Infamous Colorado home where killer husband strangled pregnant wife finally attracts buyer
The notorious Colorado home where Chris Watts strangled his pregnant wife to death has finally attracted a buyer, after several months on the market and two price cuts.
The Frederick, CO, house, which was the subject of the 2020 Netflix true crime documentary “American Murder: The Family Next Door,” was initially listed in April for $775,000—a nearly 30% markup from when it last sold in November 2022 for $600,000, according to Realtor.com® data.
Today, the home is listed for $749,500 and in “pending” sale status after a few concessions: The price was reduced to $750,000 later in April and by another $500 in May. The listing notes that the seller was offering $15,000 toward a buyer’s interest-rate buydown as well.
The house, built in 2013, has a listing description that serves up high praise: “Wow, this is a beautiful home! Nothing like this one for sale at this price, in the area.”
The details are yet to be disclosed, including the final sale price and the buyer’s identity. The listing agent for the property declined to comment.
The house was at the center of a tragedy—it’s where Watts killed his wife, Shanann Watts, during an argument on Aug. 13, 2013. He’d told her he wanted a divorce and confessed to having an affair with a colleague. Then he smothered the couple’s children Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3, in his car.
Chris Watts dumped his wife’s body in a shallow grave and put his daughters in oil tanks at Anadarko Petroleum, where he worked. He received multiple life sentences with no possibility of parole.
The last time the property went on the market, real estate appraiser Randall Bell told Realtor.com that selling a home like this is tough.
“It’s a gruesome crime, and it’s not where a lot of people want to go home and relax with that kind of history,” said Bell, CEO of Landmark Research Group, which specializes in real estate affected by tragedies or disasters. “The unwanted notoriety is “annoying, and it can go on for years.”
The new owners had the property for just under 18 months before listing it. Neighbors previously told Realtor.com that people drive by the home on weekends or stop to take pictures. There have even been attempted break-ins, likely by those fascinated with the crime.
The house spans nearly 6,200 square feet. It boasts a three-car garage, an open floor plan, and a chef’s kitchen with granite countertops and double ovens. There’s a gas fireplace and a walk-in closet in the primary bedroom. Homeowners association fees are $70 a month.
While the listing boasts “new exterior paint” and “views of our lovely Colorado mountains,” it fails to mention the murders that captivated the nation. The description does state, however: “No photos or videos to be taken while in the home please.”
The property owner has previously declined to speak with Realtor.com.
The Wattses bought the spacious home for just under $399,954 in May 2013, according to Realtor.com data.
Multiple liens were put on the house after the murders, which stalled a sale. Shanann’s parents, Sandra and Franklin Rzucek, won a $6 million wrongful death lawsuit against their son-in-law. The HOA also had liens on the property after dues went unpaid. Those debts were applied to the property in the form of liens.
It appears the Rzuceks released their liens when the home was finally sold in late 2022, according to property records.
