5 chilling details about Carl Watts' crime

Carl Watts is the focus of Unknown Serial Killers of America, season 1, episode 1. The installment looks at the man long tied to killings across Texas and Michigan, the investigations that followed, and the courtroom steps that kept him off the street.

A re-air of Carl Watts is set for Thursday, August 28, at 6:00 AM ET on Oxygen. The episode originally premiered on May 18, 2025, and returns for viewers who follow Unknown Serial Killers of America.

Interview from Unknown Serial Killers of America (Image via @oxygennetwork Facebook)

Carl Watts case background

Operating in the 1970s and early 1980s, Carl Eugene “Coral” Watts drew attention for attacks on women in multiple cities.

Detectives in Michigan and Texas later compared patterns, while survivors in Houston helped start the chain of events that led to an arrest in 1982. Years later, Michigan prosecutions resulted in life terms.

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5 details about Carl Watts

1) Carl Watts was linked to a far larger victim count than his confessions

Reports from Michigan press noted he confessed to killings in both states, while investigators suspected many more targets than the official totals. A veteran Michigan investigator described the likely count as far higher than the known cases, according to the Detroit Free Press (May 21, 2025).

2) A 1982 Texas plea deal gave him immunity on murders he admitted, which later forced other states to act

Texas authorities accepted a deal that secured a 60-year sentence for burglary with intent to commit murder, along with immunity tied to his murder confessions.

Changes to release rules then created the prospect of him leaving prison, which drove Michigan to refile older homicide cases and try him there, according to The New York Times.

3) An eyewitness from 1979 helped convict Carl Watts decades later

Joseph Foy told a Michigan court he saw the attacker during the 1979 Ferndale stabbing of Helen Dutcher and later identified Watts. That testimony supported a first-degree murder conviction in 2004, according to The News-Herald of Southgate, Michigan (Nov. 13, 2004).

4) A Houston survivor’s escape triggered the arrest that broke open the case

In May 1982, Watts attacked two roommates in Houston. One escaped from a second-story window with hands bound, drawing police, and leading to his arrest the same day. The attack dovetailed with other Houston homicides under review, according to LMTonline.

Watts received life prison terms in Michigan (Image via Pixels)

5) Michigan life sentences followed, and Carl Watts died in custody in 2007

After convictions tied to the murders of Helen Dutcher and Western Michigan University student Gloria Steele, Watts received life prison terms in Michigan. He died of prostate cancer later that year while incarcerated, according to the Los Angeles Times (Sept. 23, 2007).

Watch season 1, episode 1, Carl Watts on Thursday, August 28, at 6:00 AM ET on Oxygen. Streaming options include fuboTV, Peacock Premium, YouTube TV, NBC, Peacock Premium Plus, and Oxygen. Digital purchase is available on Amazon Video, Apple TV, and Fandango.

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About the author

Preethika Vijayakumar is an Entertainment writer at Sportskeeda with a keen interest in pop culture. Although a law student, her curiosity about the world and passion for writing inspired her to explore and analyze the complex narrative and diverse character arcs that define the daily soaps.

With experience as a legal content writer, Preethika also achieved a notable accomplishment as her work was published in a book about criminology and victimology. As a fellow binge-watcher, Preethika aims to provide insightful analysis based on her firsthand viewing experiences, ensuring accuracy and relevance in her writing.

Outside of professional endeavors, she enjoys reading, playing guitar, and creating ceramics. Her favorite celebrity is Jensen Ackles, and if given the opportunity, Preethika would love to be a part of his show, Supernatural, although she isn’t sure she could last until the end.

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Edited by Divya Singh