Confessed Murderer Steven Williams Beat the Polygraph

[George W. Maschke]

As mentioned on the blog, there has been yet another spectacular failure of the polygraph. Air Force staff sergeant Steven Williams somehow managed to pass a polygraph "test" despite having killed his wife, dismembered her body, and dissolved the parts in acid.

I'd be interested in any of our readers' thoughts on this.

[George W. Maschke]

A search warrant application (PDF) in the Tricia Todd murder investigation indicates that investigators suspected that Steven Williams had taken a drug in an attempt to beat the polygraph and may have researched polygraph countermeasures online. The following text appears at pp. 3-4 of an attachment to the application for a search warrant:

A subsequent interview with Steven also included a voluntary Polygraph test. However, it was discovered that Steven had sent a message to his girlfriend, Laura Guzick, just prior to that test telling her to "take some GABA." GABA is known to be a slang term for the drug Neurontin, which can be taken to defeat a lie detector test. Steven may have used his home computer to research methods to defeat the polygraph having been given advanced [sic] notice by the media who had contacted him....

The inventory of items seized indicates (item 9) that "One bottle of (GAMA) [sic]" was seized.

According to Wikipedia, Gabapentin, which is marketed under the trade name Neurontin, "is used primarily to treat seizures and neuropathic pain. It is also commonly prescribed for many off-label uses, such as treatment of anxiety disorders, insomnia, and bipolar disorder. There are, however, concerns regarding the quality of the trials conducted and evidence for some such uses, especially in the case of its use as a mood stabilizer in bipolar disorder"

I had never heard of Gabapentin being used to influence the outcome of polygraph examinations, and it seems unlikely that it would be particularly effective. Nonetheless, Williams succeeded in fooling the lie detector. Has anyone else heard of Gabapentin being used as a polygraph countermeasure?

[phrend]

Interesting.  Gabapentin appears able to increase GABA biosyntheis in the brain, according to the Wikipedia article.  GABA (gamma-Aminobutyric acid) itself is available as a green tea grown in a special manner to enhance the production of this substance in the leaves.  It is supposed to be capable of lowering blood pressure.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GABA_Tea

I suspect that, since polygraphy is nonsense to begin with, anything that psychologically gives someone an edge will also have a placebo effect in smoothing out their blood pressure, respiration, etc.  But GABA works in animal and human tests.

Another substance with simliar properties is Theanine, which is available as a nutritional supplement and occurs naturally in green tea (the better quality green teas, like Japanese sencha & gyokuro and Chinese dragon well tea).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theanine

[Drew Richardson]

Until relevant-question and control/comparison-question receptors are identified in the brain (and, of course, there is no reason to believe such things exist) and drug(s) are developed which can differentially bind to (or block) these sites, the notion of negatively impacting a polygraph exam through pharmacological countermeasures is as silly as the notion of positively affecting the flawed lie detection paradigm(s) through one more (latest) dependent variable.  Merely generally affecting the underlying physiology of one or more of the polygraph's channels through drug consumption will not suffice.

[George W. Maschke]

In a press conference following the arrest of Steven Isaiah Williams for the murder of Tricia Todd, Martin County, Florida Sheriff William Snyder attempted to gainsay reports, based on his earlier statements, that Williams had passed the polygraph:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xr3jX1rl-YM&feature=youtu.be&t=18m4s

Reporter: I think a lot of people go back to that press conference where you talk about the polygraph test that he [Steven Isaiah Williams] did, and I think that raises a lot of questions with people. Well, how did he -- you say you can't really pass a polygraph, but you said there was no indication when he did the polygraph. So, can you explain that to some people?

Martin County Sheriff Williams Snyder: That's a good question. I was waiting for that to come up. And the question was, could I deal with my earlier statements about the polygraph. If you want we'll replay the tape, and we actually have the tape. The question was, Did he.. Did he pass the polygraph?... Or, um, I don't remember how the question was framed. My answer was, he said nothing in the polygraph indicating that he had been involved in a homicide. So if you listen to my words carefully, what you heard me say was that there is no answer on the results of the polygraph, and I'm still not commenting on the answers to the polygraph. I reserve the right now and always to say what I have to say throughout any answers I give to further the case. And so, how I couch, and how I nuance my answers is something that is solely my responsibility, and it worked out to our benefit.

Reporter: Did he say -- has he said since why he... Because didn't he offer to take the polygraph? Why did he do that? Has he told you [inaudible]?

Sheriff Snyder: Your question was why did he take a polygraph?

Reporter: Why did he do it? Has he said now?

Sheriff Snyder: He has not said why he took the polygraph, but we just know from experience that people trying to get the focus off of them will al-- will take chances.

Contrast Sheriff Snyder's above remarks with the following reporting, including a direct quotation, published on 5 May 2016 by Huffington Post senior crime reporter David Lohr:

A search of Williams' car showed nothing unusual, authorities said, and he passed a polygraph examination.

"He did voluntarily submit to a polygraph exam," [Martin County, Florida Sheriff William] Snyder said. "Nothing in Mr. Williams's lengthy interview — and it was a long, detailed interview — nor his polygraph exam indicated that he was involved or had any additional information about Tricia Todd's disappearance."

Snyder added that "at this point, there is no focus that needs to be on the former husband."

In addition, a WPBF 25 News report published on 3 May 2016 states in relevant part:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC629kTUgXk&feature=youtu.be&t=19s

The sheriff's news conference today for the most part focused on that ex-husband. He's in the military, and has since flown to North Carolina as part of his job. The sheriff tells us that a team from the Martin County Sheriff's Office flew to North Carolina today, but he said they did a very lengthy interview with the ex-husband, and they even put him through a polygraph test, which the sheriff says he passed with flying colors. The sheriff says every single part of the ex-husband's story has checked out completely...