Chris Watts Took a Polygraph… Nichol Kessinger Didn’t Because She DENIED One! WHAAT!? — Transcript
Full transcript
- 0:04What's up, guys? It's your boy Zwoki
- 0:06back at another Chris Watts video. Of
- 0:08course, this one is a little different
- 0:10because I received around 1:30 this
- 0:14afternoon um a message. I didn't see it
- 0:17until after my live stream that this
- 0:20person apparently says that they know
- 0:22Nicole Kessinger.
- 0:25I can't look this person up, which I
- 0:27have. Um, there's nothing that shows on
- 0:30Facebook or anything like that that can
- 0:33validate that this person even exists.
- 0:36It could be completely hogwash. I have
- 0:38no idea. But I I thought it was ironic
- 0:41that one of you guys of my Zuloki
- 0:43supporters had sent me a video. Chris
- 0:47Watts took a polygraph. Why didn't
- 0:49Nicole Kessinger or why Nicole Kessinger
- 0:52didn't? Is that justice? But the person
- 0:55that sent me the message told me that
- 0:59they asked Nicole to take a polygraph
- 1:02and she denied. Um, she doesn't have to
- 1:07take one. She can't be forced to take
- 1:09one. It's not immissible in court where
- 1:12it can be used. Um, it's just pretty
- 1:15much to see if somebody could be
- 1:17bibbing, lying, or so forth. and they
- 1:19could definitely have their baseline
- 1:21there, which they pretty much did with
- 1:23Chris Watts because he was a complete
- 1:25failure at lying. You had to have a
- 1:27negative four to end up failing. He had
- 1:30a negative 18. Um, obviously we know the
- 1:34reasons why Nicole Kessinger didn't want
- 1:36to take a polygraph test because it
- 1:38probably would have exploited her and
- 1:41that's not what she came in for. She
- 1:43came in to one do damage control to fix
- 1:47her name
- 1:49and to hopefully not taint the rest of
- 1:51her freedom, but unfortunately her
- 1:54freedom has been tainted very very um
- 1:57severe. Um so I don't know the claim.
- 2:00Again, I tried to find this person on
- 2:02Facebook.
- 2:04No, I I I wanted to verify this before I
- 2:07even again I can't say this is fact. I
- 2:10can say it's all alleged. I can't say
- 2:13it's my opinion because it I and I can't
- 2:15show you guys the actual Instagram
- 2:18because then you guys would know who it
- 2:20is. So you just might have to take my
- 2:22word for it. But it's just ironic that
- 2:25one of you sent me the same topic which
- 2:28is Nicole Kassinger declined a polygraph
- 2:32test. Um which is definitely very very
- 2:35interesting. So, we're going to watch
- 2:37this from a v YouTube channel called
- 2:39Dark Corner True Crime. Again, we can't
- 2:43say that this is fact. We have to just
- 2:45watch it and put our two cents in on and
- 2:48on or two cents in on it and then
- 2:51discuss at the end. So, before we get
- 2:53started, don't forget to subscribe to my
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- 3:37watch it, then come back and let me know
- 3:39your thoughts on this video. But without
- 3:42further ado, let's get into this video
- 3:44and see why Nicole Kessinger declined a
- 3:47polygraph test.
- 3:51On August 15th, 2018, the Watts case
- 3:54reached a turning point that would
- 3:56permanently shape how the story was
- 3:57understood inside a quiet.
- 3:59>> And the test that she was supposed to be
- 4:01taking was when she came in without her
- 4:04father. So, it would have been when she
- 4:06was with Kobach because Tammy Lee was
- 4:09there. That's why she came in. She hand
- 4:11shook and everything because they were
- 4:14going to be asking her if she wanted to
- 4:16take a test, which they did outside,
- 4:18unfortunately. And that's what I've been
- 4:21told. And she declined.
- 4:24And
- 4:26yeah,
- 4:28>> interrogation room at the Frederick
- 4:30Police Department. Chris Watts agreed to
- 4:32take a polygraph test. It wasn't
- 4:34court-ordered. It wasn't legally
- 4:35required, but it was presented as a
- 4:38chance, an opportunity to prove honesty
- 4:40to move the investig.
- 4:42>> He thought he was going to be able to
- 4:43beat the test.
- 4:45>> Forward. Chris Watts said yes. The
- 4:48polygraph, commonly known as a lie
- 4:50detector, does not determine guilt or
- 4:53innocence. Physiological responses,
- 4:55heart rate, breathing patterns,
- 4:57perspiration, while questions are asked.
- 4:59Law enforcement agencies are well aware
- 5:01of its limitations. Courts routinely
- 5:03reject its results as evidence. Yet,
- 5:06despite these flaws, polygraphs remain a
- 5:08powerful investigative tool, often used
- 5:10to apply psychological pressure and test
- 5:12the consistency of a person's story. In
- 5:15this case, the pressure worked. When the
- 5:17results suggested deception,
- 5:19investigators confronted Chris Watts.
- 5:21His story began to unravel. What
- 5:23followed was not immediate truth, but a
- 5:26series of shift. Just think if he didn't
- 5:28take the test,
- 5:31he could have asked for a lawyer. This
- 5:34could have went a whole different way.
- 5:37He could have lawyered up. He could have
- 5:39went home. But he fell between the
- 5:42cracks after they gave him that test.
- 5:45Narratives, first deflecting blame, then
- 5:48offering partial admissions and finally
- 5:51confessing to the murders of his
- 5:52pregnant wife, Shannan Watts, and their
- 5:54two daughters. The polygraph itself did
- 5:56not convict him, but it undeniably
- 5:59accelerated the collapse of his facade.
- 6:01From that moment on, the public
- 6:03narrative became fixed. Chris Watts took
- 6:05the test. Chris Watts failed. Chris
- 6:07Watts confessed. But investigations are
- 6:10not only defined by what is done. They
- 6:12are also shaped by
- 6:13>> he confessed to his father.
- 6:15>> What is not.
- 6:17>> And then,
- 6:17>> as the case unfolded, it became clear
- 6:19that Chris Watts was not the only adult
- 6:21closely connected to the events leading
- 6:23up to the murders. Nicl Kessinger,
- 6:25Watts's co-orker and romantic partner,
- 6:28was interviewed multiple times by law
- 6:30enforcement.
- 6:30>> Time I saw a picture of his wife and one
- 6:34of his kids. And I remember thinking to
- 6:35myself like, "Wow, she's so beautiful."
- 6:37And I like took a step back and I was
- 6:38just like, "This man has a gorgeous
- 6:42house. He has beautiful babies. He has a
- 6:44beautiful wife. He has an awesome job.
- 6:46Like, why would he want to leave this?"
- 6:49And I remember talking to him about it.
- 6:52And that was the first time that I tried
- 6:53to actually say, "What do you think
- 6:55about not separating from your wife?"
- 6:57Like, "What if you really try to work on
- 6:58this?" And he had expressed to me that
- 7:00we tried to work on this and it's not
- 7:02working. So that is why we're
- 7:03separating.
- 7:04>> Her phone records were reviewed. Her
- 7:06internet searches were documented. Her
- 7:08statements were preserved as part of the
- 7:09official record. She was not charged
- 7:11with any crime, and authorities have
- 7:14stated she was not a suspect. But
- 7:16despite her proximity to the case, one
- 7:18investigative step was never taken. Nicl
- 7:21Kessinger was never asked to submit to a
- 7:23polygraph test. This is not speculation.
- 7:26It is a matter of record. At this point,
- 7:29it's important to pause.
- 7:31>> Well, the record I got is this person
- 7:33apparently knows Nicole Kessinger and
- 7:36was told by her that she was asked to
- 7:39take a polygraph, which she denied.
- 7:42Again, I can't say the validity of that.
- 7:45You're just going to I mean, it could be
- 7:47some Joemo. It could be some random kid
- 7:50that thinks he's funny and says, "Hey,
- 7:52this is what happened." I'm just taking
- 7:54and giving it to you guys. You guys
- 7:55decide if you want to believe it or not.
- 7:57I
- 8:00I could see them asking her,
- 8:03but at the same time, I don't see them
- 8:04asking her because
- 8:07they just brought her in like this in
- 8:09these interviews to make it look like
- 8:12they are talking to her. But none of
- 8:15these interviews actually give us any
- 8:16substantial evidence or information
- 8:19besides what she thought of the family
- 8:22and Chris. Nothing helped.
- 8:26Not to accuse, but to reflect on
- 8:28process. Because justice is not only
- 8:30about who is guilty. It is also about
- 8:33how investigations are conducted, how
- 8:35standards are applied, and whether those
- 8:37standards are consistent. and their
- 8:39standards sucked completely when they
- 8:43interviewed her. Like we said in the
- 8:45last video yesterday, the babysitter of
- 8:48Chris Watts's kids when he went to the
- 8:52game,
- 8:54he went to Lazy Dog with Nicole
- 8:56Kassinger. She was interrogated
- 9:00like hardcore
- 9:03compared to Nicole's interrogations
- 9:06>> across the same case.
- 9:08>> And this GUY IS THE GUY THAT ASKED THE
- 9:10QUESTIONS.
- 9:12Go back. Before we go further, let me
- 9:14take a moment to welcome you to the
- 9:16channel. We look for the truth in the
- 9:18shadows of cold cases and closed files.
- 9:22If you value this kind of deep dive
- 9:24investigation, please consider
- 9:26subscribing. And as we begin this
- 9:28journey together, I'd love to know where
- 9:30you're watching from today. Whether
- 9:32you're joining us from the United
- 9:34States, Canada, Australia, or anywhere
- 9:36else in the world, leave a comment
- 9:38below. It helps us remember that these
- 9:40stories, though local, touch hearts
- 9:42across the globe. Polygraph tests are
- 9:44often defended as discretionary tools.
- 9:47Law enforcement may use them when they
- 9:48believe someone is withholding
- 9:50information or when evidence alone
- 9:52cannot move an investigation forward.
- 9:54There is no legal requirement that
- 9:55everyone involved be tested. And yet,
- 9:58discretion is exactly where
- 10:00uncomfortable questions begin. If a
- 10:02polygraph was considered valuable enough
- 10:04to apply pressure on the primary
- 10:05suspect, valuable enough to help trigger
- 10:07a confession, why was it deemed
- 10:09unnecessary for others whose statements
- 10:11or like the one guy that had the
- 10:14information about Nicole Kessinger? He
- 10:18said he would take a polygraph test
- 10:21of the information that he has on Nicole
- 10:25from Chris.
- 10:27And apparently they say, "Oh, he's not
- 10:30um credible enough." Come here. Let's
- 10:33see what he's got.
- 10:35>> Also shaped the investigation's
- 10:37direction. Was it a strategic decision,
- 10:40a judgment call, or a missed opportunity
- 10:42that left lingering doubt? These
- 10:44questions do not change the outcome of
- 10:46the case. Chris Watts is responsible for
- 10:48these crimes. That fact is not in
- 10:50dispute. But justice is more than a
- 10:53verdict. I was going to say he is right
- 10:55where he needs to be, but he needs to be
- 10:57accompanied by somebody that possibly
- 10:59was involved. We just want to find it
- 11:01out. If you want us to stop talking
- 11:03about the case, let us see if she's
- 11:05innocent or guilty and we're done.
- 11:08THAT'S ALL YOU HAVE. THIS IS LIKE a week
- 11:10worth of stuff and they could get this
- 11:12case completely to shut up. But no, they
- 11:16want us to reminisce in the possible
- 11:20um
- 11:22accusations that she's involved and then
- 11:24tell us to shut up.
- 11:25>> It is a process built on transparency,
- 11:28consistency, and public trust. And when
- 11:32investigative paths diverge without
- 11:34clear explanation, people notice. This
- 11:36story is not about rewriting guilt. It
- 11:38is about examining choices. Because even
- 11:41in cases that appear closed and settled,
- 11:43unanswered questions have a way of
- 11:45staying alive, waiting quietly in the
- 11:47dark corners. To understand why the
- 11:50absence of a polygraph matters to so
- 11:52many people, it's necessary to
- 11:53understand what a polygraph actually
- 11:55represents inside a criminal
- 11:57investigation. Contrary to popular
- 11:59belief, a polygraph is not a scientific
- 12:02truth machine. It cannot read minds. It
- 12:05cannot detect lies in the way television
- 12:07dramas suggest. What it does is measure
- 12:10stress responses in the body while
- 12:12questions are asked. Changes in
- 12:14breathing, heart rate, and perspir.
- 12:16>> This is the qu This is the way that this
- 12:18guy should have uh talked to Nicole. I
- 12:20know it's just a a gimmick. It's just
- 12:23more of acting, but this is how Hey,
- 12:25wake up. Nicole, what's going on? What'
- 12:27you do?
- 12:28>> That may indicate emotional discomfort.
- 12:31Law enforcement knows this.
- 12:33Investigators are trained to treat
- 12:34polygraph results cautiously. Courts
- 12:37routinely exclude them because stress
- 12:39does not equal deception and calm does
- 12:42not equal truth. And yet, despite these
- 12:44limitations, polygraphs remain widely
- 12:46used across the United States. You know
- 12:49those heart monitors that you can put
- 12:50on? I know some people have had heart
- 12:53monitors when they play video games on
- 12:54scary games. I wish we could have put a
- 12:57heart monitor on Nicole so when they ask
- 12:59certain questions to see if her heart
- 13:01goes up and down. Wouldn't that be
- 13:03something?
- 13:04>> Why? because their true power is
- 13:06psychological. A polygraph test places a
- 13:09subject in a high pressure environment.
- 13:11The examiner builds rapport, explains
- 13:13the process, and emphasizes the
- 13:15importance of honesty. Questions are
- 13:17reviewed in advance. Control questions
- 13:19are mixed with relevant ones. The
- 13:21subject is told the machine will reveal
- 13:22deception. Even when everyone involved
- 13:25understands that the results are not
- 13:26definitive, in many cases, the polygraph
- 13:29is less about the machine and more about
- 13:30what happens afterward. Confessions
- 13:32frequently follow polygraph exams, not
- 13:35because the machine proves guilt, but
- 13:37because the pressure cracks narratives
- 13:39that evidence alone cannot. That is
- 13:42exactly what happened in the Watts case.
- 13:44>> Chris Watts's polygraph did not legally
- 13:46condemn him, but it became the turning
- 13:48point that dismantled his story. Once
- 13:51investigators confronted him with the
- 13:52results, the carefully maintained image
- 13:55collapsed. The test served its intended
- 13:57function. It broke resistance. Which
- 14:00brings us back to the central question.
- 14:02If polygraphs are viewed as effective
- 14:04tools for revealing inconsistencies, why
- 14:06are they not applied evenly? Law
- 14:09enforcement agencies often state that
- 14:11polygraphs are administered selectively
- 14:13based on investigative priorities. They
- 14:15may use them on individuals they believe
- 14:17are deceptive or when they need leverage
- 14:19to advance an investigation. But this
- 14:21explanation raises another issue,
- 14:23discretion without transparency. When
- 14:26investigators choose to test one
- 14:28individual and not another, especially
- 14:30in the same case, the public is left to
- 14:32wonder what criteria were used. Was the
- 14:35decision based on evidence, on
- 14:37cooperation, on perceived credibility,
- 14:40or on assumptions made early in the
- 14:41investigation that
- 14:43>> or to keep Nicole safe
- 14:46from persecution
- 14:48>> were never revisited. In the Watts case,
- 14:51Nicole Kessinger cooperated with
- 14:53investigators. She gave interviews. She
- 14:56turned over her phone. She answered
- 14:58questions.
- 14:58>> She didn't turn her phone over.
- 15:00>> Enforcement. This cooperation may have
- 15:02reduced the perceived need for further
- 15:04scrutiny. But cooperation does not
- 15:06automatically equal completeness, nor
- 15:09does it eliminate the value of
- 15:10verification.
- 15:11>> Agreed.
- 15:11>> Polygraphs are sometimes used precisely
- 15:13to confirm cooperation, to test whether
- 15:16a cooperative witness is being fully
- 15:18truthful or selectively honest. In many
- 15:20cases, investigators administer
- 15:22polygraph.
- 15:23>> So, let's let's have her uh hook hook
- 15:25up. Let's not see if she's lying. Let's
- 15:27see if she's being honest.
- 15:28>> Graphs to rule people out, not to
- 15:31implicate them. That is what makes their
- 15:33absence stand out. When one person is
- 15:36subjected to an intense psychological
- 15:38test that helps unravel the case, while
- 15:40another closely connected individual is
- 15:42not, it creates an imbalance. One that
- 15:45may be procedurally acceptable, but
- 15:48publicly unsettling. Justice systems
- 15:50rely on public trust. That trust is
- 15:53strengthened when investigative
- 15:55decisions are clear and consistent and
- 15:57weakened when they appear selective
- 15:58without explanation. Even when no
- 16:01wrongdoing is found, the process itself
- 16:03matters. The Watts case is officially
- 16:06closed. The verdict is final. But the
- 16:09questions surrounding investigative
- 16:10choices remain open. Not because they
- 16:13change guilt, but because they challenge
- 16:14how justice is applied. And once those
- 16:17questions are raised, they don't
- 16:19disappear quietly. They linger demanding
- 16:22to be examined. Not emotionally, not
- 16:24recklessly, but carefully in the light
- 16:26of documented fact. Every investigation
- 16:29begins with assumptions. Some are
- 16:31necessary, others are dangerous. In the
- 16:34>> So, I just wanted to add this here
- 16:35because a lot of people with everything
- 16:37that um behind Criminal Minds was
- 16:40mentioning the other day where they have
- 16:42a plan to do this take on
- 16:47his friend being a or his legal friend
- 16:50becoming the DA and reopening the case.
- 16:53And a whole bunch of people are like
- 16:55filling my DMs and stuff like that. The
- 16:57case can't be Roy opened it. Enough is
- 17:00enough. Just move on and get over it.
- 17:02Like, is it bothering anybody that I'm
- 17:05looking into the case? I mean, Nicole
- 17:07dug her own grave. She did it to
- 17:10herself. I'm just looking at the
- 17:12information that is public to us. I'm
- 17:16not hurting anybody. And again, closed
- 17:19cases can be reopened if valid. There
- 17:22has to be significant ground existing,
- 17:25which we have,
- 17:27such as the discovery of new material
- 17:30evidence, serious procedural errors.
- 17:33Mhm.
- 17:35The DA fumbled this completely. Fraud to
- 17:39prevent a miscarriage of justice. I
- 17:42mean, do I say anymore?
- 17:45All of this, all the check marks are
- 17:48showing that this needs to be reopened.
- 17:52It was fumbled. The only reason why it
- 17:54closed is because Chris confessed.
- 17:58Just think if he didn't confess, just
- 18:00think if it would have went on for a
- 18:02while and he got a lawyer, this would
- 18:04have went on for years.
- 18:08And then for them to sit like, "Oh, I
- 18:10talked to some legal person, TOO." SO
- 18:12DID I.
- 18:15That's why you get a second opinion.
- 18:18I've been told, "Yeah, it could be
- 18:20closed. It could be you're open." I
- 18:22mean, it's all the uh depending on this
- 18:25stuff that's in front of us. I don't
- 18:27know why people are like, "Oh, it's
- 18:29over. It's done. It's over with. Get on
- 18:31with your life." Like what is it hurting
- 18:33to figure out the the possible errors,
- 18:37fraud, um
- 18:41material or material evidence missing?
- 18:43Like what is it to you? If you don't
- 18:46like it, don't watch it. [laughter]
- 18:48>> Case law enforcement must decide where
- 18:51to focus limited time and resources.
- 18:53>> It's like saying, "I hate Spider-Man.
- 18:54Don't watch the Spider-Man." But you
- 18:56never watch the Spider-Man. Like
- 18:59[laughter] what? These decisions shape
- 19:02interviews, evidence collection, and the
- 19:04questions that are ultimately or never
- 19:07asked at all. In the Watts case, the
- 19:09initial focus centered almost
- 19:11immediately on Chris Watts. His demeanor
- 19:13during media appearances,
- 19:14inconsistencies in his statements, and
- 19:16the circumstances surrounding Shannan
- 19:18and the children's disappearance placed
- 19:20him at the center of suspicion. From an
- 19:23investigative standpoint, this made
- 19:25sense. Statistically and behaviorally,
- 19:28he fit a familiar profile. And as
- 19:30evidence mounted, that focus proved
- 19:32justified. But early certainty can come
- 19:35with a cost. Once investigators form a
- 19:37strong theory of the case, everything
- 19:39that follows is filtered through that
- 19:41lens. Information that supports the
- 19:43theory is pursued. Information that
- 19:46appears peripheral may receive less
- 19:48scrutiny. This isn't negligence. It's
- 19:50human psychology. Even trained
- 19:52professionals are not immune to
- 19:54confirmation bias. the tendency to
- 19:56interpret information in a way that
- 19:58confirms existing beliefs. This is where
- 20:00investigative scope matters. Nicl
- 20:02Kessinger entered the picture not as a
- 20:05>> I thought for sure he was going to ask
- 20:06for a lawyer
- 20:07>> suspect but as a cooperative her role
- 20:10was framed early as contextual rather
- 20:13than central. Someone who provided
- 20:15background on motive, not someone whose
- 20:17own narrative required pressure testing.
- 20:20Once that framing is established, it
- 20:22often persists. and framing matters more
- 20:24than most people realize.
- 20:26>> When someone is labeled a witness rather
- 20:28than a subject of scrutiny, the nature
- 20:30of questioning changes. Interviews
- 20:32become informational rather than
- 20:34confrontational. Statements are
- 20:36recorded, not challenged.
- 20:38Inconsistencies may be noted but not
- 20:41pressed. Investigative tools like
- 20:43polygraphs, which are designed to probe
- 20:45stress points and uncover deception, are
- 20:48often reserved for those already
- 20:50considered at risk of lying. The problem
- 20:52is not that investigators believed Chris
- 20:54Watts was guilty. The problem is that
- 20:56once that belief solidified, the
- 20:58threshold for scrutinizing others may
- 21:00have shifted. In many cases, polygraphs
- 21:02are used to eliminate doubt, to clear
- 21:04individuals whose proximity to a crime.
- 21:07>> You know how much doubt we have with NK?
- 21:10Let's validate that doubt, shall we?
- 21:13>> Raises legitimate questions.
- 21:15Administering such a test does not imply
- 21:17guilt. In fact, it is often done to
- 21:19provide clarity and closure. So, let's
- 21:22get that clarity and let's get that
- 21:24closure. Come on.
- 21:25>> The absence of that step can leave room
- 21:27for speculation even when no evidence of
- 21:29wrongdoing exists. That space between
- 21:32what was done and what could have been
- 21:34done is where public doubt grows. This
- 21:37is not about suggesting alternative
- 21:39suspects or hidden conspiracies. It is
- 21:42about examining how investigative focus
- 21:44narrows over time and how that narrowing
- 21:47can unintentionally limit transparency.
- 21:50When certain paths are
- 21:51>> she's self soothing herself
- 21:53>> deemed unnecessary. The public is rarely
- 21:55given a detailed explanation why and
- 21:58without explanation silence invites
- 22:00interpretation. The Watts case unfolded
- 22:03under intense public scrutiny. Body cam
- 22:07footage, interrogation videos, and
- 22:08police reports were widely circulated.
- 22:11Viewers watched the investigation in
- 22:13near real time, forming their own
- 22:15conclusions alongside law enforcement.
- 22:18In that environment, every visible step
- 22:20carried weight. So when viewers noticed
- 22:22that one individual faced a polygraph
- 22:24and another did not, the question wasn't
- 22:26rooted in accusation. It was rooted in
- 22:28contrast. Why this tool here, but not
- 22:31there? Justice does not only rely on
- 22:34being correct. It relies on being
- 22:36understood. And understanding requires
- 22:39clarity. Not just about outcomes, but
- 22:42about decisions made along the way.
- 22:44Because when investigations close
- 22:45without addressing the why behind their
- 22:47choices, those unanswered questions
- 22:49don't vanish. They become part of the
- 22:51case's legacy, resurfacing whenever the
- 22:53story is told again. And in a case as
- 22:56haunting and definitive as this one,
- 22:58even small gaps in explanation can cast
- 23:01long shadows. When the Watts case
- 23:03entered the public sphere, it did so in
- 23:05an unprecedented way. Police body cam
- 23:08footage, interrogation room videos, and
- 23:10investigative documents were released
- 23:12and consumed by millions. Viewers didn't
- 23:14just read about the case. They watched
- 23:16it unfold step by step, forming
- 23:19judgments alongside law enforcement.
- 23:21This level of transparency was rare and
- 23:23in many ways commendable. It allowed the
- 23:26public to see how investigators
- 23:27questioned Chris Watts, how they applied
- 23:29pressure, and how the polygraph test
- 23:31factored into his unraveling. The
- 23:33process was visible, almost cinematic,
- 23:36and it cemented the narrative of how the
- 23:38truth emerged. But transparency is not
- 23:40only about what is shown. It is also
- 23:42about what is absent. The public saw
- 23:45Chris Watts connected to sensors,
- 23:47answering questions under controlled
- 23:48conditions, visibly nervous. As the
- 23:50results were explained, they heard
- 23:52investigators confront him with
- 23:53deception. That moment became one of the
- 23:56most analyzed pieces of footage in
- 23:58modern true crime. It shaped public
- 24:01understanding of the case more than
- 24:03almost any other single event.
- 24:05>> By contrast, what the public did not see
- 24:07was just as influential. There was no
- 24:10footage of a polygraph being offered to
- 24:11Nickel Kesser, no documentation
- 24:13explaining why such a test was
- 24:15unnecessary,
- 24:16>> no formal statement clarifying
- 24:18investigative standards or thresholds
- 24:19that guided the decision. Instead, there
- 24:22was silence, an absence that allowed
- 24:25speculation to grow in the spaces left
- 24:27behind. Media coverage played a role in
- 24:29this imbalance. Once Chris Watts
- 24:32confessed, the story solidified quickly.
- 24:34Headlines shifted from investigation to
- 24:37resolution. The narrative became
- 24:39singular. A family annihilator exposed
- 24:42by his own lies. In that framework,
- 24:45there was little appetite for further
- 24:47examination of investigative procedure.
- 24:49Questions about fairness or consistency
- 24:51were overshadowed by the horror of the
- 24:53crime itself. Yet, public curiosity does
- 24:56not always move in straight lines. As
- 24:59years passed, and viewers revisited the
- 25:01released materials, patterns emerged.
- 25:04People noticed the intensity applied to
- 25:06one individual and the relative
- 25:07restraint shown toward another. They
- 25:10compared interview techniques, tone, and
- 25:12followup. They asked not whether someone
- 25:14else was guilty, but whether the same
- 25:16level of scrutiny had been applied
- 25:18across the board. In many high-profile
- 25:20cases, transparency serves to build
- 25:22trust. But when transparency is uneven,
- 25:25when some processes are visible and
- 25:27others are opaque, it can have the
- 25:29opposite effect. It invites viewers to
- 25:31fill in the gaps themselves. Clear
- 25:34enforcement agencies rarely revisit
- 25:36closed cases to explain procedural
- 25:38decisions unless new evidence emerges.
- 25:41From an institutional perspective, this
- 25:43makes sense. The case was solved. The
- 25:45perpetrator was convicted. There is no
- 25:48legal obligation to justify every
- 25:50investigative choice to the public. But
- 25:52public trust does not operate on legal
- 25:54thresholds alone.
- 25:55>> In true crime culture, viewers are no
- 25:57longer passive consumers. They analyze
- 26:00footage, cross reference timelines, and
- 26:03question decisions with the same
- 26:04intensity once reserved for courtroom
- 26:06arguments. In that environment, silence
- 26:09is not neutral. It is interpreted, the
- 26:11absence of a polygraph for Nicl
- 26:13Kessinger became one of those
- 26:15interpreted silences, not because it
- 26:18proves wrongdoing, but because it
- 26:20contrasts so sharply with what was shown
- 26:22elsewhere. Transparency, when partial,
- 26:25can unintentionally highlight what
- 26:27remains unexplained. And once those
- 26:29unanswered questions take root, they
- 26:31become part of the conversation,
- 26:33circulated, debated, and revisited each
- 26:36time the case is discussed. Justice may
- 26:38have been served in court, but in the
- 26:40court of public trust, clarity matters
- 26:42just as much as conclusion. The question
- 26:44of why Nicl Kessinger was never given a
- 26:46polygraph test is not only about
- 26:48investigative procedure. It's about what
- 26:50happens when proced
- 26:51>> and it just never came out until just
- 26:53now.
- 26:54>> Dural gaps are left unexplained. People
- 26:57naturally wonder if one person was
- 26:59tested why not the other,
- 27:01>> right?
- 27:01>> Was there a reason? Was there a bias?
- 27:04Was something being protected?
- 27:06>> Yes. These questions aren't always
- 27:08rooted in suspicion.
- 27:09>> Yes to all. [laughter]
- 27:12>> Often they come from a place of seeking
- 27:14fairness. But the truth is once a
- 27:16question is asked repeatedly enough, it
- 27:18can become its own form of evidence.
- 27:21Social media users, true crime channels
- 27:23and comment sections begin to repeat the
- 27:26same lines. The narrative shifts from a
- 27:28factual inquiry into a growing
- 27:31assumption. Even if the question remains
- 27:33unanswered, the repetition can make it
- 27:35feel like a conclusion. This is the
- 27:37power of online discourse. It can build
- 27:40[clears throat] consensus without proof.
- 27:42The internet is a place where facts,
- 27:44opinions, and speculation all exist in
- 27:47the same space. A family was destroyed
- 27:49and the world watched. People want to
- 27:52understand why and they want
- 27:53>> and then they want to sit there and pick
- 27:54on Shannan for some stupid reason.
- 27:56>> Want closure. When procedural choices
- 27:58appear inconsistent, it feels like a
- 28:00missing piece. But missing pieces can be
- 28:02filled incorrectly.
- 28:05Some online theories suggest that Nicl
- 28:07Kessinger was never tested because she
- 28:09was not involved. Others suggest she was
- 28:11never tested because she was involved.
- 28:14Both interpretations rely on assumptions
- 28:16rather than evidence. And because the
- 28:19official record does not clearly explain
- 28:21the decision, the gap becomes a breeding
- 28:23ground for speculation. This is not a
- 28:25condemnation of online curiosity. In
- 28:27many cases, public discussion helps
- 28:29uncover new leads, expose
- 28:31inconsistencies, and bring attention to
- 28:34overlooked details. But it also
- 28:36demonstrates how easily misinformation
- 28:38can take hold when procedural
- 28:40explanations are absent.
- 28:42>> Why we say um all alleged our opinions
- 28:45because we can't say fact until we
- 28:47actually have the actual fact. And we
- 28:50just want the fact to be shown, not
- 28:53silent or silenced. When people feel
- 28:56that justice was not fully transparent,
- 28:58their trust erodess, and when trust
- 29:01erodess, stories evolve. The Watts case
- 29:04is a prime example of this phenomenon.
- 29:06The facts are clear. Chris Watts
- 29:08confessed and was convicted. The
- 29:10investigation reached a conclusion, but
- 29:12the public still grapples with the why
- 29:14of certain choices. And in that gap,
- 29:17rumors thrive. This is why transparency
- 29:20is so important, not just for the sake
- 29:22of the case, but for the public's
- 29:24confidence in the system itself. If law
- 29:26enforcement had provided a clear
- 29:28explanation for why Nicl Kessinger was
- 29:30not polygraphed, it might not have
- 29:32stopped every theory, but it could have
- 29:34reduced the intensity of speculation. A
- 29:37simple statement, even a basic
- 29:39clarification, can sometimes prevent an
- 29:41entire narrative from spiraling out of
- 29:43control. Instead, the silence persisted.
- 29:46And silence in the digital age is never
- 29:49truly silent. It echoes, it spreads, it
- 29:52becomes a story of its own. In a case as
- 29:54brutal and well doumented as this one,
- 29:56the most dangerous thing isn't the crime
- 29:59itself. It's the lingering uncertainty
- 30:01that remains after the verdict.
- 30:03Uncertainty invites reinterpretation,
- 30:05and reinterpretation can become the next
- 30:08chapter in a story that was meant to
- 30:10end. To understand why the question of a
- 30:12polygraph matters, we must return to the
- 30:14motive and relationships that shaped
- 30:16this tragedy. The Watts case is not just
- 30:19a story of murder. It is a story of
- 30:21hidden lives, secret relationships, and
- 30:24the tension that exists when truth is
- 30:26buried under the weight of appearances.
- 30:29Chris Watts's relationship with Nickel
- 30:30Kessinger was not a small detail. It was
- 30:33a key element that helped investigators
- 30:35build a timeline, understand motive, and
- 30:38explain the emotional and psychological
- 30:39state of the family. Text messages and
- 30:42interviews revealed that the
- 30:43relationship began months before the
- 30:44murders, and that Watts had expressed
- 30:46frustration, desire, and a need to
- 30:49escape. From a legal perspective, this
- 30:52relationship helped explain motive. From
- 30:54a public perspective, it became the
- 30:56reason the case felt even more shocking.
- 30:58It wasn't just a husband who killed his
- 31:00family. It was a husband who appeared to
- 31:02be leading a double life. This is where
- 31:05investigative
- 31:06>> and to have one of those lives,
- 31:11the secondary one, he removed the other
- 31:13one.
- 31:13>> Scrutiny becomes crucial when a
- 31:15relationship plays such a central role.
- 31:18Law enforcement typically examines it in
- 31:20detail. They analyze phone records,
- 31:23interview friends, review financial
- 31:25history, and test for inconsistencies.
- 31:28They tried to determine who knew what,
- 31:30when they knew it, and how much they may
- 31:32have influenced the events. In the Watts
- 31:34case, Nicl Kessinger was interviewed
- 31:36several times. Investigators questioned
- 31:38her about her relationship with Chris,
- 31:40her knowledge of his life, and her
- 31:42awareness of any signs that something
- 31:44was wrong. She cooperated. She provided
- 31:46information. She insisted she did not
- 31:49know what was coming. Yet, despite the
- 31:51fact that her connection to the case was
- 31:52undeniable, she was never asked to take
- 31:54a polygraph.
- 31:56>> Why?
- 31:57One possible explanation is that
- 31:59investigators believed her statements
- 32:01aligned with the evidence and did not
- 32:03warrant further testing. Another
- 32:05explanation is that her cooperation was
- 32:07viewed as sufficient. A third
- 32:09explanation is that her involvement was
- 32:11not considered significant enough to
- 32:13justify the resources required for a
- 32:15polygraph. But there is another
- 32:17possibility that is often overlooked.
- 32:19Polygraphs are sometimes used not only
- 32:22to test truthfulness, but to test
- 32:24whether a person is withholding
- 32:25information intentionally. In cases
- 32:28involving relationships and hidden
- 32:30motives, this becomes even more
- 32:32important.
- 32:33>> If someone is not directly implicated
- 32:35but has knowledge of critical details, a
- 32:37polygraph can be used to confirm the
- 32:39completeness of their statements. In a
- 32:42case like this, where motive is
- 32:43intertwined with secrecy, it is
- 32:45difficult to fully separate what was
- 32:47known from what was suspected. And when
- 32:49a key relationship is left without a
- 32:51polygraph, the question becomes not only
- 32:53whether justice was applied equally, but
- 32:55whether the investigation left room for
- 32:57unanswered questions. This is not to
- 33:00imply wrongdoing. It is to acknowledge
- 33:02that investigative decisions have
- 33:04consequences, especially when they
- 33:05involve relationships that played a
- 33:07central role in motive. When a case
- 33:09involves hidden lives, the truth rarely
- 33:12fits neatly into a single timeline. It
- 33:14is layered. It is complex. It requires
- 33:17careful examination of every link. And
- 33:20when one link is tested intensely while
- 33:22another is not tested at all, the
- 33:24difference becomes meaningful. Not
- 33:26because it proves anything, but because
- 33:28it suggests a level of certainty that
- 33:30may not have existed. The Watts case
- 33:32ended with a confession and a
- 33:34conviction. But the relationship that
- 33:37fueled the motive remains a haunting
- 33:39part of the story. It is a reminder that
- 33:42crimes like this are rarely simple and
- 33:45that justice is not only about
- 33:46punishment. It is about understanding
- 33:48how the truth was uncovered. If
- 33:51investigators believed they had enough
- 33:52information without a polygraph, they
- 33:54should be able to explain why. If they
- 33:56believed it was unnecessary, the public
- 33:58deserves to know the reasoning behind
- 34:00that decision. Without that clarity, the
- 34:03question persists. And the question is
- 34:05not just about a test. It is about the
- 34:07way justice is pursued when secrets are
- 34:09involved. Because when truth is hidden,
- 34:11the investigation becomes the only path
- 34:13to uncover it. And every path that is
- 34:16left unexplored becomes a shadow. The
- 34:19moment Chris Watts confessed, the case
- 34:21entered its final phase. A confession
- 34:24changes everything. It closes gaps,
- 34:26explains actions, and resolves questions
- 34:29that would otherwise remain unresolved.
- 34:32For investigators, a confession is often
- 34:34the most powerful evidence, stronger
- 34:36than physical proof, stronger than
- 34:38testimony, because it comes directly
- 34:40from the person responsible. But even a
- 34:42confession does not erase the importance
- 34:45of investigative process. When a suspect
- 34:47admits guilt, it is easy for the public
- 34:49to assume that every step taken by law
- 34:51enforcement was necessary, accurate, and
- 34:54fair.
- 34:55>> The truth is more complicated.
- 34:57Confessions can be coerced, influenced,
- 34:59or strategically timed.
- 35:01>> People make errors. I make errors all
- 35:03the time. I'm not perfect. There's
- 35:04things I mess up on. But you can't tell
- 35:06me that that case was 100% eyes dotted
- 35:10and te's crossed. You can't tell me
- 35:13that. There is no way that this was a
- 35:16complete science seal delivered. Eyes
- 35:19were dotted, tees were crossed. I
- 35:21completely say BS. Even when a
- 35:25confession is genuine, the process
- 35:27leading to it remains important. How did
- 35:29investigators build the case? What
- 35:31methods did they use? What decisions did
- 35:33they make that brought the truth to
- 35:35light? In the Watts case, the polygraph
- 35:37played a critical role in breaking the
- 35:39suspect's story. It forced a
- 35:41confrontation. It shifted the balance of
- 35:43power in the room. And once the
- 35:45confession came, the investigation was
- 35:47effectively over. But the confession
- 35:50also changed the way the public viewed
- 35:52everything that came before it. Once the
- 35:54narrative is closed, the public tends to
- 35:56stop asking questions about process. The
- 35:58story becomes fixed, a killer confessed,
- 36:02case closed. Yet, if we return to the
- 36:04question of fairness, we are forced to
- 36:06ask whether the investigation's methods
- 36:08were applied consistently to everyone
- 36:10involved. Chris Watts faced a polygraph,
- 36:13intense interrogation, and public
- 36:15exposure. Nicl Kessinger faced
- 36:18interviews and scrutiny, but not the
- 36:20same level of pressure testing. The
- 36:21difference matters not because it
- 36:23changes the guilt of the convicted, but
- 36:25because it affects the perceived
- 36:26fairness of the investigation. In a
- 36:29justice system, fairness is not
- 36:31optional. It is foundational. The
- 36:34confession itself doesn't negate that
- 36:36reality. It may explain motive and
- 36:38outcome, but it doesn't automatically
- 36:40justify every procedural decision made
- 36:43along the way. If anything, a confession
- 36:46highlights the decisions that led to it.
- 36:48It raises questions about what could
- 36:50have been done differently and whether
- 36:52other steps might have strengthened the
- 36:53investigation even further. In many
- 36:56cases, investigators will use a
- 36:58polygraph to eliminate doubts to clear
- 37:01individuals who may have been connected
- 37:02to the case but are not suspects. The
- 37:04test can provide closure and reduce
- 37:06speculation. When that test is
- 37:08>> well, let's reduce the speculation. They
- 37:10want us to shut up about it. Let's
- 37:12reduce it.
- 37:13>> Is not applied. Speculation remains.
- 37:15This is where the public's role becomes
- 37:17significant. In modern true crime
- 37:20culture, the public is not only a
- 37:22witness, but also a critic. People
- 37:24examine the investigation from outside
- 37:26the official system. They question
- 37:28whether standards were applied equally.
- 37:30They ask why certain tools were used on
- 37:32some individuals and not others. And
- 37:35when those questions go unanswered, they
- 37:37can become the most lasting part of the
- 37:39story. The Watts case will always be
- 37:42remembered for the horror of the crime
- 37:43and the confession that ended it. But it
- 37:46will also be remembered for the
- 37:47lingering question that continues to
- 37:49echo in online discussions and true
- 37:52crime forums. Why was the polygraph used
- 37:54on Chris Watts but not on Nickel
- 37:56Kessinger?
- 37:57>> The answer may never be fully explained.
- 38:00It may never be officially addressed in
- 38:01detail, but the question
- 38:04>> it's almost I I can't say it's like a
- 38:06coincidence, but for somebody to text me
- 38:10or message me on Instagram, I've always
- 38:12said if you guys have any information or
- 38:14if you were tied next or if you were
- 38:16friends with her, I've always said come
- 38:18and and message me. And somebody
- 38:20actually did. [laughter]
- 38:22So again, I don't know the validity of
- 38:24it, but is this the case that she had
- 38:27denied it because she wanted to damage
- 38:30control? But the coincidence of me
- 38:33having that question given to me today
- 38:36and then a Zawoki person sent it to me,
- 38:41I just I don't I you can't make this
- 38:45crap up. remains and it is not
- 38:48insignificant because justice is not
- 38:50only about who is punished. It is about
- 38:53how the truth is pursued and whether the
- 38:55pursuit is consistent and fair. In the
- 38:57end, the confession resolved the case,
- 39:00but it did not resolve the questions
- 39:01that arose along the way. And those
- 39:04questions left unanswered become part of
- 39:06the case's legacy. The Watts case is one
- 39:09of the most widely discussed crimes in
- 39:11modern true crime history.
- 39:13>> The evidence is clear. The confession is
- 39:15clear. The outcome is clear. Chris Watts
- 39:19admitted guilt and the case reached a
- 39:21conclusion that few would argue with.
- 39:23And yet, even in a case with such
- 39:25definitive closure, there are still
- 39:27questions that refuse to disappear. The
- 39:30question of why Nicl Kessinger was never
- 39:32given a polygraph. Test is not a claim
- 39:34of guilt. It is not an accusation. It
- 39:37[clears throat] is a question about
- 39:38process, fairness, and the standards
- 39:40used in investigations. It is a question
- 39:42that speaks to the heart of what justice
- 39:45is supposed to represent. Justice is not
- 39:48simply the end result. Justice is the
- 39:50path taken to reach that result. It is
- 39:52the consistency of decisions. It is the
- 39:55transparency of procedure. It is the
- 39:57ability of the public to trust that the
- 39:59same standards apply to everyone
- 40:01involved regardless of their role or
- 40:03proximity to the case.
- 40:05>> In the Watts case, the polygraph became
- 40:07more than a tool. It became a symbol of
- 40:10pressure. You know how they say when
- 40:13you want quality over quantity? Like,
- 40:17yeah, you could have a whole bunch of
- 40:19stuff, but is the quality there? I kind
- 40:22of see that with the Chris Watts case.
- 40:23Not the quality of the case or no, the
- 40:26the quality of the case being handled,
- 40:29but instead of it being
- 40:33the quantity, it's the time.
- 40:36They wanted the time of this case to be
- 40:40so fast
- 40:43rather than take the time of quality to
- 40:47dot the eyes and cross the tees on every
- 40:50single thing, including NK. The quality
- 40:53of this case sucked because they wanted
- 40:55the time to be as short as possible, if
- 40:59that makes sense. That's just how I
- 41:02interpret that part
- 41:04>> of revelation and of the moment when the
- 41:06story finally broke. But the absence of
- 41:09that same tool.
- 41:10>> I'd like to know how much that suit was.
- 41:12I'd like to know how much those shoes
- 41:13were.
- 41:15Wolf for Nicl Kessinger became a symbol
- 41:17too. A symbol of an unanswered question
- 41:19that continues to haunt the case. When
- 41:22an investigation relies on discretion,
- 41:24it must also rely on explanation.
- 41:27Otherwise, the gaps left behind become
- 41:29filled with assumptions. In the digital
- 41:32age, assumptions spread quickly. They
- 41:34evolve into theories. They become
- 41:36accepted as truth by people who never
- 41:38saw the official record. That is why
- 41:40procedural transparency matters. Not
- 41:42because it changes the outcome, but
- 41:44because it protects the integrity of the
- 41:46story itself. Chris Watts is responsible
- 41:49for what happened. The facts do not
- 41:51change. But the public is still left
- 41:53with a question that continues to
- 41:55circulate even years later.
- 41:58Why was one person polygraphed and the
- 42:00other was not? It is a question that
- 42:02does not rewrite the verdict, but it
- 42:05does challenge the way we think about
- 42:06investigative fairness. It reminds us
- 42:08that even in cases where the truth is
- 42:10revealed, the process must still be
- 42:12examined. Because when the process is
- 42:14questioned, trust becomes fragile. And
- 42:17when trust becomes fragile, the story
- 42:19does not end. It continues. If you found
- 42:22this investigation
- 42:24>> very well said. I I know that some of
- 42:26these AI channels, they're completely
- 42:28out of this world with some of their
- 42:30theories or conspiracies and so forth.
- 42:33Um, and again, I'm not stating that
- 42:36these channels are factual. I'm I'm
- 42:39watching. I'm reacting. Yeah, it might
- 42:41be a bad reaction this time because
- 42:43we're trying to find the answers. And
- 42:45the information in here was kind of like
- 42:48I don't think so. So, it's good, it's
- 42:51bad. There's always sides to reaction
- 42:53channels, um, which I am one of them.
- 42:56Um, or part, um, unboxing, crime,
- 42:59paranormal, you know what the deal kind
- 43:00of thing.
- 43:02But the, again, I can't believe how
- 43:07ironic I got that message today.
- 43:11Somebody sent this to me today.
- 43:13I'm not going to say her name. um or the
- 43:16other person. They're both female. Both
- 43:19females have come to me today. Again,
- 43:23take it with what you will. Let me know
- 43:26your thoughts down here. Did NK get a an
- 43:30ask? Hey, would you like to take one
- 43:32just to kind of show that you're telling
- 43:34the truth?
- 43:36Denied.
- 43:38They could have rewarded it saying, "Oh,
- 43:40we want to we think you were involved.
- 43:42We want you we want to see if you're
- 43:43lying or not." No, they probably said,
- 43:45"Hey, can we take the test to see about
- 43:48the truths you have? Um, can we just
- 43:51validate those truths?" Um, and she was
- 43:54like, "Dad, daddy, I don't know what to
- 43:58do." And they were like, or he was like,
- 44:01"Now,
- 44:03don't even think about testing my
- 44:05daughter." I don't know. Post post your
- 44:08guys' comments down below. Of course,
- 44:09don't forget to subscribe to both
- 44:10channels. Um,
- 44:13share with your friends, share with
- 44:15anybody you guys know, and hopefully one
- 44:17day we will reach that goal again of
- 44:19100K. And um, I thank you guys for being
- 44:22here. Please take care, be safe, God
- 44:24bless as well, and we will see you guys
- 44:27in the next video.
- 44:38[music]
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