Case of Chris Watts, who admitted to killing pregnant wife, takes extremely bizarre, shocking turn

The case of Chris Watts, the 33-year-old Colorado man who admitted to killing his pregnant wife, just got even more head-scratching.

A man claiming to be one of Chris' former lovers called in on Tuesday night's "Crime & Justice" program on HLN and told host Ashleigh Banfield that Chris had an affair with him behind his wife Shanann's back — and that he hopes that Chris spends the rest of his life behind bars.

What's the background?

Shanann Watts and her daughters, 3-year-old Celeste and 4-year-old Bella, disappeared from their home at some point on Aug. 13. Shanann was 15 weeks pregnant with the couple's third child at the time of her disappearance.

Chris Watts reportedly had an emotional conversation with Shanann about their relationship earlier that morning. Shanann had returned home from a business trip to Arizona prior to the alleged conversation, in the wee hours of Aug. 13.  During the conversation, Chris reportedly told Shanann that he wanted out of the marriage.

Police made a welfare check on the home after Shanann didn't show up for a 1:30 p.m. doctor's appointment. As concerns for Shanann, Celeste, and Bella mounted, a local news station interviewed Chris about their mysterious disappearance.

During the interview, Chris Watts tearfully told the camera that he hopes they return home.

“Shanann, Bella, Celeste: If you’re out there, just come back,” he said. “Like if somebody has her, just bring her back. I need to see everybody… This house is not complete without anybody here. Please bring 'em back.”

A day later, police took Chris Watts into custody. A day after police took Chris into custody, investigators discovered Shanann's dead body at a petroleum company where Chris had worked. Investigators also discovered the bodies of Celeste and Bella at the site.

In an unsealed court affidavit, police alleged that Chris Watts was having an affair — a claim he initially denied. Chris also admitted to murdering his wife in a fit of rage after she'd reportedly strangled their daughters after he revealed that he wanted to end the marriage.

Police charged Chris Watts with three counts of first-degree murder, and one felony count of unlawful termination of a pregnancy.

What happened on the TV program?

An unidentified man called in to speak to Banfield about his alleged relationship with Chris Watts, whom he said he met online.

"He reached out to me and messaged me," the unidentified man told Banfield. "It was small talk. He told me his age. He had two daughters."

Chris Watts would later reportedly tell the man that though his profile indicated he was straight, he was not yet ready to "come out."

"[Chris] told me he was looking for a relationship in the long run. I asked why his profile said straight. He said he was not out and not ready to be out as far as sexuality," the man explained, noting that he had "many conversations" with Chris, and had even met Chris' two children.

"I asked him to make sure he's not bisexual [because] he had two children. He told me he didn't know," the man said, later revealing that Chris said that he and his wife didn't have sex anymore. "At that moment, he was attracted to me as a male."

The unidentified male said that he only discovered that Chris was married when one of the children asked if "she could sleep with [Chris] and mommy."

"That's how I found out he was married," the man admitted. "I asked why he lied to me. He told me he knew he wouldn't have a chance with me if he told me he was married."

"[Chris] told me what I wanted to hear," he added. "He knew I had good morals."

Once it was out in the open that Chris was married to a woman, he reportedly told the unidentified male that Shanann was "verbally and emotionally abusive," and that they didn't even love each other.

What did the man say?

Commenting on Chris' arrest, the man said that he wants Chris Watts to be locked up for the remainder of his life.

"I hope he gets convicted and I hope he stays in prison for the rest of his life," he said.

Banfield noted that the network was unable to independently verify the man's story.

BREAKING: A man who claims to be a FORMER LOVER of Chris Watts is speaking out on the accused killers past in an exclusive interview! pic.twitter.com/9Ac94nQAOg

— Crime & Justice (@CrimeJusticeHLN) August 28, 2018