American Murder Director Jenny Popplewell

Director Jenny Popplewell made a strong decision for her Netflix documentary American Murder: The Family Next Door: She didn't care about the killer. She didn't want to understand how Chris Watts' mind worked, or explain his rationale for the atrocious crime he committed: murdering his wife, Shanann Watts, and their two young daughters, Bella and CeCe.

Eschewing interviews and re-enactments, Popplewell's documentary only uses pre-existing footage, such as police body cams, security cameras, and especially Shanann Watts' own videos. She meticulously recorded her family's life, and her family allowed Popplewell to share footage recovered from her laptop and phone so that she can share her own story through the film.

American Murder: The Family Next Door is about Shanann Watts and the life she fought for, not the man who ended it.

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