The bodies of the Watts’ young daughters, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste, were also found on Thursday not far from Shannan, according to investigators.
The prosecutor’s filing revealing Shanann’s burial location was in response to defense motions. It showed that the girls’ bodies had been concealed “inside oil tanks near” Shanann’s grave.
According to KUSA, the defense stated in a previous motion that Bella and Celeste had been in oil for four days — essentially the length of time that they and their mom were missing. The disappearanceswere reported Monday afternoonsome 12 hours after Shanann returned home, to Frederick, from a business trip.
Frederick Police
Chriswas arrested Wednesday nightand remains in custody, accused of first-degree murder and tampering with a body in all three deaths. He will return to court this week to face formal charges.
His attorney did not respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
One of the defense’s motion, requesting DNA be gathered from around the girls’ necks, was denied on Friday with the judge explaining that he would not dictate work for the medical examiner, according toThe Coloradoan.
Autopsies were conducted Friday on Shanann and her daughters, the paper reports. A motive has not been confirmed.
“They were the couple that you’d look at and then turn to your husband and be like, ‘Why aren’t we like that?’ ” friend Kris Landon tells PEOPLE. “They seemed so supportive of each other, it was their public face. I had no idea what was going on behind closed doors, and I don’t think many people did.”
source: people.com
