"He's not got a mean bone in his body," she said. "Not that I've seen, anyway."
Morse added that Ricci helps her and her husband around the house and often cooks them dinner. "He's a good boy," Morse insisted.
Ricci married Morse's daughter, Angela, a year ago on Valentine's Day, and moved in with the woman and her 11-year-old son. Morse, who lives next door, said Ricci, who currently works for a nursery, comes home every night at 6 p.m. to be with his family.
*********************************************
I was operating under the assumption that Angela had helped Richard Ricci start a new life, but he was out committing bank robberies after he married her. Kind of puts a whole new light on things as far as their relationship goes. I'll try to find a definite wedding date for the two of them, don't want to jump the gun here. OK, some more from this article (it is an oldy, but goody.)
****************************************************
Convict Placed at 'Top of the List'
Handyman's alibi in Smart investigation'suspect,' police say; Convict Placed At 'Top of List' In Smart Case
BY MICHAEL VIGH and STEPHEN HUNT THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
Police investigating the disappearance of 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart have placed a career criminal at the "top of the list" of potential suspects because he worked as a handyman at the girl's home last year and has a questionable alibi for the morning the teen vanished.
Richard Albert Ricci , 48, also closely fits the description that Elizabeth's 9-year-old sister gave to investigators, Salt Lake City Police Chief Rick Dinse said Monday.
"I want to emphasize he is, at this point in time, not a charged suspect, but he is very interesting and there are a lot of unanswered questions," Dinse said.
Police picked up Ricci on an unrelated parole violation June 14, and he has since taken multiple polygraph tests. Dinse declined to comment on the results but said Ricci has denied any involvement in the June 5 disappearance. The chief added investigators have questions about Ricci's whereabouts from May 31 to June 8.
Dinse said Ricci was interviewed the day after Elizabeth disappeared and is now being revisited. "Some of the things he told us then are suspect today," Dinse said. "We're spending more time on [Ricci] than we are on any one witness in this case."
Police have not shown the lone witness, Mary Katherine Smart, a picture of Ricci. But family spokesman Chris Thomas said the Smart children were familiar with Ricci, who Dinse said spent "considerable time" in the Smart home.
His last contact with the family was in September, Dinse said, adding Ricci had worked at other homes in the Smarts' Federal Heights neighborhood. He is a suspect in other unspecified crimes in the area, Dinse said.
In recent days, police have searched Ricci's Kearns trailer home and his cars, including a 1993 Jeep that Elizabeth's father, Ed, gave to Ricci in payment for painting and yard work at the Smarts' home. Investigators also searched a trailer home and cars belonging to Ricci's in-laws.
Dinse said items were taken from Ricci's home, but he declined to elaborate. He added that Ricci's wife, Angela, was cooperating with investigators.
Ricci's mother-in-law, Roxie Morse, said police also dug up a small tomato garden in Ricci's back yard at the Shadow Ridge Estates, 5075 W. 4700 South, in Kearns. Morse defended her son-in-law, saying he was home in the early morning hours of June 5 and does not have the personality to kidnap a young girl.
"He's not got a mean bone in his body," she said. "Not that I've seen, anyway." Morse added that Ricci helps her and her husband around the house and often cooks them dinner. "He's a good boy," Morse insisted. Ricci married Morse's daughter, Angela, a year ago on Valentine's Day, and moved in with the woman and her 11-year-old son. Morse, who lives next door, said Ricci, who currently works for a nursery, comes home every night at 6 p.m. to be with his family.
Morse began crying as she spoke of Elizabeth Smart. "I'd give anything to find that little girl," she said. "Any human being would."
She said her daughter and grandson left their home Monday morning to avoid reporters.
Ricci -- who once shot and wounded a police officer during a burglary -- has spent much of the past 30 years behind bars. Since his first adult conviction for burglary in 1972, he has been convicted of theft, escape from custody, aggravated robbery and attempted murder.
He has escaped or absconded from Utah State Prison twice, the first time in 1978, when he failed to return from a home visit during Easter weekend; and again in 1983, when he subsequently fired a sawed-off shotgun at an officer who interrupted him during the burglary of a Salt Lake City drug store, according to Salt Lake Tribune news stories from the time.
On Aug. 27, 1983, Salt Lake City police officer Mike Hill responded to a burglary call at a Sugar House pharmacy, where he found Ricci hiding in bushes outside the store. When Ricci refused to drop his shotgun, Hill fired two shots at the parolee, but missed. Ricci returned fire, striking Hill's head and hand with pellets. The officer was not seriously injured, according to news accounts, and Ricci was arrested in the area about two hours later.
As part of a plea negotiation, Ricci pleaded guilty to first-degree felony attempted murder and second-degree felony escape. And, in connection with an earlier robbery of a fast-food restaurant, he pleaded to first-degree felony aggravated robbery. Five other felonies were dismissed.
Sentenced to prison for up to life, Ricci was paroled in 1995, but was returned less than a year later after committing a theft in Sevier County, according to court records.
Ricci has repeatedly failed at parole, according to prison records. He was paroled most recently in September 2000.
Police investigating Elizabeth Smart's disappearance arrested Ricci on June 14 for allegedly violating that parole by committing an April 4, 2001, burglary, possessing alcohol and failing to complete a treatment program.
The 6-foot, 160-pound Ricci has had trouble with drug abuse, according to prison records. A carpenter by trade, he has in the past listed his home address as Elsinore, in Sevier County, as well as Salt Lake City.
Ricci's mother-in-law discounted his prison record, saying, "Everybody has a little trouble in their life." (This is my favorite line in the whole piece. UG)
Over the weekend, Salt Lake police went to West Virginia to talk to Bret Michael Edmunds, a 26-year-old drifter who had been sought for questioning in the apparent abduction.
On Thursday, Edmunds checked himself in to City Hospital in Martinsburg, W.Va., for drug-related liver damage. He was listed in serious but stable condition on Monday.
Dinse said Monday that Edmunds was cooperative and allowed investigators to search his car.
"We have taken some items of interest out of that automobile and we will be sending them to the lab," said Dan Roberts, assistant special agent in charge for the Salt Lake FBI office.
Dinse added that the questioning did not move Edmunds "any closer to being a suspect." He added that police had discovered no connection between Edmunds and Ricci.
VAN SUSTEREN: All right. We're going to take a quick break. David and Angela, stand by. We're going to be right back.
We continue with more on the search for Elizabeth Smart. We're back with Richard Ricci's wife, Angela, and his attorney, David Smith.
Angela, how long have you been married to your husband?
RICCI: Since February 14th, Valentine's Day, this year.
VAN SUSTEREN: How long have you known your husband?
RICCI: Oh, about a year and a half.
VAN SUSTEREN: Where'd you meet him?
RICCI: Through my brother.
Excellent catch, UT!!! Keep up the great work.