A Colorado man who pleaded guilty earlier this month to the murders of his pregnant wife and two daughters was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences in prison without the possibility of parole on Monday.
Chris Watts, 33, entered his plea earlier this month, admitting guilt to killing Shanann Watts, 34, and their two daughters, Celeste, 3, and Bella, 4 inside their suburban Denver, Colorado home to avoid the death penalty. Watts also pleaded guilty to unlawful termination of a pregnancy.
Prosecutors say Shanann Watts' family consented to the plea deal.
At the sentencing hearing Shanann's father, Frank Rzucek, was present calling Watts a "heartless monster" who betrayed his daughter's trust.
"I trusted you to take care of them, not kill them. And they also trusted you," said Rzucek, his voice cracking with emotion. "You disgust me."
While issuing his ruling Judge Marcelo Kopcow commented that this case was, "perhaps the most inhumane and vicious crime that I have handled out of the thousands of cases."
A friend reported Shanann and her two daughters had gone missing in mid-August. At the time, Watts appeared on several news shows, pleading for his family's safe return.
"My kids are my life," he told KMGH at the time. "I mean, those smiles light up my life."
"When I came home, and then walked in the house, nothing. Vanished. Nothing was here," claiming he had no idea where his family had gone.
However, within days, investigators had gathered enough evidence pointing to Watts' involvement. He was eventually arrested, and the bodies of Shanann and the children were found.