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FREDERICK \u2014 A Colorado judge has denied a request by a defense attorney for a man accused of killing his pregnant wife and two daughters to require a coroner to collect DNA from the necks of the young girls.<\/p>\n
The judge said in an order Friday he would not tell the medical examiner\u2019s office involved in the case how to do its job, KMGH-TV and the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder reported.<\/p>\n
Autopsies were completed Friday on Shanann Watts, 34, and her daughters, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste. The cause of their deaths has not been made public. The motion seeking the DNA samples from the girls\u2019 necks suggested that they may have been strangled.<\/p>\n
Police arrested Chris Watts, 33, late Wednesday on suspicion of killing his wife and children. Their bodies were found on Thursday on property owned by Andarko Petroleum, one of Colorado\u2019s largest oil and gas drillers, where Watts worked as an operator. Court documents filed by defense lawyer James Merson said the girls had been submerged in crude oil for four days.<\/p>\n
Weld County prosecutors said Watts was jailed in protective custody and that charges were expected to be filed on Monday.<\/p>\n
Outside the family\u2019s home in Frederick, north of Denver, a memorial of stuffed animals, balloons, flowers and messages grew and a candlelight vigil drew dozens of people Friday night.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is to celebrate, mourn and get closure for a family that didn\u2019t deserve this,\u201d said vigil organizer Kelley Trippy. \u201cThis is a horrible, horrible, horrible story. It\u2019s affected us all whether you do know them or don\u2019t know them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Christine Gentert said a prayer, adding that she wanted Shanann Watts to be remembered for her smile and her love for others.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want the horror to replace how beautiful she was,\u201d Gentert said.<\/p>\n
Ashley Bell, a friend of Shanann Watts, said Shanann had planned a party Saturday to reveal the gender of her baby. Frankie Rzucek said his sister planned to name her baby boy Niko.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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