The Colorado man accused of slaying his pregnant wife and young daughters pleaded guilty to their gruesome murders in a deal that would spare him the death penalty.

Chris Watts, 33, entered a plea deal Tuesday on nine charges, including murder and unlawful termination of a pregnancy, in the deaths of his wife, Shanann, 34, and their two kids, according to CNN.

Watts reported his wife and their girls, 4-year-old Bella and 3-year-old Celeste, missing Aug. 13 from their home in Frederick, a town about 30 miles north of Denver. Shanann was 15 weeks pregnant at the time of her disappearance.

The dad pleaded to news outlets for the family’s safe return the day before he was arrested in their deaths.

Hours after the arrest, his family’s remains were discovered on property owned by an oil and gas company where he worked.

Police said Watts admitted to murdering his wife but claimed he killed her because she strangled their children.

Watts is set to be sentenced Nov. 19 and faces life in prison.

“I can only say that I hope there is a sense of closure (for family members of the deceased),” Weld County District Attorney Michael Rourke said, according to CNN. “I know that that will never be fully realized because, obviously, the tragedy that sits before us today is the loss of four beautiful lives.”