Exclusive

Meet the Woman Who Defends Intimate Relationship With Chris Watts Despite His Triple-Murder Confession

In E! News' exclusive clip from Cellmate Secrets: Chris Watts, a woman explains why she connected with the inmate after he was sentenced to five lifetime prison terms.

By Ryan Gajewski Jun 23, 2021 6:08 AMTags

Lifetime is taking a look at Chris Watts' life behind bars and the relationships he's developed since confessing to the murder of his wife and two daughters.

Debuting on Friday, June 25, Cellmate Secrets: Chris Watts features new interviews with Christa Richello. According to press materials for the project, she has "developed a close and intimate relationship" with Chris and cellmate Dylan Tallman after she met Chris by sending him fan letters in prison.

In a preview clip exclusive to E! News, which is above, Christa explains why she was drawn to the case. The 42-year-old clinical psychologist is now engaged to Dylan after he responded to Christa's letter on Chris' behalf. 

"I found it very odd, the way the case was handled," she tells the camera in the footage. "I've never seen a case in history that somebody took a plea agreement so quickly, a case was completely ended and not investigated."

Christa continues, "And there's all these different theories because normally this would be going on in a trial for years, and it was only two months to this plea agreement. And that's what caught me." 

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The disappearance of Chris' then-pregnant wife Shanann and their daughters, Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3, made national headlines in 2018. In November of that year, Chris pleaded guilty to their grisly murders and was sentenced to five lifetime prison terms later that month. 

RJ Sangosti/The Denver Post via Getty Images

Watch the above footage to see Christa explain why her mom's fascination with Charles Manson relates to her own interest in Chris. 

Cellmate Secrets: Chris Watts premieres Friday, June 25 at 10 p.m. on Lifetime.