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Jolly Green, Thanks for the feed-back yesterday! I should state that I haven't ruled out Ricci as being a part of the kidnapping. There are too many facts pointing to the possibility that he was involved. But, I think there is more to the story. Lots more. As the former Detective on Fox News pointed out yesterday, 'it keeps leading back to the family'. (paraphrased) As for my lame theories, I posted a few that were common in SLC, that I found on a ex-Mormon, Recovery board. Kinda like a recovering alcoholic chat room. Lots of interesting insights on that board. I shared a few. Since LE has no answers yet, I think we should look at all possible scenarios, don't you? In answer to your statement that Ed Smart was/is not a mortgage broker, I give you this article, from the Meridian, a LDS publication. There is a quote from Dave Smart about Ed Smart's mortgage business. I thought it was common knowledge that Ed Smart was also a mortgage broker, in addition to holding a Real Estate license. ** Smart family relying on faith Granddad extols civic outpouring of love and help By Patty Henetz Associated Press staff writer Every day for three months, Lois Smart took her children to visit her bedridden father. The kids, with a work ethic impressed upon them by their parents, kept the lawn mowed and planted a flower garden for their granddad. Media representatives quiz Sheriff's Capt. Jim Strong about the search in Emigration Canyon. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Myron Francom died at his home in Holladay last Saturday, leaving nine children and 51 grandchildren. On Monday, granddaughter Elizabeth Smart played the harp at his funeral. She played "Silent Night" because Christmas, when all his large clan gathered together, was her grandfather's favorite time, and that was his favorite tune. Two nights later, a gunman crept into Elizabeth's bedroom and took her from her devoted LDS family, so devastating Lois Smart that she now finds it nearly impossible to speak. Thursday morning, Lois Smart appeared on the "Today" show, uttered a few words and fell apart. "She didn't even have time to mourn her father. She has a broken heart. She cries 24 hours a day," her brother Mark Francom said. "She said to me, 'Why would he pick my home?' " Lois is the second-youngest of eight siblings; her husband Ed is the second-oldest of six. Their six children range in age from 3 to 15. The Francoms have lived in the Salt Lake area for three generations. The Smarts' roots stretch back to Charles C. Rich, one of Brigham Young's 12 apostles. Rich ran the Winter Quarters camp in Nebraska in 1846-47 during the Mormons' pioneer trek to the Salt Lake Valley. Lois and Ed Smart married 16 years ago, when both were in their late 20s, after meeting at a church function for young adults. "That's where the spark was kindled," said David Smart, one of Ed's brothers. Ed Smart has built two businesses, Smart Realty and First National Mortgage. Described as "a real entrepreneur," Ed bought houses, fixed them up and sold them. He was just finishing up a remodeling project on his current Federal Heights home, listed with a $1.19 million asking price. The children helped with the remodeling by cleaning up after the workers. The Smart children are all musical. Elizabeth and her sister play the harp. Their brothers play piano and the banjo. Musical shows are always part of family gatherings. They had picnics in their grandfather's back yard and mountain weekends in the family cabin in Brighton, a Wasatch Mountain ski resort. Family clearly is their center of gravity. "Lois is like the mother hen, guarding her chicks," David Smart said. "They'd always be picked up from school. Not left. They were always well-trained, very responsible," Mark Francom said. "That's the thing that's so diabolical. That man couldn't have picked a mother more devoted," Francom said. "Even he, in his perverted way, couldn't have imagined what this has done to her." The Smart family wants to talk to reporters because they believe the attention will help their search. But they adamantly shield their children, particularly Elizabeth's 9-year-old sister who the abductor terrorized into two hours of silence before she went to her parents to tell them what had happened. Highway Patrol officers use helicopter to search Emigration Canyon. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News "We are trying not to talk to her about this, so the pressure's not on, so she's not rethinking this over and over, to help reduce the trauma," David Smart said. The family's ties to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints run deep. On Wednesday, President Gordon B. Hinckley called Charles Smart, Elizabeth's grandfather. "He said, 'Charles, we're sorry for your trouble. We remembered you in our prayers in the temple. Is there anything else we can do?' " Smart said. President Hinckley's son, Richard, led the prayer meeting at the Federal Heights Ward Wednesday night. An estimated 300 people turned out. "I thought we would have 30 people," Charles Smart said. "A lot of people there weren't members of the church." On Thursday, 100 LDS missionaries turned out to help search along with more than 1,000 other volunteers. On Thursday, church leaders issued an unusual official statement that expressed concern for Elizabeth, called on her abductor to release her unharmed and "welcomed" church members to help with the search effort and bring comfort to the family. Thirty hours after Elizabeth's disappearance, her family was out in force at the Shriners Hospital in Salt Lake City, headquarters of the massive volunteer search effort to find the 14-year-old girl. A $250,000 reward for her safe return had been posted. Volunteers have spread out across the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains and the streets of Salt Lake City. "It's about the most exciting testimony of civic volunteering and love," Charles Smart said. "We are completely consumed by this," said Francom. "Every passing hour is just really hard to take." The family fasted and prayed all day Wednesday, Francom said. Their thoughts turned to Elizabeth's abductor. "Many prayers have been given (in) hope he would soften his heart," Francom said. "That is what we hope will be his lesson. That she with her bright, beautiful smile will come back to us." "We have our faith," added Laurie Francom Warner, one of Elizabeth's many cousins. "God is the most important person on our side." Above article from the Meridian

I am just making what you posted a little more readable.

Smart family relying on faith

Granddad extols civic outpouring of love and help By Patty Henetz

Associated Press staff writer

Every day for three months, Lois Smart took her children to visit her bedridden father. The kids, with a work ethic impressed upon them by their parents, kept the lawn mowed and planted a flower garden for their granddad.

Media representatives quiz Sheriff's Capt. Jim Strong about the search in Emigration Canyon. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News Myron Francom died at his home in Holladay last Saturday, leaving nine children and 51 grandchildren. On Monday, granddaughter Elizabeth Smart played the harp at his funeral. She played "Silent Night" because Christmas, when all his large clan gathered together, was her grandfather's favorite time, and that was his favorite tune.

Two nights later, a gunman crept into Elizabeth's bedroom and took her from her devoted LDS family, so devastating Lois Smart that she now finds it nearly impossible to speak.

Thursday morning, Lois Smart appeared on the "Today" show, uttered a few words and fell apart. "She didn't even have time to mourn her father. She has a broken heart. She cries 24 hours a day," her brother Mark Francom said. "She said to me, 'Why would he pick my home?' "

Lois is the second-youngest of eight siblings; her husband Ed is the second-oldest of six. Their six children range in age from 3 to 15. The Francoms have lived in the Salt Lake area for three generations. The Smarts' roots stretch back to Charles C. Rich, one of Brigham Young's 12 apostles. Rich ran the Winter Quarters camp in Nebraska in 1846-47 during the Mormons' pioneer trek to the Salt Lake Valley.

Lois and Ed Smart married 16 years ago, when both were in their late 20s, after meeting at a church function for young adults. "That's where the spark was kindled," said David Smart, one of Ed's brothers. Ed Smart has built two businesses, Smart Realty and First National Mortgage. Described as "a real entrepreneur," Ed bought houses, fixed them up and sold them. He was just finishing up a remodeling project on his current Federal Heights home, listed with a $1.19 million asking price. The children helped with the remodeling by cleaning up after the workers.

The Smart children are all musical. Elizabeth and her sister play the harp. Their brothers play piano and the banjo. Musical shows are always part of family gatherings. They had picnics in their grandfather's back yard and mountain weekends in the family cabin in Brighton, a Wasatch Mountain ski resort. Family clearly is their center of gravity. "Lois is like the mother hen, guarding her chicks," David Smart said. "They'd always be picked up from school. Not left. They were always well-trained, very responsible," Mark Francom said. "That's the thing that's so diabolical. That man couldn't have picked a mother more devoted," Francom said. "Even he, in his perverted way, couldn't have imagined what this has done to her."

The Smart family wants to talk to reporters because they believe the attention will help their search. But they adamantly shield their children, particularly Elizabeth's 9-year-old sister who the abductor terrorized into two hours of silence before she went to her parents to tell them what had happened.

Highway Patrol officers use helicopter to search Emigration Canyon. Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News "We are trying not to talk to her about this, so the pressure's not on, so she's not rethinking this over and over, to help reduce the trauma," David Smart said.

The family's ties to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints run deep. On Wednesday, President Gordon B. Hinckley called Charles Smart, Elizabeth's grandfather. "He said, 'Charles, we're sorry for your trouble. We remembered you in our prayers in the temple. Is there anything else we can do?' " Smart said. President Hinckley's son, Richard, led the prayer meeting at the Federal Heights Ward Wednesday night. An estimated 300 people turned out. "I thought we would have 30 people," Charles Smart said. "A lot of people there weren't members of the church."

On Thursday, 100 LDS missionaries turned out to help search along with more than 1,000 other volunteers. On Thursday, church leaders issued an unusual official statement that expressed concern for Elizabeth, called on her abductor to release her unharmed and "welcomed" church members to help with the search effort and bring comfort to the family.

Thirty hours after Elizabeth's disappearance, her family was out in force at the Shriners Hospital in Salt Lake City, headquarters of the massive volunteer search effort to find the 14-year-old girl. A $250,000 reward for her safe return had been posted. Volunteers have spread out across the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains and the streets of Salt Lake City. "It's about the most exciting testimony of civic volunteering and love," Charles Smart said. "We are completely consumed by this," said Francom. "Every passing hour is just really hard to take."

The family fasted and prayed all day Wednesday, Francom said. Their thoughts turned to Elizabeth's abductor. "Many prayers have been given (in) hope he would soften his heart," Francom said. "That is what we hope will be his lesson. That she with her bright, beautiful smile will come back to us." "We have our faith," added Laurie Francom Warner, one of Elizabeth's many cousins. "God is the most important person on our side."

Above article from the Meridian