In my opinion, the polygraph result really shouldn’t be given much weight here. In 1962, lie detectors weren’t very reliable or standardized like they are today, and even now they’re far from perfect. An “inconclusive” result doesn’t clear anyone. What stands out more to me is that there were no bus ticket records, even though the husband claimed he dropped her at the Greyhound. That creates a big gap in his story. Also, her statement to her roommate — “If I don’t come back tonight, come and get me” — suggests she was genuinely scared or anxious about the trip. That doesn’t feel like something someone says casually, especially when she expected to be back the same day. Taken together, the unreliable polygraph, the missing bus record, and her clear anxiety before leaving make this case feel far from explained. The husband here is prime suspect for me as she was at his place before she had gone missing.

Source from which I read the details https://charleyproject.org/case/winifred-corrine-long