Television American Murder: The Family Next Door

[Hugh Jass]

Anyone else watch this on netflix? Really sad to watch but interesting too.

Chris comes across as a pure psychopath. People on reddit then saying the wife was a bit of a control freak.

How he could murder his two daughters is beyond me.

 

[Wittmann45]

I have been through about half of the documentary and I intend to watch the rest, but I do really like the style of it. I think it is interesting how they sort of delve into the whole idea of social media versus reality.

There was a documentary a while the I watched about OJ Simpson and it was devoid of any voice over. The documentary also only used news reports and recording phone calls between OJ and the police to tell the story. It was both very interesting and frustrating to watch as a sort of non-traditional documentary. I feel the same way about this as well; both interesting/compelling and somewhat frustrating.

Again, I have only seen about half so maybe the rest is shown, but I remember seeing the full body cam footage of the neighbour talking to the police officer about his security footage. After the Chris leaves the house, the documentary shows the neighbour telling the police officer that Chris was acting odd. However, what the documentary did not show was that the neighbour caught Chris leaving his house around 2 or 3 am on the night of the murder and also placing things in the back of his truck.

 

[AbusementPark]

Very good watch, so much footage around the whole thing as well.

 

[JohnZSmith27]

Anyone else watch this on netflix? Really sad to watch but interesting too.

Chris comes across as a pure psychopath. People on reddit then saying the wife was a bit of a control freak.

How he could murder his two daughters is beyond me.

Spoiler: Spoiler

When he says the last thing his daughter said was "daddy, no", I nearly threw up in disgust. What a disgusting fecking monster.

 

[Hugh Jass]

Spoiler: Spoiler

When he says the last thing his daughter said was "daddy, no", I nearly threw up in disgust. What a disgusting fecking monster.

Sickening alright. Absolutely sickening.

Spoiler: Spolier

And he drove for an hour with the kids in the car with the mother lying dead beside them.

 

[Scarlett Dracarys]

I followed this story when it happened but seeing the actual cam footage and the text messages did me in. He is just a monster. Those beautiful babies

 

[Bubz27]

I hope he'll hear his daughter saying "Daddy, no." Everyday for the rest of his pitiful life.

Even the way he tried to pin it on his wife when he first confessed. She killed the kids, I just lost it and killed her. The polygraph lady put that idea in his head and he went with it.

Phoning to sell his house, phoning his side piece to plan a future, unenrolling his daughters from school within hours of murdering them is pure psychopath.

On a side note, I'm so intrigued in parents of psychopaths. His parents forgave him, I can't see how that's normal behaviour? He killed their granddaughters. It amazes me.

 

[Hugh Jass]

I hope he'll hear his daughter saying "Daddy, no." Everyday for the rest of his pitiful life.

Even the way he tried to pin it on his wife when he first confessed. She killed the kids, I just lost it and killed her. The polygraph lady put that idea in his head and he went with it.

Phoning to sell his house, phoning his side piece to plan a future, unenrolling his daughters from school within hours of murdering them is pure psychopath.

On a side note, I'm so intrigued in parents of psychopaths. His parents forgave him, I can't see how that's normal behaviour? He killed their granddaughters. It amazes me.

Posing for pictures with the mistress as well. Textbook psychopath. Simply does not care in the world what people think of him.

I knew a guy like him in school. The amount of people that dont like this guy must be between 700 and a 1000 people. And yet he is on facebook, instagram, twitter etc and does not give a shit.

 

[Scarlett Dracarys]

I hope he'll hear his daughter saying "Daddy, no." Everyday for the rest of his pitiful life.

Even the way he tried to pin it on his wife when he first confessed. She killed the kids, I just lost it and killed her. The polygraph lady put that idea in his head and he went with it.

Phoning to sell his house, phoning his side piece to plan a future, unenrolling his daughters from school within hours of murdering them is pure psychopath.

On a side note, I'm so intrigued in parents of psychopaths. His parents forgave him, I can't see how that's normal behaviour? He killed their granddaughters. It amazes me.

I think they may have unintentionally pushed him to hate his wife. Apparently they didn't get along with her and the conflict may have influenced him. When his dad was telling him he forgives I was livid. He just killed 3 innocent babies he doesn't deserve forgiveness. I felt like the side piece had more involvement too. She must haven been filling his head with ideas. When I saw the home videos of the little girls my heart broke. He should have just left. Why did he think he had to kill them ?

 

[Hoof the ball]

He’s neither psychopathic nor sociopathic. He was supposedly diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder.

He was able to hold down a job, one that pays well and with long hours at that, he has no prior criminal history and didn’t commonly engage in criminal behaviuors prior to this incident, he has guilt and remorse and even contemplated suicide after killing his family, he felt very nervous when questioned, he feels love and bonding to some extent and one of the motives was actually to start a new life with a mistress he met, among other things that point far away from ASPD, sociopathy, and psychopathy.

Chris Watts is a clinical narcissist who snapped due to a dysfunctional marriage. He isn’t a narcissistic psychopath, he’s just a narcissist. He’s nowhere close to a psychopath, or even a sociopath for that matter.

 

[VorZakone]

I can't wrap my head around things like this. Why not just...divorce?

 

[Bubz27]

I think they may have unintentionally pushed him to hate his wife. Apparently they didn't get along with her and the conflict may have influenced him. When his dad was telling him he forgives I was livid. He just killed 3 innocent babies he doesn't deserve forgiveness. I felt like the side piece had more involvement too. She must haven been filling his head with ideas. When I saw the home videos of the little girls my heart broke. He should have just left. Why did he think he had to kill them ?

Which is why I specifically said he killed their grandkids. His parents obviously didn't like Shannan. No bother, it happens all the time. Obviously the murder part is way above and beyond. But they were never going to grieve for her. But he killed their grandkids and they still forgive him.

It's such a strange phenomena to me and one I'd love to learn more about. A parents 'love' for their child can be so blinding.

 

[Bubz27]

He’s neither psychopathic nor sociopathic. He was supposedly diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder.

He was able to hold down a job, one that pays well and with long hours at that, he has no prior criminal history and didn’t commonly engage in criminal behaviuors prior to this incident, he has guilt and remorse and even contemplated suicide after killing his family, he felt very nervous when questioned, he feels love and bonding to some extent and one of the motives was actually to start a new life with a mistress he met, among other things that point far away from ASPD, sociopathy, and psychopathy.

Chris Watts is a clinical narcissist who snapped due to a dysfunctional marriage. He isn’t a narcissistic psychopath, he’s just a narcissist. He’s nowhere close to a psychopath, or even a sociopath for that matter.

What's the difference? I don't know much about psychopathy or sociopathy beyond what would be a very common definition, obviously used incorrectly.

Why isn't he a psychopath or sociopath?

 

[yumtum]

Posing for pictures with the mistress as well. Textbook psychopath. Simply does not care in the world what people think of him.

I knew a guy like him in school. The amount of people that dont like this guy must be between 700 and a 1000 people. And yet he is on facebook, instagram, twitter etc and does not give a shit.

I'm guessing a lot of people don't like you either, and I bet you're still on social media?

Not saying this guy doesn't have any screws loose, but to say you have to be a psychopath not to care what other people think if you is worrying in itself - there will always be people who dislike you, people pleasers are worse than people who don't give a crap what people think about them.

The ending of this show though, had me in tears, I dont even have kids and i can't begin to imagine being a father driving his kids for an hour with their dead mother next to them, knowing he was about to kill them too.

Absolutely sickening.

 

[Hugh Jass]

Which is why I specifically said he killed their grandkids. His parents obviously didn't like Shannan. No bother, it happens all the time. Obviously the murder part is way above and beyond. But they were never going to grieve for her. But he killed their grandkids and they still forgive him.

It's such a strange phenomena to me and one I'd love to learn more about. A parents 'love' for their child can be so blinding.

Ted Bundy's mother was convinced he was innocent all along.

 

[Hugh Jass]

What's the difference? I don't know much about psychopathy or sociopathy beyond what would be a very common definition, obviously used incorrectly.

Why isn't he a psychopath or sociopath?

A psychopath is genetic. A sociopath is built through environment.

 

[Bubz27]

A psychopath is genetic. A sociopath is built through environment.

So why isn't this guy a sociopath? Why is he a narcissist rather than a sociopath?

 

[Hugh Jass]

So why isn't this guy a sociopath? Why is he a narcissist rather than a sociopath?

I personally think there are elements of psychopathy to him. The fact that he was able to go on date with his mistress in the town where he resides speaks volumes about his mentality. He did not care about been caught.

A poster mentioned that he showed emotion during the interview with the cops, but i think he was trying to play them. Crocodile tears essentially. He was trying to say that Shanann killed the children and then he killed her in revenge.

 

[Chief123]

Anyone else watch this on netflix? Really sad to watch but interesting too.

Chris comes across as a pure psychopath. People on reddit then saying the wife was a bit of a control freak.

How he could murder his two daughters is beyond me.

I watched all the YouTube clips and documentary on it shortly after it happened. Incredibly bizarre!

I still can’t believe how he could be so loving to his daughters and then end up doing what he did!

 

[Chief123]

Again, I have only seen about half so maybe the rest is shown, but I remember seeing the full body cam footage of the neighbour talking to the police officer about his security footage. After the Chris leaves the house, the documentary shows the neighbour telling the police officer that Chris was acting odd. However, what the documentary did not show was that the neighbour caught Chris leaving his house around 2 or 3 am on the night of the murder and also placing things in the back of his truck.

I’ve seen some clips on YouTube suggesting there was a second person involved as there was a person recorded leaving the house a few hours earlier that had a different figure to Chris.

 

[Chief123]

Spoiler: Spoiler

When he says the last thing his daughter said was "daddy, no", I nearly threw up in disgust. What a disgusting fecking monster.

Yeah that was pretty sickening!

 

[Chief123]

I hope he'll hear his daughter saying "Daddy, no." Everyday for the rest of his pitiful life.

Even the way he tried to pin it on his wife when he first confessed. She killed the kids, I just lost it and killed her. The polygraph lady put that idea in his head and he went with it.

Phoning to sell his house, phoning his side piece to plan a future, unenrolling his daughters from school within hours of murdering them is pure psychopath.

On a side note, I'm so intrigued in parents of psychopaths. His parents forgave him, I can't see how that's normal behaviour? He killed their granddaughters. It amazes me.

Watching the more detailed YouTube videos of the interrogation it is amazing how much psychology they use to get the end result.

He stupidly agreed to do the polygraph test when legally he didn’t have to. His arrogance and ego felt like he could fool it.

As soon as his dad mentioned about him getting a lawyer, they barged back in because they knew they wouldn’t get an admission out of him if the lawyers came.

 

[Tarrou]

such a bizarre case

I don't see how he possibly thought he could get away with it, he disposed of the bodies at one of his work sights ffs

also I don't think I can recall a case where the dad killed the family but didn't commit suicide too

he must be one seriously fecked up dude

 

[acnumber9]

It’s a fascinating watch because you never get to see somebody in the immediate aftermath of such a crime. It really emphasises how cold his actions were. The only regret he showed was the fact he’d been caught.

 

[Hugh Jass]

He’s neither psychopathic nor sociopathic. He was supposedly diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder.

He was able to hold down a job, one that pays well and with long hours at that, he has no prior criminal history and didn’t commonly engage in criminal behaviuors prior to this incident, he has guilt and remorse and even contemplated suicide after killing his family, he felt very nervous when questioned, he feels love and bonding to some extent and one of the motives was actually to start a new life with a mistress he met, among other things that point far away from ASPD, sociopathy, and psychopathy.

Chris Watts is a clinical narcissist who snapped due to a dysfunctional marriage. He isn’t a narcissistic psychopath, he’s just a narcissist. He’s nowhere close to a psychopath, or even a sociopath for that matter.

You stole this from quora.

 

[Hoof the ball]

You stole this from quora.

Of course I did, because the argument is sound.

He's too nervous under slight questioning and pressure to be textbook psychopathic and his personality (as well as testimony of those who know him) is laid back and less reactive, which rules him out as an impulsive sociopath, since there was no history from those who know him of any sporadic physical outbursts other than verbal arguments.

His impulsive and emotive reaction to his wife threatening to take the kids just doesn't fit the profile of a psychopath who does not react to emotional stress. The questioning and his clear nervousness doesn't fit either. Hell, even the initial reaction from his neighbour who say that "something was wrong with him" betrayed the idea that Chris was in control of his emotions.

 

[acnumber9]

Of course I did, because the argument is sound.

He's too nervous under slight questioning and pressure to be textbook psychopathic and his personality (as well as testimony of those who know him) is laid back and less reactive, which rules him out as an impulsive sociopath, since there was no history from those who know him of any sporadic physical outbursts other than verbal arguments.

His impulsive and emotive reaction to his wife threatening to take the kids just doesn't fit the profile of a psychopath who does not react to emotional stress. The questioning and his clear nervousness doesn't fit either. Hell, even the initial reaction from his neighbour who say that "something was wrong with him" betrayed the idea that Chris was in control of his emotions.

He wasn’t showing emotions, he was showing nerves at the fact he was being caught so quickly.

 

[Hoof the ball]

He wasn’t showing emotions, he was showing nerves at the fact he was being caught so quickly.

Dr Ramani Durvasula

However, the psychopath’s natural disposition to not feel things like fear, anxiety and stress automatically puts them at an advantage in certain environments. It is not something they need to learn or force, since they are naturally cut off from emotions in general anyway, both positive ones and negative ones like stress and anxiety.

This explains their apparent calmness and fearlessness under pressure, but is also the same reason they can lie brazenly to someone’s face without even flinching or giving away any clues at all. Many psychopaths can also pass lie detector tests, since they don’t give away the same physiological clues that others do when they are telling lies to others.

The guy failed the lie detector miserably and then crumbled under his nerves almost right away, fumbling his words. Psychopath's classically do not have issues with being nervous.

 

[ZupZup]

Of course I did, because the argument is sound.

He's too nervous under slight questioning and pressure to be textbook psychopathic and his personality (as well as testimony of those who know him) is laid back and less reactive, which rules him out as an impulsive sociopath, since there was no history from those who know him of any sporadic physical outbursts other than verbal arguments.

His impulsive and emotive reaction to his wife threatening to take the kids just doesn't fit the profile of a psychopath who does not react to emotional stress. The questioning and his clear nervousness doesn't fit either. Hell, even the initial reaction from his neighbour who say that "something was wrong with him" betrayed the idea that Chris was in control of his emotions.

I don’t think what he did was particularly impulsive. The whole thing was premeditated. Also, his behaviour afterwards in contacting the school to remove his kids... browsing the internet for holiday destinations of where he could take the woman he was having an affair with.

Then you have the fact that he was purposely plying his wife with strong painkillers in the run up to murdering her as he was hoping it would cause her to miscarriage.

All through the questioning he showed very little emotion about the fact his family was missing. Even when confessing the truth he could have been talking about something as mundane as taking the bins out. People watching the documentary and hearing the line “Daddy, no” are feeling more emotion than he does when he tells the story.

 

[acnumber9]

Dr Ramani Durvasula



The guy failed the lie detector miserably and then crumbled under his nerves almost right away, fumbling his words. Psychopath's classically do not have issues with being nervous.

I think you’re getting a little tied up in pedantic definitions. There’s a big difference between being narcissistic and being able to do what this man did and continue trying to plan his future life in the aftermath. There was no remorse. His nerves lay in being caught.

 

[acnumber9]

I don’t think what he did was particularly impulsive. The whole thing was premeditated. Also, his behaviour afterwards in contacting the school to remove his kids... browsing the internet for holiday destinations of where he could take the woman he was having an affair with.

Then you have the fact that he was purposely plying his wife with strong painkillers in the run up to murdering her as he was hoping it would cause her to miscarriage.

All through the questioning he showed very little emotion about the fact his family was missing. Even when confessing the truth he could have been talking about something as mundane as taking the bins out. People watching the documentary and hearing the line “Daddy, no” are feeling more emotion than he does when he tells the story.

Just watch the interview he gave to news. He was smirking through it.

 

[Hoof the ball]

I don’t think what he did was particularly impulsive. The whole thing was premeditated. Also, his behaviour afterwards in contacting the school to remove his kids... browsing the internet for holiday destinations of where he could take the woman he was having an affair with.

Then you have the fact that he was purposely plying his wife with strong painkillers in the run up to murdering her as he was hoping it would cause her to miscarriage.

All through the questioning he showed very little emotion about the fact his family was missing. Even when confessing the truth he could have been talking about something as mundane as taking the bins out. People watching the documentary and hearing the line “Daddy, no” are feeling more emotion than he does when he tells the story.

I wouldn't argue that he isn't in some way hardened or numb in his emotions; that can happen to anyone, even very empathetic individuals, but he was demonstrably nervous in questioning, he was somewhat reactive and emotional when it was just him and his dad in the room. It's very untypical behaviour of true psychopaths. But that's why I believe he's a non-psychopathic, clinical narcissist; still able to premeditate actions and follow them through based on his own delusional perceptions. Also, his relationship with his side-chick Nichole was too emotionally involved for him to fit the psycho type.

 

[Chief123]

such a bizarre case

I don't see how he possibly thought he could get away with it, he disposed of the bodies at one of his work sights ffs

also I don't think I can recall a case where the dad killed the family but didn't commit suicide too

he must be one seriously fecked up dude

What was even more frightening was how calm he was literally the day after he just murdered his family. Doing a live appeal on TV. He came across so suspect when he was talking but the fact he was able to do it in such a calm manner was insane.

 

[Hoof the ball]

I think you’re getting a little tied up in pedantic definitions. There’s a big difference between being narcissistic and being able to do what this man did and continue trying to plan his future life in the aftermath. There was no remorse. His nerves lay in being caught.

It's not pedantic. It's science. Psychopaths and sociopaths are effected in completely different parts of the brain. This isn't some pedantic definition. Psychopaths do not have nerves about being caught. They don't want to be caught, yes, because they are by definition selfish, but it's not nerves guiding that thought process.

 

[Castia]

Driving with the kids in the car whilst their mother is dead got me. I presumed he’d killed them in their sleep or something. Awfully sad story.

 

[jderbyshire]

I watched this doc on youtube a while back where it shows you pretty much almost the full bodycam footage when the cop arrived at the house, and it analyzed Chris Watts' body languaged and all that.

 

[Hugh Jass]

This is a terrific video. Says it is mainly psychopathy and a bit of narcissism.

Also said the mistress had a bigger role to play in it than we realize.

He starts discussing psychopathy at about ten minutes in.

 

[Hugh Jass]

He wasn’t showing emotions, he was showing nerves at the fact he was being caught so quickly.

Agreed.

 

[acnumber9]

It's not pedantic. It's science. Psychopaths and sociopaths are effected in completely different parts of the brain. This isn't some pedantic definition. Psychopaths do not have nerves about being caught. They don't want to be caught, yes, because they are by definition selfish, but it's not nerves guiding that thought process.

You’re focusing on one element of it and pretending it’s the only one. It isn’t. He lacked remorse, guilt and showed no emotions at what he had done. This wasn’t way after the fact. We got footage of him in the immediate aftermath. His first thought wasn’t ‘Oh my God, what have I done?’ It was to send texts to his his dead wife to hide his tracks. This was done in the space of three hours of her returning from being away.

 

[Solius]

Fell into a YouTube rabbit hole with this a few weeks ago so know all about it. fecked up.