From: jcs
The polygraph test administered to Chris Watts was a critical component of the interrogation strategy used by law enforcement following the disappearance of his wife, Shanann, and their two daughters, Celeste and Bella [00:00:09]. The test was conducted by a highly trained polygrapher who had five years of experience and attended the “best school in the country” for polygraph training [00:10:06].
Pre-Polygraph Interrogation Tactics
Before the polygraph, interrogation techniques were employed to build pressure on Chris Watts and observe his behavior [00:00:28].
Behavior-Provoking Questions
Detectives used “behavior-provoking questions” to elicit specific responses. An innocent person, when asked what should happen to the perpetrator, typically gives a “draconian response,” demanding the harshest possible sentence [00:00:28]. In contrast, a deceptive individual often provides an “equivocating response,” fragmenting or diverting from the question to avoid a direct answer [00:00:41].
When asked what should be done to the person who took his family, Chris initially stated “life in prison” [00:01:02]. However, when pressed about “if he hurt them,” Chris deflected, questioning whether the death penalty was even used in Colorado and focusing on his inability to cope [00:01:20].
Leveraging Suspect Infidelity and Digital Evidence
The interrogator was already aware that Chris was having an affair with a woman named Nicole Kessinger [00:02:30]. Chris had previously handed over his phone, believing it was for the purpose of checking mutual contacts, likely after deleting his correspondence with Nicole [00:02:34]. However, the FBI possesses programs capable of recovering all digital exchanges, even after deletion [00:02:51].
During questioning, the interrogator linked Chris’s recent physical fitness to infidelity, stating, “you can imagine when guys start cheating or want to cheat that’s what happens” [00:03:12]. Chris repeatedly denied cheating on his wife [00:02:22], [00:03:17].
Amplifying Anxiety and Pressure
The interrogator aimed to amplify Chris’s anxiety before the looming polygraph test [00:07:21]. They suggested that Chris’s head would “race” once he went home, and that thoughts would arise about what he “should have told him” [00:07:43]. The interrogator encouraged him to call if these thoughts occurred [00:08:15].
Reframing Technique/Passive Accusation
The officer’s discourse after showing a picture of his children can be interpreted as a “reframing technique,” where the interrogator attempts to shift the suspect’s self-view from negative to positive to lessen the perceived “iniquity of their crimes” and increase the chances of confession [00:08:37]. More likely, it was “passive accusation,” where the interrogator, certain of guilt, indirectly accuses and “indignifies” the suspect [00:08:52]. This was evident through high praise for trivial actions, such as getting second pairs of clothes for his children or cooking eggs [00:09:04].
Polygraph Explanation and Setup
Before the polygraph began, the polygrapher reassured Chris that if he “had nothing to do with this disappearance,” the test would confirm that [00:10:11]. This was a form of psychological pressure disguised as reassurance, used when the suspect’s guilt is almost conclusive [00:10:30].
How to Fail the Polygraph
The polygrapher explained two ways to fail the test [00:10:54]:
- Failure to follow instructions: Such as sitting still or answering questions as directed [00:10:58].
- Lying: “If you choose to lie today” [00:11:08]. The polygrapher stated it would be “really stupid” for Chris to take the test if he was involved in the disappearance [00:11:14].
Eliciting Methods of Disappearance
The polygrapher engaged Chris in a discussion about various ways someone could “make someone disappear” or “cause someone’s disappearance through murder.” This seemingly routine questioning was another form of psychological pressure [00:13:56]. Chris offered examples like hiring a hitman, stabbing, shooting, hitting with a blunt object, strangulation, drowning, or burning someone alive [00:14:24], [00:15:23], [00:16:01]. The purpose was to ensure Chris understood what was meant by “physically caused her disappearance” when asked during the test [00:14:36].
Directed Lie Polygraph
The test administered was a “directed lie polygraph” [00:18:04]. This method uses three types of questions [00:18:18]:
- Known Truth Questions: Easy questions (e.g., “Are you sitting down?”) to establish a baseline for truthful responses with minimal bodily reactions [00:18:20]. They also help disconnect thought patterns between questions [00:18:36].
- Control Questions (Directed Lie): Questions starting with “Before 2018,” for which Chris was instructed to purposely lie (e.g., “Before 2018 did you ever lose your temper with someone you cared about?” Answer: “No”) [00:18:44]. These are designed to elicit a controlled deceptive response [00:18:53].
- Relevant Questions: Questions directly related to the crime (e.g., “Did you physically cause Shanann’s disappearance?”) for which the examinee is expected to answer truthfully [00:19:01]. A guilty subject will show a stronger reaction to these than to control questions [00:19:07].
The Polygraph Test
During the actual test, Chris was asked a series of questions [00:21:29]:
- “Did you write the number one?” “No” [00:19:37]
- “Is your first name Christopher?” “Yes” [00:21:41]
- “Before 2018 did you ever lose your temper with someone you cared about?” “No” [00:21:44]
- “Did you physically cause Shanann’s disappearance?” “No” [00:21:50]
- “Were you born in 1985?” “Yes” [00:21:56]
- “Before 2018 did you ever say anything out of anger to a loved one?” “No” [00:22:00]
- “Are you lying about the last time you saw Shanann?” “No” [00:22:07]
- “Are you now in the state of Colorado?” “Yes” [00:22:14]
- “Before 2018 have you ever wanted to hurt someone to get even with them?” “No” [00:22:18]
- “Do you know where Shanann is now?” “No” [00:22:24]
Post-Test Analysis and Confrontation
After the test, the polygrapher initially complimented Chris, saying he “did great to lie and everything, that was awesome” [00:20:01]. This momentary confidence boost was quickly removed as she informed him that he was a “really bad liar” and that his significant reaction when he lied was “awesome” because it showed he knew it was wrong [00:20:10].
She then stated that “in about five minutes there’s gonna be two of us” who know the truth [00:21:07]. Joined by another officer, Graham, the polygrapher explicitly told Chris that he “did not pass the polygraph test” and that it was “completely clear” he “was not honest during the testing” [00:23:32]. Chris maintained, “I didn’t lie to you on that polygraph, I promise” [00:23:48]. The officers then pushed him to discuss “what actually happens” [00:23:43]. This confrontation ultimately led to Chris Watts’s confession to the murders.