Dating : American Murder: 7 Relationship Lessons That Could Save Your Life

A must-read analysis for women to avoid heartbreaking and devastating consequences

“American Murder: The Family Next Door” is one of the most shocking true crime documentaries on Netflix. It’s a story about the murders of Shanann Watts and her two daughters (and one unborn baby) carried out by none other than the husband and father Chris Watts.

The reason why this case is so horrific and triggering to many people is that Chris Watts seemed like such a normal guy with no previous history of violence. He had even reportedly been a loving husband and father for many years. He really could be any guy, and so any woman who has seen this documentary couldn’t help but wonder what if their partner would one day snap and commit the unimaginable act like this guy did. It’s deeply unnerving.

Personally, I had come across an article about the case before I saw the documentary so I wasn’t surprised by the ending. However, it upset me to find out how cold-blooded he was about the whole thing — especially what he did to the two daughters. Like many people, I couldn’t make sense of it. Their marriage might have been broken and Shanann had her flaws, but nothing could justify his cruelty.

Now, I’ve given up on making sense of this guy. It’s normal that we can’t understand Chris Watts. We are not supposed to understand Chris Watts. He’s an outliner and a monster. Even though this article is about the relationship lessons learned from this case, I want to make clear that it is NOT the victim’s fault that she’s violated to any degree. The fault and guilt fall entirely on the perpetrator.

I send my condolences to Shanann, her three babies, and the rest of her family.

In this article, I wish I could teach you exactly how to spot the nice-guy-turned-murderers from afar and be safe for the rest of your life, but it’s impossible. I can only give you some pointers to minimise your chances of being in an abusive and potentially life-threatening relationship.

Here are the 6 lessons you should carry with you after watching “American Murder”.