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Twisted Secrets of Chris Watts Revealed — 'Mother Figure' Pen Pal Lifts Lid on Sick Fetishes That Drove Him to Murder His Own Family

chris watts and family
Source: MEGA; NETFLIX

Chris Watts killed his wife and their kids.

March 9 2026, Published 7:20 p.m. ET

Killer dad Chris Watts twisted sexual fetishes have been exposed, RadarOnline.com can report, by none other than his grandmotherly pen pal.

Watts, 40, is currently serving multiple life sentences for strangling his pregnant wife, Shanann, 34, smothering their daughters Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3, and dumping the bodies at the oil field where he worked in August 2018.

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Chris Watts' Sexual Details and Desires

Mugshot of convicted killer Chris Watts
Source: mega

Watts told a pen pal about his sexual affair with another woman.

Crime author Cherlyn Cadle took special interest in Watts, trying to understand what led the devoted father to destroy his family and his life. So the 72-year-old began exchanging letters with him, and while the exchanges started cordial, before long, Watts was sharing his sexualized details and desires with her.

"He told me dark, sexual things that he did with his mistress," Cadle told the Daily Mail, referring to Watts' secret lover Nichol Kessinger. ''There were a lot of things you wouldn't tell your mother, but he told me."

Cadle said Watts boasted he and Kessinger had s-- three to four times a day, describing his libido as "insatiable." He also said they would have phone s-- for hours, and she sent him nude photos.

Above all, Kessinger would perform s-- acts his wife wouldn't.

"A lot of it is stuff I just won't repeat," Cadle explained. "But his relationship with her was very sexual, very twisted, very mixed up. And that's part of why I believe he did what he did."

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Placing the Blame on His Mistress

nichol kessinger
Source: instagram

The killer cheated on his wife with Nichol Kessinger.

The letters Watts sent Cadle were a stark contrast to the variety of notes he sent to his other friends, acquaintances, and even God himself. Watts would use those to consistently argue that Shanann was a "control freak" who didn't pay enough attention to him.

He also claimed that Shanann drove him to have an affair with Kessinger.

The mistress got her share of blame from Watts as well. In letters, he slammed her as a "harlot" and "evil woman" who tempted him with "flattering speech" and "lust in her eyes and flesh."

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'A Masterclass in Manipulation'

nichol kessinger bra
Source: FREDERICK POLICE DEPT.

Watts said Kessinger would perform s-- acts his wife wouldn't

When it comes to self-evaluations, however, Watts considered himself "still a good man."

A source familiar with Watt's writings called them disturbing.

"Chris Watts' latest prison letters are a masterclass in manipulation, self-pity and blame-shifting," they said. "Instead of taking full responsibility for the unthinkable crimes he committed, he casts himself as a weak, misguided man led astray."

READ MORE ON TRUE CRIME NEWS

Chris Watts Turns to the Bible

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Photo of Chris Watts, Shanann Watts, and their daughters.
Source: Supplied

Watts has since turned to the bible, but skeptics aren't convinced.

Watts has since found religion behind bars, studying the Bible and self-publishing a prayer book with another inmate in 2021. But our source said it's all for show.

"This twisted biblical framing isn't just objective, it's also a deliberate attempt to rewrite history and absolve himself of guilt."

Despite Watts' attempts to portray himself as a righteous man corrupted by others, the insider said he's not fooling anyone.

"Chris Watts is not a victim. He is not a tragic figure. And he is certainly not a man of God," the source blasted. "He is a calculating killer who, years later, still refuses to face the truth – that the only person responsible for his family's murders is him."

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