The parents ofChris Wattsare speaking out, claiming their son is not a “monster” despitepleading guiltyto murdering his wife and two young daughters.
In an interview with local station KMGH,Ronnie and Cindy Wattssaid their son was once easygoing and “normal.”
“He was in sports from when he was 5 until 17 years old,” Cindy told the station. “He was normal, he didn’t have a temper, he was just easygoing like his dad. He’s not a monster.”
According to KMGH, the couple claimed their son changed when he married Shanann, alleging the couple had an abusive relationship and Shanann isolated Chris from his family.
“It was a very hard relationship,” Cindy Watts said. “It was a very hard relationship with her as far as I’m concerned. I couldn’t do anything right.”
Chris Watts.RJ Sangosti - Pool/Getty
Shanann was about 15 weeks pregnant with a son at the time, andher family later said she planned to name him Niko Lee.
Under later police questioning,Chrisallegedly said he would “tell the truth” after investigators told him they found out he was having an affair with a co-worker, according to an affidavit supporting his arrest that was unsealed in late August.
But in court earlier this month, Chris pleaded to nine charges: five counts of first-degree murder, one count of unlawful termination of pregnancy and three counts of tampering with a dead body.
In pleading guilty, Chris essentially admitted that explanation was a lie.
‘The Story He Told Me That Night, I Believed It,’ Says Dad
Watts’ parents say that they’re still confused about what happened.
“It’s hard for me to believe that he would hurt them girls no matter what,” Ronnie Watts told the station. “The story he told me that night, I believed it: The way he looked at me, the way he was crying, I believed it.”
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Shan’ann Watts (right) and her daughters.Shanann Watts /Facebook
The Watts family says that, despite their son’s guilty plea, they’re not sure exactly what happened. They speculated that he may have pleaded guilty to avoid subjecting his family to a lengthy trial.
“I just want the truth of what really happened,” Ronnie Watts said. “If he did it all, I can live with it. If he didn’t, I want him to fight for it.”
But Shanann’s family slammed Chris’ parents belief that he might not be the killer of their daughter and granddaughters in a statement released to the station Tuesday morning.
Chris Watts will be sentenced on Monday. His parents did not immediately return PEOPLE’s call for comment.
source: people.com
