Watts was an African-American; the large majority of his victims were white. He was diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder and depression. He was of well below-average intelligence and was a disorganized thrill killer. He committed his crimes in Texas and Michigan. His methods of killing included strangulation, stabbing, bludgeoning and drowning. He was apprehended in Houston, Texas on May 23, 1982. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and was not released. He died of prostate cancer in hospital in Jackson, Michigan. 