The lawyer for Shanann Watts‘ family tells Dr. Phil in a video preview of a Tuesday airing to come that Chris Watts killed his wife after revealing an affair and demanding a divorce. Attorney Steven Lambert said that the convicted murderer killed his wife after she said he wouldn’t see their kids again.
Days after Colorado authorities revealed that Watts provided more information about the murders of Shanann and his daughters Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3 (and days before authorities anticipate publicizing a written report and audio of the interview), attorney Steven Lambert told Dr. Phil this when Shanann came home in Aug. 2018 she and Chris had a fight. Her would-be murderer told her that he was having an affair.
“He told her that it was pretty much over between them,” Lambert said. “[Shanann] had said something to effect of ‘Well, you’re not going to see the kids again.'”
“As a consequence of that conversation he strangled her,” he continued.
Shanann was pregnant. Her unborn son was to be named Nico.
The attorney revealed that Bella, who Weld County DA Michael Rourke would later say fought back for her life, walked into the room and asked, “What are doing with mommy?”
“The man she loved choked the life out of her,” Rourke said the day Watts was sentenced to multiple life sentences without the possibility of parole. “What must Bella, age 4, and Celeste, age 3, thought as their father, the one man on this earth who was supposed to protect them […] snuffed out their lives?”
“The man seated to my right smothered his daughters,” he continued. “Bella fought back for her life.”
Colorado authorities have said they anticipate publicizing new information about the case on March 7.
The first half of the two-part Dr. Phil special will air Tuesday, March 5. The second half will air next Monday, March 11. Watch the preview of the Lambert interview above.
[Image via Dr. Phil screengrab]