As Chris Watts serves five life sentences without the possibility of parole, we learn the convicted family killer wrote a letter addressed to his late wife, Shanann. It was for what would have been her 36th birthday. His parents, Cindy and Ronnie Watts, recently revealed they read at a graveside service for his murdered wife. 

The letter starts with "Hey boo! Happy Birthday!" The letter expresses regret, and asks his family to cheer him on. Public backlash has drawn intense scrutiny as  he appears to deflect accountability by blaming an "evil outside source" or dark influence for the murders. 

Joining Nancy Grace today: 
Troy Slaten  - Criminal Defense Attorney, Slaten Lawyers, Twitter @TroySlaten 
Dr. Bethany Marshall  -  Psychoanalyst, features on hit show: "Paris in Love" on Peacock and "The Valley, Persian Style" on Bravo.   Host of a new podcast "On The Couch with Dr. Bethany Marshall," Website: drbethanymarshall.com, Instagram FB & TikTok: drbethanymarshall, Twitter:@DrBethanyLive 
Dr. DeWayne Hendrix -  former Senior Warden with the Federal Bureau of Prisons,  Author of "Who Are You? See It, Say It, and Seize It" (IG) @drdewaynehendrix (LinkedIn)  @anewdaylight (X-Twitter)  
Lynn Shaw  -  Founder and Executive Director of Lynn's Warriors, Host of Lynn's Warriors on YouTube, website: lynnswarrior.org  X: @lynns_warriors Youtube: @LynnsWarriors 
Tisa Tells -  Pop Culture Investigator & Commentator and Host of 'Tisa Tells' on YouTube, Instagram & TikTok: @TisaTellss, Facebook: Tisa.Tells.3 
Dave Mack  - Investigative Reporter, 'Crime Stories'

As Chris Watts serves five life sentences without the possibility of parole, we learn the convicted family killer wrote a letter addressed to his late wife, Shanann. It was for what would have been her 36th birthday. His parents, Cindy and Ronnie Watts, recently revealed they read at a graveside service for his murdered wife.&nbsp;
The letter starts with "Hey boo! Happy Birthday!" The letter expresses regret, and asks his family to cheer him on. Public backlash has drawn intense scrutiny as&nbsp; he appears to deflect accountability by blaming an "evil outside source" or dark influence for the murders.&nbsp;
Joining Nancy Grace today:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Troy Slaten&nbsp; - Criminal Defense Attorney, Slaten Lawyers, Twitter @TroySlaten&nbsp;</li>
<li>Dr. Bethany Marshall&nbsp; -&nbsp; Psychoanalyst, features on hit show: "Paris in Love" on Peacock and "The Valley, Persian Style" on Bravo.&nbsp; &nbsp;Host of a new podcast "On The Couch with Dr. Bethany Marshall," Website: drbethanymarshall.com, Instagram FB &amp; TikTok: drbethanymarshall, <a href="mailto:Twitter:@DrBethanyLive">Twitter:@DrBethanyLive</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li>Dr. DeWayne Hendrix -&nbsp; former Senior Warden with the Federal Bureau of Prisons,&nbsp; Author of "Who Are You? See It, Say It, and Seize It" (IG) @drdewaynehendrix (LinkedIn) &nbsp;@anewdaylight (X-Twitter)&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li>Lynn Shaw&nbsp; -&nbsp; Founder and Executive Director of Lynn's Warriors, Host of Lynn's Warriors on YouTube, website: lynnswarrior.org &nbsp;X: @lynns_warriors Youtube: @LynnsWarriors&nbsp;</li>
<li>Tisa Tells -&nbsp; Pop Culture Investigator &amp; Commentator and Host of 'Tisa Tells' on YouTube, Instagram &amp; TikTok: @TisaTellss, Facebook: Tisa.Tells.3&nbsp;</li>
<li>Dave Mack&nbsp; - Investigative Reporter, 'Crime Stories'</li>
</ul>

Nancy Grace dives deep into the day’s most shocking crimes and asks the tough questions in her new daily podcast – Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Nancy Grace had a perfect conviction record during her decade as a prosecutor and used her TV show to find missing people, fugitives on the run and unseen clues. Now, she will use the power of her huge social media following and the immediacy of the internet to deliver daily bombshells!

Theme Music: Audio Network

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Nancy Grace dives deep into the day’s most shocking crimes and asks the tough questions in her new daily podcast – Crime Stories with Nancy Grace. Nancy Grace had a perfect conviction record during her decade as a prosecutor and used her TV show to find missing people, fugitives on the run and unseen clues. Now, she will use the power of her huge social media following and the immediacy of the internet to deliver daily bombshells!

Theme Music: Audio Network

Chris Watts Now Blames "Evil Outside Source" for Killing Pregnant Wife Shannan, 2 Tot Daughters

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f932169a-5bf0-41db-93a6-b4e2012a8813/transcript

A family of three take a three week vacation that ends in murder. 27‑year‑old Pennsylvania woman, Metallica Rose Harrison, now facing two counts of criminal homicide after allegedly stabbing her husband, Charles Harrison, and their 3‑year‑old son to death.  

According to court documents, Harrison called 911  saying she was suicidal and “needed help committing suicide,”  that her husband and son were “already gone in the bed.”  

Investigators recovered a large butcher‑style kitchen knife on the bathroom floor and a smaller knife in the sink. Neither were  Great Wolf Lodge property.   

A family of three take a three week vacation that ends in murder. 27‑year‑old Pennsylvania woman, Metallica Rose Harrison, now facing two counts of criminal homicide after allegedly stabbing her husband, Charles Harrison, and their 3‑year‑old son to death.&nbsp;&nbsp;
According to court documents, Harrison called 911&nbsp; saying she was suicidal and &ldquo;needed help committing suicide,&rdquo;&nbsp; that her husband and son were &ldquo;already gone in the bed.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Investigators recovered a large butcher‑style kitchen knife on the bathroom floor and a smaller knife in the sink. Neither were&nbsp; Great Wolf Lodge property.&nbsp; &nbsp;

What Happened at Great Wolf Lodge? 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/6d81a770-8a38-4188-b2d5-b4e2012bda13/transcript

Jabez Spann was 14 years old when he disappeared from Sarasota, Florida, over Labor Day weekend in 2017. It would be two years before his remains were recovered and his death was ruled a homicide.

In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum welcomes back Jabez’s mother, Tawana Spann, and her husband, Joe Spann, to mark nine years since Jabez went missing and renew their call for anyone with information about his murder to come forward. Tawana and Joe discuss the advocacy work they have built out of their grief, including the Jabez Spann Foundation, the Missing Our Voices podcast, and a new initiative called If We Could Speak.



Highlights:

(0:00) Sheryl opens the episode with a call to action for anyone who knows what happened to Jabez Spann

(2:00) Tawana explains the one question she still needs answered about her son’s murder

(5:00) How living without answers can become its own kind of prison for families of missing and murdered children

(9:00) Why Jabez’s disappearance led Tawana to create resources for other families searching for loved ones

(11:45) How Missing Our Voices gives families a place to talk about the people they lost

(14:00) Joe Spann introduces the rapid response readiness kit, and the common misconceptions families can face when someone goes missing●

(17:00) Why organization during the first 72 hours can help families become more proactive in a missing-person investigation

(19:00) How If We Could Speak uses digital avatars to make people stop, listen, and remember the victim

(22:30) Jabez’s digital avatar focuses on the life he should have had and the future that was taken from him

(24:45) Joe appeals to anyone who has information about Jabez’s murder to do the right thing

(27:00) Joe reflects on Tawana’s strength and how she has channeled her grief into helping other families

(33:15) Tawana credits her mother, Lucille Tillery, with helping her turn her anger into advocacy for other families



Enjoying Zone 7? Leave a rating and review where you listen to podcasts. Your feedback helps others find the show and supports the mission to educate, engage, and inspire.

---

Tawana Spann is the mother of Jabez Spann and an advocate for families of missing and murdered loved ones. Through the Jabez Spann Foundation, Missing Our Voices podcast, and other initiatives created in her son’s memory, she works to provide families with practical resources, keep their loved one’s stories visible, and give them a place to be heard. Her husband, Joe Spann, works alongside her as a co-advocate through the foundation.


Related Episode

Who Killed Jabez Spann? | Seeking to Expose a Killer's Secret




Sheryl “Mac” McCollum is an active crime scene investigator for a metro Atlanta police department and the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, which partners with colleges and universities nationwide. With more than four decades of experience, she has worked on thousands of cold cases using her investigative system, The Last 24/361, which integrates evidence, media, and advanced forensic testing.

Her work on high-profile cases, including The Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, Tupac Shakur and the Moore’s Ford Bridge lynching, led to her Emmy Award for CSI: Atlanta and induction into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2023.



Social Links:●

Email: coldcase2004@gmail.com

X: @ColdCaseTips

Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum

Instagram:@officialzone7podcast

TikTok: @Sheryl.McCollum



Sheryl’s new book, Swans Don’t Swim in a Sewer: Solving the Cold Case of the Flint River Killer’s Daughter, is available now wherever books are sold.

 

Jabez Spann was 14 years old when he disappeared from Sarasota, Florida, over Labor Day&nbsp;weekend in 2017. It would be two years before his remains were recovered and his death was&nbsp;ruled a homicide.
In this episode of Zone 7, Sheryl McCollum welcomes back Jabez&rsquo;s mother, Tawana Spann, and&nbsp;her husband, Joe Spann, to mark nine years since Jabez went missing and renew their call for&nbsp;anyone with information about his murder to come forward. Tawana and Joe discuss the&nbsp;advocacy work they have built out of their grief, including <a href="https://jabezspannfoundation.com/">the Jabez Spann Foundation</a>, the <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/missing-our-voice-true-crime-the-voice-of/id1622086353">Missing Our Voices</a> podcast, and a new initiative called <a href="http://www.ifwecouldspeak.com">If We Could Speak</a>. 
Highlights:
(0:00) Sheryl opens the episode with a call to action for anyone who knows what&nbsp;happened to Jabez Spann
(2:00) Tawana explains the one question she still needs answered about her son&rsquo;s&nbsp;murder
(5:00) How living without answers can become its own kind of prison for families of&nbsp;missing and murdered children
(9:00) Why Jabez&rsquo;s disappearance led Tawana to create resources for other families&nbsp;searching for loved ones
(11:45) How Missing Our Voices gives families a place to talk about the people they lost
(14:00) Joe Spann introduces the rapid response readiness kit, and the common&nbsp;misconceptions families can face when someone goes missing●
(17:00) Why organization during the first 72 hours can help families become more&nbsp;proactive in a missing-person investigation
(19:00) How If We Could Speak uses digital avatars to make people stop, listen, and&nbsp;remember the victim
(22:30) Jabez&rsquo;s digital avatar focuses on the life he should have had and the future that&nbsp;was taken from him
(24:45) Joe appeals to anyone who has information about Jabez&rsquo;s murder to do the right&nbsp;thing
(27:00) Joe reflects on Tawana&rsquo;s strength and how she has channeled her grief into&nbsp;helping other families
(33:15) Tawana credits her mother, Lucille Tillery, with helping her turn her anger into&nbsp;advocacy for other families 
Enjoying Zone 7? Leave a rating and review where you listen to podcasts. Your feedback helps&nbsp;others find the show and supports the mission to educate, engage, and inspire.
---
Tawana Spann is the mother of Jabez Spann and an advocate for families of missing and&nbsp;murdered loved ones. Through the Jabez Spann Foundation, Missing Our Voices podcast, and&nbsp;other initiatives created in her son&rsquo;s memory, she works to provide families with practical&nbsp;resources, keep their loved one&rsquo;s stories visible, and give them a place to be heard. Her&nbsp;husband, Joe Spann, works alongside her as a co-advocate through the foundation.
 Related Episode
<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/who-killed-jabez-spann-seeking-to-expose-a-killers-secret/id1660041219?i=1000595230345">Who Killed Jabez Spann? | Seeking to Expose a Killer's Secret</a> 
Sheryl &ldquo;Mac&rdquo; McCollum is an active crime scene investigator for a metro Atlanta police&nbsp;department and the director of the Cold Case Investigative Research Institute, which partners&nbsp;with colleges and universities nationwide. With more than four decades of experience, she has&nbsp;worked on thousands of cold cases using her investigative system, The Last 24/361, which&nbsp;integrates evidence, media, and advanced forensic testing.
Her work on high-profile cases, including The Boston Strangler, Natalie Holloway, Tupac Shakur&nbsp;and the Moore&rsquo;s Ford Bridge lynching, led to her Emmy Award for CSI: Atlanta and induction&nbsp;into the National Law Enforcement Hall of Fame in 2023. 
Social Links:●
Email: coldcase2004@gmail.com
X: @ColdCaseTips
Facebook: @sheryl.mccollum
Instagram: @officialzone7podcast
TikTok: @Sheryl.McCollum 
Sheryl&rsquo;s new book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Swans-Dont-Swim-Sewer-Daughter/dp/B0FWZY5YFP">Swans Don&rsquo;t Swim in a Sewer: Solving the Cold Case of the Flint </a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Swans-Dont-Swim-Sewer-Daughter/dp/B0FWZY5YFP">River Killer&rsquo;s Daughter</a>, is available now wherever books are sold.
&nbsp;

Zone 7: Jabez Spann - Nine Years Later, Parents are Still Fighting for the Families of Missing People

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/349d02df-d412-44bd-a0cd-b4e2012aec82/transcript

Fourteen years after UNC Chapel Hill student Faith Hedgepeth was found brutally beaten to death in her off-campus apartment, emotional testimony and revelations of misplaced evidence mark the opening days of Miguel Enrique Salguero-Olivares's murder trial in Durham County. In California, the parents of an eight-year-old girl who died from a severe asthma attack face felony child neglect charges after allegedly waiting eight hours to seek medical help inside a squalid, cockroach-infested San Jose home. And in Illinois, Good Samaritans intervened at a suburban Chicago shopping mall to rescue a senior citizen from a koi pond after a man allegedly attacked her and held her head underwater. Sydney Silvagni reports. 

Fourteen years after UNC Chapel Hill student Faith Hedgepeth was found brutally beaten to death in her off-campus apartment, emotional testimony and revelations of misplaced evidence mark the opening days of Miguel Enrique Salguero-Olivares's murder trial in Durham County. In California, the parents of an eight-year-old girl who died from a severe asthma attack face felony child neglect charges after allegedly waiting eight hours to seek medical help inside a squalid, cockroach-infested San Jose home. And in Illinois, Good Samaritans intervened at a suburban Chicago shopping mall to rescue a senior citizen from a koi pond after a man allegedly attacked her and held her head underwater. Sydney Silvagni reports.&nbsp;

Faith Hedgepeth Murder Trial: Rum Bottle Weapon and Missing Evidence in UNC Student's Brutal 2012 Slaying | Crime Alert 10.17.26

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/5a22af66-03fd-47d7-9a96-b4e2012a9fee/transcript

Chris Watts Now Blames "Evil Outside Source" for Killing Pregnant Wife Shannan, 2 Tot Daughters

In 1 playlist(s)

Crime Stories with Nancy Grace

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips