Viewers Left In Tears After Watching Netflix's American Murder: The Family Next Door

Viewers have been brought to tears after watching Netflix's latest true-crime documentary American Murder: The Family Next Door, which centres on the heart-breaking murders of a mum and her two young daughters.

The documentary - which only uses first-hand footage including police interview tapes, social media posts, text message conversations and bodycam recordings - examines the 2018 killings of pregnant mum-of-two Shanann Watts, 34, and her daughters Bella, four and Celeste three.

Shannan's husband and the girls' father Chris Watts, 35, initially tried to claim his wife had taken the children away without his knowledge, but the real, grim story came to light over the following days.

Watts would eventually admit to cops that he killed his 15-week pregnant wife at their home in Colorado, before putting her body in the car with their two young daughters and driving to an oil field that he worked at. He then killed both the girls before dumping their bodies inside oil tanks.

Watts then buried his wife's body in a shallow grave nearby.

In court he admitted his guilt as part of a plea deal to avoid the death penalty and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in November 2018.

After watching the uneasy documentary viewers took to social media, with one saying: "I just watched American Murder: The Family Next Door on Netflix. It was an absolute emotional roller coaster. I followed the case but this got me. I'm in total tears at this point. Rest in peace all victims of domestic violence."

Netflix

Another said: "In absolute tears at American Murder: The Family Next Door. How anyone could do that to their wife and babies is just traumatising."

A third viewer added: "Why did I decide to watch American Murder: The Family Next Door at 1.00 am? Now I cannot sleep, have an unsettled feeling in my gut, and have work tomorrow."

Someone else said: "Just finished watching American Murder: The Family Next Door and let me tell you I'm just so saddened."

American Murder: The Family Next Door is available to watch on Netflix now.

Topics: TV and Film, True Crime, Netflix

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at LADbible who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats. You can contact Claire at [email protected]

@ClaireReid19