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.

Smart Case: "America's Most Wanted" Gets Involved
http://tv.ksl.com/index.php?nid=84&sid=4508

Dec. 24, 2002
(Salt Lake City- KSL TV) America's Most Wanted host John Walsh says he is helping the family of Elizabeth Smart look for a potential suspect.

Walsh broke the news last night on CNN's "Larry King Live."

Walsh says the man being sought is described as a young homeless man who worked as a roofer for the family under an alias.

Walsh also said Mary Katherine, Elizabeth's younger sister, says it wasn't former handyman Richard Albert Ricci who kidnapped Elizabeth at gunpoint from the room shared by the two girls.

Smart's father Ed says that until now he wasn't ready to come forward with the information about the roofer.

CNN LARRY KING LIVE

Interview With John Walsh

Aired December 23, 2002 - 21:00 ET

http://www.silenter.com/cgi-bin/nph-go.cgi/00000/687474702f7777772e636e6e2e636f6d2f5452414e534352495054532f303231322f32332f6c6b6c2e30302e68746d6c
Excerpts:

KING: All right, let's talk about the Elizabeth Smart case, which the media has kind of left now. What is your best read on that tragedy in Utah?

WALSH: I spent yesterday by coincidence with Ed and Lois Smart. I had them on "The John Walsh Show" to kind of give an update to the case. You know, Ricci, the guy that was the main suspect, died in prison of an aneurysm. He's the guy that was the handyman at the house that put 1,000 miles on his pickup truck during the two days that she was missing. He was a burglar. He also had a rap sheet, which a lot of the media doesn't understand. He spent 10 years in jail. He tried to blow the head off of a cop with a shotgun. This is a real bad guy.

I hope that he didn't take the secret of Elizabeth Smart to the grave with him. I talked to Ed and Lois yesterday. I said, don't give up hope. Justice delayed isn't justice denied.

What's killing them is the fact of the not knowing. I think they're prepared for the worst. Most parents of missing children are prepared for the worst. But their young daughter has now said that she believes that Ricci wasn't the guy in there that night, that it may have been another guy that did some work on their roof, an itinerant guy that worked at a homeless shelter, and he may be a suspect in this. And I don't want to give away a lot of breaking information here, but "America's Most Wanted" is going to take a look at the Smart case, because I know one thing, we have been able to solve crimes after 10 years.

So I gave the Smarts, you know, the best encouragement I could and said, look, don't give up hope. We'll relook at the case. It is normal for the media tension to die down, and to try to have a good holiday. This is going to be the first Christmas without this beautiful girl, and the Smarts have five other beautiful children. So they're trying to hold that family together.

I said, you know, do the best you can with your five children. Don't give up hope, and, you know what, we'll take another look at this case and try to keep it alive.

John Walsh is very good friends with Jeanne Boylan. I wonder if she is the one that leaked to John what MK said about the intruder.

'America's Most Wanted' Points to New Suspect in Smart Kidnap

BY MICHAEL VIGH
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

The host of "America's Most Wanted" told a national television audience Monday that the only witness in the abduction of Elizabeth Smart may have seen a homeless roofer kidnap her older sister.

Though Salt Lake City police quickly denied John Walsh's account Tuesday, a Smart family spokesman refused to dismiss the potential lead.

"I'm not denying what [Walsh] said," said family spokesman Chris Thomas. "There's definitely some significance to this one."

Thomas said that the Smart family would release further information on the man in early January, adding that "once it's appropriate, they'll be making a statement."

Police have said since early in the investigation that former Smart handyman Richard Ricci is their primary suspect in the then-14-year-old girl's disappearance on June 5. Ricci died in August of a brain hemorrhage he suffered in his Utah State Prison cell, where he was held on a parole violation.

"Ricci is our primary suspect and remains that way," Salt Lake City police Detective Dwayne Baird said.

But Walsh said on CNN's "Larry King Live" that Elizabeth's sister Mary Katherine -- who feigned sleep in her sister's room during the kidnapping -- "has now said that she believes that Ricci wasn't the guy in [the bedroom] that night, that it may have been another guy that did some work on their roof."

Walsh described the man as an "itinerant" who worked for one day at the Smarts' Salt Lake City home several months before Elizabeth was kidnapped at gunpoint from her bedroom. The man apparently used an alias when he worked at the Smart home, and police have been unable to locate him.

Baird said investigators have known about him for months, adding that he is "on the same level of priority as several hundred people we've looked at."

Baird said police have no reason to believe the man was even in the Salt Lake City area the morning that Elizabeth was abducted. Still, they would like to talk to him.

Baird also said that any speculation that Mary Katherine has changed her story is "nonsense. That's inconsistent with everything we've found in connection with this investigation."

Walsh pledged to profile the man -- and the roofer's possible role -- on a future episode of his show, but no date has been scheduled.

"I hope that [Ricci] didn't take the secret of Elizabeth Smart to the grave with him," Walsh said.

Thomas added that the Smarts still believe their daughter is alive and are hoping that the holiday season will "soften someone's heart. There would be no greater gift than having Elizabeth back home on Christmas."
mvigh@sltrib.com

what makes you think the Boylan is friends with Walsh?...have you read that somewhere?

that would be interesting....

funny how a man who makes a living out of people's misery and who works for a particular network seems to be able to get what ever he wants from the Smarts while early on they refused Mark Klaus because he essentially worked for a network....hmmm????

I wish I knew how the Smart's could believe that Liz is still alive....wish I knew what they knew....and I sure wish and pray that they are right.....

why can't this itinerant worker be found?....

why do the police keep insisting on Ricci being the main focus?

so many unanswered questions...

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.