Triple-homicide suspect Chris Watts, who authorities say washaving an affair with a co-workerwhen heallegedly killed his wife and two young daughters, addressed infidelity in a speech he posted to YouTube six years ago.
“Sometimes in a relationship, you maybe make promises that could turn into a major betrayal,” Watts, 33,says in the video.
The 9-minute video — which Watts posted on April 22, 2012, six months before he marriedShanann Wattson Nov. 3, 2012 — appears to be a run-through of a PowerPoint presentation for what he tagged as “my speech for communication class.”
Shan’ann Watts (center) and her daughters.Shanann Watts /Facebook
Casually swaying side-to-side and standing next to his laptop and a large video screen placed on a kitchen counter, Chris then refers to his first PowerPoint slide to offer a definition of “deterioration.”
“The relationship begins to fall apart, crumble or fail,” he says. “You have weakening bonds. You get bored of the everyday routine, and you get distractions such as work, hobbies, relationships, no matter how harmless, even at the job.”
“You might meet a new person and it could strengthen into something else, and could weaken the bond you have with the partner you have,” he says.
Midway through his presentation, he says: “You have to ask yourself three questions when you’re in a relationship: Do I have a desire to keep this relationship going? Do I have a moral obligation to stay in this relationship? Or is it a necessity for me to stay in this relationship?”
Shanann Watts /Facebook
After being reported missing on Aug. 13, the victims’bodies were foundAug. 16 on the property of an oil-and-gas company where Chris formerly worked. In the interim, Chris was arrested after he had pleaded for their safe return in news interviews.
Chris allegedly admitted to investigators that he killed Shanaan, but said he only did so in “a rage,” he claimed, after he saw Shanann strangle one of their daughters, according to the affidavit.
It is unclear who filmed Chris’ presentation about relationships as the camera zooms in and out, at one point panning to four observers watching him from a couch.
He describes the “two types of deterioration” as “sudden” and “gradual.”
“Sudden would be an example of infidelity,” he says. “When somebody is not faithful to their partner, the partners realize that the relationship cannot be sustained.”
“Gradual would be if you met somebody at work, or a new friendship has occurred, and as it goes on you see that maybe this relationship has more potential than the relationship I have with my partner, and that would gradually push the old relationship out, and push the new relationship in.”
He credits one of his research sources for observing that, as he quotes, “‘When a relationship breaks up, it’s generally the more attractive one that leaves,’ which I agree with somewhat, and then I disagree with.”
He adds: “Sometimes people, when their relationship starts to dissolve, repair is not an option and they want to get away and start anew.”
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Before he was charged in the killings, Chrisallegedly changed his story several times, and at one point claimed he told Shanann during her final hours that he wanted a marital separation.
He has not yet entered a plea, and his attorney has not responded to PEOPLE’s calls for comment.
source: people.com
