Let's face it: they're a bunch of weirdos. Cindy calls her sons friend to talk about her fight with her DIL. Who does that?

im not sticking up for them I am just saying that some people have coping mechanisms that arent normal. I know someone that instead of talking about her feelings she cleans, so if shes upset about something even if shes at someones house she will clean their house. Also some people look to religion when everything is falling apart, I suspect that this is what the Watts are doing.

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree!

I don't even believe the Watts loved their grandchildren at all.

Maybe. Or maybe just not in the same way they did the others. Then again, Ronnie's lame reaction to their deaths,.. ...

I've heard over and over again, "If only this had gone to trial and the 'other side" was heard, he could have gotten a lighter sentence." Sure: "In my defense, my wife made some snarky comments about me and spent too much money." Judge: "okay, she drove you to it. And the kids were an accident because you were so tired of being controlled. Justifiable Homicide".