Despite denying that she knew Watts hadn’t been in the process of separating from his wife and selling his home at the time of the crimes, Kessinger was immediately put in the spotlight because of her involvement with Watts. She told the Denver Post that Watts had claimed he divorced his wife in July 2018 and she had no reason to think otherwise. She also said that when she met him at work, he wasn't wearing a wedding ring and it wasn't long after that they began their romance.