New Leads In Smart Case

As police investigating Elizabeth Smart's kidnapping became stymied by a dearth of solid leads over the months, the case has grown conspicuously cold.

That could change following a recent visit from renowned forensics expert Henry Lee, who was recruited to examine evidence in the mysterious kidnapping. Lee, who has worked on such high-profile cases as the O.J. Simpson trial and the disappearance of congressional intern Chandra Levy, told The Salt Lake Tribune this week he gave investigators "some new leads to follow" in Elizabeth's June 5 abduction.

Citing a confidentiality agreement with police he signed before gaining access to forensic evidence in the case, Lee wouldn't discuss his findings specifically.

Chris Thomas, speaking on behalf of Elizabeth's father Ed Smart, confirmed Friday that Lee gave law enforcement "many recommendations" on how to proceed. "The police said they would pursue those leads. . . . From our understanding, investigators have been very busy, since [Lee] left," Thomas said. "It has given the family a lot of hope that things are progressing in a positive way."

The 14-year-old girl was snatched from her bedroom in the early morning hours by a gun-wielding intruder -- a crime witnessed only by her younger sister.

Lee's examination of a kitchen window screen led him to back an early police theory that the screen was cut from inside the home, possibly as a diversionary tactic by the abductor, multiple law enforcement sources tell The Tribune.

Police have been unable to determine if the kitchen window was the actual point of entry into the Federal Heights home. Investigators' skepticism is grounded in the lack of scuff marks around the kitchen window and the belief that anyone squeezing through the small window would have awakened family members.

"I went through the house and did look at a lot of evidence . . .I examined the screen and the window," said Lee, refusing to say what he determined from the analysis.

Thomas said Lee did not discuss his findings with Ed Smart or other family members because of the confidentiality agreement.

While Salt Lake City Police Chief Rick Dinse welcomed Lee's input, he said: "I don't think there was anything that [Lee] found that will change much." Dinse said he expects Lee, who was originally recruited into the investigation by Ed Smart, to provide police with a written report.

Though Dinse has not publicly ruled anyone out, the chief has called the late Richard Ricci, who worked in the Smart home as a handyman last year, the No. 1 potential suspect. Ricci, who was being held at the Utah State Prison on alleged parole violations, died in August from a massive brain hemorrhage.

He was also charged with robbing the Smart home of jewelry and other items and an earlier night-time burglary of a home nearby while he worked in the neighborhood.

What was the source of her admitance?

From LKL Transcripts:
http://www.silenter.com/cgi-bin/nph-go.cgi/00000/687474702f7777772e636e6e2e636f6d2f5452414e534352495054532f6c6b6c2e68746d6c
Angela Ricci on LKL on July 1, 2002:
KING: Now, the mechanic on the car claimed somebody identifying herself as you called to say her husband would be picking up the Jeep.
Was that you?
RICCI: No, it wasn't.
And just real quickly...
KING: What do you make of it?
RICCI: Well, any time that I've ever called -- either Richard or I have ever called the shop regarding mechanical work on that vehicle, we are not that formal with the mechanic to call and say, this is Mr. or Mrs. Ricci.
If I were to call that place, he would only know me, myself, as white Jeep, electronic fuel pump. You know, I've experienced this when I've called there before. (Comment - by this statement, when I've called before, she is saying she called in the past, but not on the date in question, May 30. In her next interview you will see she admits she did call on May 30.)
So, you know, it wasn't me, and I don't have a clue as to where that came from.

This is what her story evolved into by her next interview on September 4, 2002:
RICCI: I don't know. I don't even think the Jeep has anything to do with the disappearance, to be honest with you. I just think if it was Rick's Jeep that was gone, it was just weird timing. Now, I did call the mechanic at one time, and this is important to me. I called him one time to talk to him about the mechanical problem. The mechanic went into a different mechanical problem. I said, no, the electronic fuel pump. and he conveyed to me, oh, I have two, three white Jeeps here now.
KING: There were other white Jeeps.
RICCI: Yes. He said, I have two, three white Jeeps here now.
KING: White Jeeps are fairly common, right? in Utah especially.
POMEROY: They are, especially in Utah.
RICCI: And I told the police that as well.

Comments
So on Sep 4 she admits she did call on May 30, after denying it by context on Jul 1, because since Jul 1 she has decided it's a better approach to paint the obscure situation of 3 white Jeeps.
Let me ask you this, since you seem to see blur in a situation that is straight forward to myself and police. If she called the day the Jeep was taken in to check on the progress, as she admits, on the electronic fuel pump, if she was not involved in getting it out of the shop as soon as the electronic fuel pump part of the repairs was completed, as Moul alleges, WHY DID SHE NEVER AGAIN IN TWO WEEKS CALL TO CHECK ON IT??

I realize how damning this is to your heroine, lakey. Here's some more detail on the July 1 interview to help you locate it, starting from a commercial break. This part looks like it starts about 10-15 minutes into the show:

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KING: We're back with Angela Ricci, the wife of Richard Ricci, who's the focus of police investigation but not a suspect, and the attorney for both Richard and Angela, David Smith.

He is not a suspect, right?

SMITH: He is not a suspect.

KING: Why not? I mean, what's the delineation?

SMITH: I believe the reason is, there's simply not enough forensic evidence to make a tie-in. And that's the reason.

KING: So they have to have a tie-in.

SMITH: I believe...

KING: So would you say he's suspicious to them?

SMITH: Sure, he's suspicious, but they just don't have a tie...

KING: During the days following the abduction, was he gone for any period of time that you would say, where's Richard?

RICCI: No. Absolutely not.

KING: Would you ever conceive of him harming a child?

RICCI: Never. Never.

Especially, as I said before, he had a son that died. And that put a very big hole in his heart. And I just know that he would never put another hole in another human being's heart such as that.

KING: So wouldn't it have even been a kidnapping for ransom?

RICCI: Absolutely not, no.

KING: You could not see him doing?

RICCI: No, no.

KING: And did he say that to you a lot? Because -- did he say, you know, he had a son who was killed?

RICCI: Yes. We've talked about it. We've talked about that a lot. And he's expressed the emptiness in his heart. So I know how strongly he feels about that.

KING: How has he been treated at the grand jury? RICCI: They were OK. They just basically asked the same questions that I've had in investigation, and that's that. I can't really discuss what happened in the room. They were OK.

KING: And you're not allowed in that room, right?

SMITH: No.

KING: Now, the mechanic on the car claimed somebody identifying herself at you called to say her husband would be picking up the Jeep.

Was that you?

RICCI: No, it wasn't.

And just real quickly...

KING: What do you make of it?

RICCI: Well, any time that I've ever called -- either Richard or I have ever called the shop regarding mechanical work on that vehicle, we are not that formal with the mechanic to call and say, this is Mr. or Mrs. Ricci.

If I were to call that place, he would only know me, myself, as white Jeep, electronic fuel pump. You know, I've experienced this when I've called there before.

So, you know, it wasn't me, and I don't have a clue as to where that came from.

KING: Do you see this as a case, David, of wrong place, wrong time? Just a set of circumstances are pointing to -- like it's a "Law and Order" chapter until they find the other twist?

SMITH: Exactly. That's where I believe it's at.

KING: Because if it was him -- if, God forbid, from your standpoint it was him -- she's dead, isn't she?

SMITH: I believe that would have to be the case. I can't imagine that he would be sitting there in jail for the last, what, 15, 16 days and, you know, where would she be? Who would be taking care of her?

KING: Unless there was a collaboration

This is at about the same point in the interview as the July 1 interview, about 10-15 minutes into it. Maybe you can find this now in your transcripts.

Aired September 4
http://www.silenter.com/cgi-bin/nph-go.cgi/00000/687474702f7777772e636e6e2e636f6d2f5452414e534352495054532f303230392f30342f6c6b6c2e30302e68746d6c

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "LARRY KING LIVE," August 28, 2002)

ED SMART, FATHER OF ELIZABETH SMART: I believe he knows a lot more than what he's told us, and I have been -- I, along with so many people, have been praying that his heart would be softened, that he would tell us, you know, just bring an end to this nightmare.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: That was the missing Elizabeth Smart's father Ed, talking about the late Mr. Ricci two days before he would die, after he went into the coma. You're going to read to us a letter he sent to you from prison.

RICCI: Can I respond to what I just heard?

KING: Sure.

RICCI: You know, Rick was extremely heartbroken over Elizabeth's disappearance. He did tell them everything that he knew. He gave them everything he had. He just didn't give them what they wanted to hear.

KING: He liked Elizabeth?

RICCI: Well, he liked -- he always talked about...

KING: How extremely heartbroken he was, must have remembered her.

RICCI: Well, heartbroken for the Smart family. The only one he ever really spoke of was Ed. He didn't go on about the girls.

KING: Did he speak of him in nice terms?

RICCI: Yes, yes, he had respect for Ed, thought he was a good businessman and -- you know, and he mentioned that the girls played the harp and he thought that was cool. But as far as spending time with the children...

KING: So he was heartbroken for the situation?

RICCI: Exactly. Exactly.

KING: Before you read from the letter, Nancy, what is Angela attempting to do?

POMEROY: I think she's just attempting to give balance. Because if you read the papers and you go through the media, and I think for the most part they've tried to be balanced in some areas, but all they're getting is his rap sheet. They're getting his rap sheet. They're getting anything wrong that he ever did. And people are coming out in droves saying, well, this is my experience, and this is the way he is. And she's trying to represent the family and say, this is the Richard we knew, and just balance it. So you make up your own mind.

KING: The police wound up saying that they will never be able to get anything unless they find a body or she comes back. And it seems they're out of leads, right?

POMEROY: Well, they're working on other things, but they've put so much focus on Richard, the other things haven't been focused on as much.

RICCI: I think he was heartbroken, the day that they dug up our yard, he was on the phone with me. He was still in jail. And he said, Angela, this is so sad, they're wasting their time. They have the wrong guy, you know.

KING: What did he say in the letter?

RICCI: And so what he said here is -- he says: "I guess the only thing I would like the public to know would be I really don't know anybody who would kidnap a child. I don't have many friends, just family. I had nothing to do with the abduction. I don't know how a child abductor thinks. I just can't believe it."

KING: So you know that your husband had problems in life and he did do some petty stuff.

RICCI: Yes.

KING: But never anything like this?

RICCI: Never anything like this, never.

KING: And never an interest in young children?

RICCI: Never. KING: Now, about the mystery of the white Jeep, which I'm going to -- I want to make sure my notes are right, that the repair shop owner maintains that your husband left the Jeep at his shop, took the vehicle May 30, returned it June 8, 500 miles on it. The repair shop owner also maintains that Mr. Ricci took a post hole digger out of the Jeep, removed two seat covers, carried away another bag, met a second man across the street from the repair shop. Ricci steadfastly denied taking the Jeep. Did you discuss this with Richard?

RICCI: Yes, I did discuss with Rick several times. He did not take that Jeep.

KING: So the guy is wrong or lying?

RICCI: He's mistaken. Maybe someone took that Jeep, but it wasn't Rick. There were keys stolen to that Jeep. That Jeep has never had seat covers, ever had seat covers. To my knowledge, I don't know that he spoke with the person that took the Jeep or brought the Jeep back, only that he observed that it was gone and came back. I'm not sure of the full report on that. You know, I know Rick didn't have the Jeep. I know I didn't have the jeep. No one at his work saw the Jeep.

KING: Has any of the police pressured you to change your side of the story, that he was with you that night?

RICCI: They tried to turn me against Rick all the time. He was in bed with me. That's the truth.

KING: And they did try to say that that was not the truth?

RICCI: Yes. They're trying to make me think he's a cat burglar that sneaks out at night. And that's just not the truth.

KING: Did he take a lie detector test?

RICCI: Yes, he did. And no one, not even his attorneys have gotten the results of that test.

KING: So nobody's announced whether he passed it, failed it or anything?

RICCI: No. Well, they printed in the paper that he failed.

KING: But you don't know that for a fact?

RICCI: But I don't know that for a fact.

KING: Did they ask you to take one?

RICCI: I did take one and I passed with flying colors. The FBI told me that.

KING: So when you say he was with you that night -- the FBI told you. And when you say he was with you that night, you are telling the truth. RICCI: Yes. I have been telling the truth from the gate.

KING: Have you talked to the Smarts?

RICCI: I did speak with Ed Smart. He pulled me aside after Rick's first court appearance.

KING: And?

RICCI: And he asked me about the Jeep. And my opinion the whole time has been that I think someone else took that Jeep. The keys were stolen to that Jeep.

KING: So therefore, you think Elizabeth has been harmed?

RICCI: I don't know. I don't even think the Jeep has anything to do with the disappearance, to be honest with you. I just think if it was Rick's Jeep that was gone, it was just weird timing. Now, I did call the mechanic at one time, and this is important to me. I called him one time to talk to him about the mechanical problem. The mechanic went into a different mechanical problem. I said, no, the electronic fuel pump. and he conveyed to me, oh, I have two, three white Jeeps here now.

KING: There were other white Jeeps.

RICCI: Yes. He said, I have two, three white Jeeps here now.

KING: White Jeeps are fairly common, right? in Utah especially.

POMEROY: They are, especially in Utah.

RICCI: And I told the police that as well.

Well Cherry, your guess is as good as mine. The anti-Ricci folks out there blame Ricci, but who are the anti-Ricci people? They are the Smart family!
Why is the public not being told anything? Why do the media just Skim the surface? Why didn't Gretta on Fox last night ask any in depth questions of David? for example Is Fuller being fully investigated? Did he know any of the Smart clan? Did he know Lois? or her brother that went to school in SLC? Did he know the Francoms? D.F. lives in San Diego I believe, Ed's family visited his brother-in-law on several occasions, D.F. was in SLC at the time of the abduction, Is LE sure that everyone has been questioned?
One more thing, The timeline doesn't add up, there has been no explanation why the key players can't get their stories straight.
What of the ES harp, the family is saying that MK played it at the recital awhile back, but when they show her playing it, unless they refinished it (the color), it is not the same harp, Elizabeth's harp has BLACK wood finish.
These are just petty little things but in most cases the answer to the puzzle is right in front of your face. Was the ES harp stolen? Was it refinished? When Ricci stole the necklace from Lois, was it insured, did Ed collect on the insurance, was the harp insured? Did Ed file any new insurance claims?
So, Cherry the answer to your question? I'm looking at a family member, I don't know which one, but until the questions are addressed in depth I can't say.

Post 412 - 6th paragraph from the bottom - Ricci: "I don't know. I don't even think the Jeep has anything to do with the disappearance...."

Angela then states that yes, she "did call the mechanic at one time, and this is important to me. I called him one time to talk to him about the mechanical problem. The mechanic went into a different mechanical problem. I said, 'no, the electronic fuel pump....'"

Her comment is not an admittance of having made the phone call on May 30th. She doesn't say on what day she called the garage.

Ricci took the Jeep in to Moul's shop on May 30th, right? Angela would not have called on May 30th to get it back on the same day, knowing what was wrong with it.

Remember back, Sherl, we also heard that the problem was the ignition.

Moul, an Oriental immigrant, does not speak fluent English. He's got at least two white Jeeps in his shop for repair, possibly three. One has a faulty electronic fuel pump (presumably Ricci's vehicle), another one has the ignition problem, and he has them confused. His confusion works to the advantage of LE.

The FBI entered this case early on, & I can't believe they made that decision unless they had some evidence that either Elizabeth was taken from the state of Utah, or the culprit is a suspect in other cases.

I'm not an expert on the feds and how they now work and decide to enter certain cases.

We all care about these abducted children, adolescents, but face it, Elizabeth is only one of many. There is some reason she has been singled out for in-depth federal government investigation. Just my humble opinion.

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