Convicted killer and registered high-risk sex offender Christopher Watts was arrested in Hamilton on June 9, 2026, after a nationwide warrant was issued. Halton police took him into custody following his escape from a Montreal halfway house.
A History of Violence
Watts, now 66, has a long criminal record. In July 2001, he hosted a drug party at his home on Puslinch Lake near Cambridge, Ontario. Among the attendees was 13-year-old Amanda Raymond of Kitchener. She was given a mix of Percocets, OxyContin, speed, and ecstasy, fell into a coma, and later died. While she was unconscious, Watts sexually assaulted her, wrote obscene words on her body, and took videos and photographs. He was convicted of manslaughter, sexual assault, and sexual interference, and sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Repeated Releases
Despite being deemed a long-term offender, Watts was released in 2015 after serving his full sentence. Since then, he has been in and out of prison multiple times. A 2025 psychological risk assessment found him to be at moderate-high risk for general recidivism, high risk for violent recidivism, and well above average risk for sexual recidivism. On June 4, 2026, he fled a halfway house in Montreal, prompting a nationwide manhunt.
Family's Anguish
Amanda Raymond's mother, Teresa Trupp, expressed her frustration to CTV News. "I just don't know what to say anymore, but it's causing such anguish at this point. Again, again and again and again and again," she said. "This is so unfair to Amanda, my daughter. She was a child and her life was cut short because of him." Trupp added, "Amanda's gone. You took my child. And this is what we have had to deal with for 25 years now. How are we supposed to move forward if the system won't give us that opportunity?"
No Remorse
The Parole Board of Canada cited a judge's assessment of Watts as "a cunning and voracious sexual predator, who appeared defiant and without guilt or remorse." In a previous interaction with the author, Watts took offense to being called a rapist, insisting he was a "sex assaulter." This attitude underscores his lack of accountability.
Police are now investigating what Watts did during the five days he was at large. Anyone with information is asked to contact Halton Regional Police at 905-825-4777 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
