Elizabeth Smart thread, September 5, 2002-?

[IamHD]

ES missing since 6-5-2002 and will have been missing for 3 months in a few hours, so I thought that this would be an approriate time to start a new thread.

[IamHD]

I watched the second showing of the LKL show, and for the most part, I found Angela believable and fairly well-spoken.

I felt a little bad for her when the first caller asked her if she was "going to milk it." She appeared to not understand that this was a slam, (at least, that's the way I took it) and Pomeroy repeated what the caller was asking and LKL cut the caller. I also noticed that she was caught off guard in regards to the release of the attorney-client privilege between Ricci and Smith. Of course, Nancy GraceLess explained. :)

Also, the fact that Neth Moul allegedly had 2 or 3 white jeeps in his shop brings a question. I wonder if the owners of those other jeeps were questioned, and who they were?

[Bella]

You think LKL with Angela last night was a re-run? Ricci just died Friday, LKL is re-running the same interview with her so soon? I thought it was a new interview

I didn't say that..the program aired at 9AM here, then aired again at midnite and again at 2AM here, thus making it a rerun of the SAME program, thus allowing anyone who missed the first viewing to see it again or if they missed the first showing.

[Bella]

There's been MANY Oscar's that could be awarded from the beginning on this case.

[Bella]

I think there is a good chance that he was after the reward money. He figured that if Ricci did it, and he could connect Ricci to the crime in some way, then he would get part of the reward. I would like to see his background checked and also be given a lie detector test.

Can you imagine how happy Moul would be to retire early with the reward money, and according to Angela, and stating it in his broken English, he had a couple white jeeps in the garage. I'd venture to say he's confused and should be given a polygraph. That certainly would cause Ed, who believes Moul, to change his tune quickly again.

[Bella]

There were evidently other cons also working for Ed. So there were other "not so upstanding members of the community" in close proximity to Elizabeth.

Looks like Ed like using ex-cons, INTERESTING! WOW, that can open a can of worms when you think about it.

[varina davis]

I wonder how many sets of keys Ed had.

So do I. And who had them?

[trussell]

Bump

[TXLady]

There's been MANY Oscar's that could be awarded from the beginning on this case.

SO True!

[TXLady]

I felt a little bad for her when the first caller asked her if she was "going to milk it." She appeared to not understand that this was a slam, (at least, that's the way I took it) and Pomeroy repeated what the caller was asking and LKL cut the caller. I also noticed that she was caught off guard in regards to the release of the attorney-client privilege between Ricci and Smith. Of course, Nancy GraceLess explained. :)

Those were my thoughts exactly. I thought she was taken off guard about the attorney client privilege.She really seemed surprised that it might be an option. I think she may not have even thought that far ahead. She has probably been pretty busy, making arrangements for the service and dealing with the paper work that Ricci's death brought about.

[IamHD]

Exactly! And perhaps she wasn't even aware that posthumously, his records could be released with HER permission. Not to say that even if she allowed them to be made public, if RR told David Smith that he had nothing to do with Elizabeth's abduction, it would be meaningless. IMO

[IamHD]

Does anyone remember reading anywhere that Ed Smart recommended Richard Ricci to the home of Sue Adams? I swear I think that I saw it in print someplace.

[Sherlock]

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.

I don't know how anyone in their right mind (and I know that excludes the Smart hater and Ricci lover posters here) could not see these are bold face lies. Do you really believe this woman whose husband was incarcerated for nearly 3 months is ignorant of the fundamental facts in the case that put him there and even the most prejudiced posters on this thread are aware of? Please.

[IamHD]

From KSL TV5, UTAH

Sept. 3, 2002--

Even without the top potential suspect in the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping case, the girl's father Ed Smart still believes the case will be solved.

Richard Ricci, died Friday night after he was taken off life- support, following a brain hemmorage.

Crime Specialist Karen Scullin sat down with Ed Smart, this afternoon... to talk about his daughter's case, and solving the mystery. Karen?

On Friday, it will be three months since 14 year old Elizabeth Smart disappeared in the middle of the night. Ed Smart admits he's frustrated, but yet not necessarily surprised that the case isn't closed.

Richard Ricci's sudden death hasn't forced Ed Smart to change his opinion that his former handyman had SOMETHING to do with Elizabeth's disappearance.

Ed Smart/Elizabeth Smart's Father: I JUST FEEL SO STRONGLY THAT HE WAS INVOLVED IN IT. I DONT KNOW IF HE WAS THE ONE IN THE HOUSE.

From the beginning, police have said they're looking at three theories as to WHY the fourteen year old was taken.

A bungled burglary, a failed kidnapping for ransom, or possibly that a child predator who had been stalking Elizabeth was to blame.

Police sources have indicated the "bungled burglary" was the most plausible theory.. but Ed Smart says that one just doesn't make sense to him.... he believes it was a straight up kidnapping.

Ed Smart: THERE WAS NOTHING IN THEIR ROOM OF VALUE. IF A PERSON WANTED TO COME IN, AND SAY OH I TOOK THIS FROM THE SMART'S HOUSE, AND THIS IS MY TROPHY FOR HAVING GONE INTO THEIR HOUSE, THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.

Smart adds that Elizabeth was a heavy sleeper, she wouldn't have woken up with just a little noise.

In any case, Ed Smart believes the answers can still be found....that Ricci's death isn't the end of the line...and it certainly isn't the end of the story.

Ed Smart: I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH INFORMATION, ENOUGH PEOPLE AROUND THAT WE SHOULD STILL BE ABLE TO FIND ELIZABETH, FIND OUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HER

And Ed Smart says he'll continue to put himself and the story on television as much as possible. He says it's the only way he feels he can help with the case, and that sometimes it generates a lead.

(All caps are not mine. Sorry if this has already been posted.)

[Sherlock]

Here's from the newspaper:

Also Thursday, Ricci's mechanic said Ricci was acting strangely when he dropped off his 1990 white Jeep Cherokee for repairs just three days after Elizabeth's kidnapping.

At 5:30 p.m. June 8, Ricci took his car to Net Moul for minor repairs. Moul describes Ricci as an easy-going person who is normally pleasant to talk to. But not on that day.

"He didn't even look me straight in the face. He was not in a good mood," he said. "He seemed more frustrated. I figured he must have had a problem. Something was up."

The Cherokee was caked in mud as if it had been four-wheeling, Moul said. Newspapers lined the floor of the vehicle as if someone were taking precautions to keep it clean. But when he tried to joke about it with Ricci, he got no reply.

Moul saw two seat covers lying behind the Jeep's back seat. Ricci put the seat covers in a plastic bag, grabbed a post-hole digger that was in the Jeep, and walked to the sidewalk in front of the auto shop near 3500 South and 4500 West, Moul said.

Ricci waved to a man who was at the gas station across the street. Ricci told Moul the man was waiting to give him a ride home. The man was Caucasian, had dark hair and was about 5-foot-8, Moul said.

Ricci went back to his Jeep and grabbed a second bag out of the vehicle and took it with him. The bag was full, but Moul said he couldn't tell what was in it.

What also caught Moul's attention that day was the odometer. Ricci had picked up his Jeep May 30 after having a fuel line fixed. Between May 30 and June 8, Moul estimated between 500 to 1,000 miles had been put on the car.

[Sherlock]

Don't forget Moul said Ricci was wearing a machette at his waist. And Angela is not sure Moul saw Ricci bring the Jeep in on Jun 8??? Puhleeeze.

Neth Moul, owner of Neth's Auto Repair, said that on May 30 Ricci inexplicably took his 1990 Jeep Cherokee off the lot where mechanics had replaced the fuel pump but had expected to do additional work. On June 8, Ricci returned the vehicle -- caked with mud -- for the other repairs. Police have said they want to hear from witnesses who might have seen the Jeep -- which Ricci received from Elizabeth's father, Ed Smart, as payment for odd jobs last year -- between May 31 and June 8. "[Ricci's] clothes were also very dirty; he was in a bad mood and he looked tired," said Moul, who tried to joke with Ricci about the mud. He called Ricci's behavior that day "very strange," because the usually friendly Ricci did not respond. Moul said he watched as Ricci, after pulling into the garage, filled two large bags with items from the vehicle -- including the Jeep's seat covers -- and slung them over a posthole digger he took from the back of his vehicle. Ricci then crossed the street where a man waited for him on a "grassy knoll" in front of a gas station, Moul said.

[Sherlock]

1) Mohl said he brought his Jeep in on May 30 for a variety of repairs. After he fixed the fuel pump & got it running again a woman identifying herself as Mrs. Ricci called and said Ricci would be picking it up. Ricci came in and said he needed it for an emergency and took it. He returned it on Jun 8 covered with mud & pine needles, all the windows rolled down, bugs on the windshield, newspaper on the floor, sweating profusely, wearing a machette at his waist, wouldn't talk to Mohl who he usually joked with, and walked off with a post hole digger, seat covers, and trash bags of newspapers and whatever else from the Jeep. He met someone he had been looking nervously over his shoulder to see across the street and left with him. He refused to admit he ever had the Jeep, said none of the above ever happened, and thus there was no man across the street.
2) Between May 30 when he took the Jeep back from Mohl and Jun 8 when he returned it he put 500-1000 miles on it yet it was never parked at his trailer park.
3) Neighbor Thurber, a friend of Angela, said he was drinking at 8:30 AM the morning of the abduction and had undergone a complete personality change from what he had known him to be. He was pounding 2'x4's on his neighbors trailer with some weak excuse about keeping his cat out. He went into a story Thurber called bizare about how beautiful Elizabeth was and how she used to follow him around the house and help him out. He said in the car taking him to & from the movie Ricci, who usually carried the conversation, said virtually nothing. Thurber said he never would have imagined it possible for Ricci to do something like this but because of his personality change and the facts surrounding that day he thinks Ricci was involved in it. Thurber also said he knows Angela was somatosed the night of the abduction and that Angela went around and made sure no one in the neighborhood saw Rick leave so she would know there would be no one to counter her testimony that she knew Rick was with her all night.

[FR_addict]

You put Angela's words in bold, so that makes them bold face lies. I don't think so.

It depends on what newspaper articles you read, what Moul said. No one else on the show contradicted her statements. So the others must not have known for sure what Moul said either and that includes Nancy G. who thinks Ricci was involved.

Just recently we hear about a blue van that Moul saw and now says the two men may or may not have driven away in. This was new to me.

[Sherlock]

Neth Moul is 49 years old and in person comes off as what they'd call in New York "street smart." He's certainly been around. He left his native Cambodia in 1979 when he was 26 and the country was at war. He came to America and learned about cars. He opened his own business and 10 years ago became a U.S. citizen. His English is accented but as excellent as it is fast-paced.

All his instincts tell him that Richard Ricci has a story to tell that he hasn't told.

On June 8, the day Ricci returned the Jeep, Neth's memory is clear of a man looking over his shoulder.

"He kept looking across the street, he looked nervous," Neth recalls. "Before, he always came in the shop, he'd say, 'Hey buddy, how's it going?'"

But not this time. This time, "his face all sweat," Neth said. "He had a machete on the side of his body and a post-hole digger. I'm thinking maybe he's doing yardwork somewhere."

Neth didn't get a good look at the man Ricci met across the street, and didn't actually see them get in the blue van. But he saw the van drive off and assumes it was them. He did not get a license number. At the time, he was not suspicious, just curious.