By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Ron Reynolds took a polygraph days after his wife’s death which was inconclusive and another months later that indicated he was being truthful when he said he did not shoot his wife, experts said today.
[1]Ron Reynolds
The elementary school principal called 911 early on the morning of Dec. 16, 1998 and said his wife committed suicide inside their Toledo home
The classification of her death has vacillated between suicide and undetermined ever since.
Today, during the coroner’s inquest into the death of 33-year-old former trooper Ronda Reynolds, a local polygraph examiner testified he reviewed both tests in the autumn of 2001 when the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office reopened the case.
Steve Birley, who opened his business after a 30-year-career with the Chehalis Police Department, said he concurred with the findings on both tests.
The examiner who conducted the second test in July 1999, at the behest of Ron Reynolds’ attorney, described to the inquest jurors the questions he asked the Toledo man.
“Did you pull the trigger on the gun that killed your wife?” and “On or about Dec. 15, did you shoot your wife?”
Terry Ball then read from his report: “Based on my polygraph examination, it’s my opinion he was being truthful.”
Ball was asked if such tests are always accurate.
He said 90 percent to 100 percent of the time they are.
“But they’re probably the most accurate method of determining truthfulness or deception,” Ball added.
Ron Reynolds is not taking part in the inquest in Chehalis, as he and his three sons were excused by Lewis County Coroner Warren McLeod after asserting the privilege against self incrimination
More later
•••
Meanwhile read more about the inquest:
• “Mother: Ronda Reynolds was murdered by her step-son” from KOMOnews.com on Friday October 14, 2011 at 5:51 p.m. p.m., here [2]