American Murder: The Family Next Door is a true-crime documentary film that follows the tragic story of Shanann Watts, a 34-year-old pregnant mother, and her two young daughters, Bella and Celeste. On August 13, 2018, Shanann, who was 15 weeks pregnant with a son, was reported missing along with her two daughters, after failing to show up for a doctor's appointment.
As the investigation proceeded, the story began to unravel, revealing a shocking truth. Shanann's husband, Chris Watts, had murdered his wife and children and dumped their bodies in an oil field where he worked in Colorado. The documentary uses never-before-seen footage from Shanann's social media accounts, police interrogation videos, and home security footage to piece together the events leading up to and following the murders.
Directed by Jenny Popplewell, the documentary explores the sinister and disturbing events that led Chris Watts to commit such a heinous crime. It examines the couple's relationships, the underlying issues that caused their marriage to crumble, and the psychological impact that Chris's actions had on their families and the wider community.
American Murder: The Family Next Door is a harrowing and emotional account of a family's tragedy, providing an intimate and candid view of the events that took place that fateful day. The documentary sheds light on a disturbing aspect of human nature and serves as a reminder of the tragic consequences that can arise from damaged and toxic relationships.