Posted on 10/26/2002 5:29:22 PM PDT by Palladin
Expert Offers 'Some New Leads' in Smart Case
Saturday, October 26, 2002
BY KEVIN CANTERA and MICHAEL VIGH
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.
You are trying to ignore the key point. Was there or was there not a chair? We know that there was. What the hell difference does it make who spilled the beans to the press?
I say I made the exact same point over two months ago.
You really have a "rich" thing, don't you? In Utah, Texas and a lot of other places where there is a culture of trust (an obviously foreign concept to you), people leave their doors, windows, and garage doors open all the time. My neighbor left his garage door open for about five years. One day his BMW disappeared. Guess what? He still leaves his garage door open most of the time.
In the Peoples Republic of California I set my home alarm all the time. In Texas I usually don't bother because of the much lower crime rate; concealed carry laws; the right to shoot-to-kill anyone on your property after dark; a vigorously enforced death penalty.
You can keep harping about Ed's "red flags" until hell freezes over, but it doesn't mean squat AND doesn't prove anything.
You really ought to start reading at the beginning of the Smart threads and catch up. You have missed a great deal - intentionally or unintentionally.
Case in point: Ricci originally took the jeep in for two repairs. One was the fuel pump which caused him to have to tow the jeep to Moul's. The other (which I don't recall - Sherlock can probably provide the details) wasn't critical to the operation of the vehicle. Ricci took it back to have that done after he took it out before repairs were complete because of an "emergency".
You are mistaken.
Ed Smart said after Ricci's death there was a good chance Ricci got a key to the house. You should keep up with the facts in the case, I notice you missing things that are well know frequently in your zeal to defend Ricci for whatever your reason is. Ricci's boasts to his buddies about what an easy rip off the Smart house was and the easy pickings there is a giveaway he knew the Smarts didn't use the alarm. Why do you try to defend the indefensible, do you think the police are stupid?
He certainly didn't get smarter, this crime was was his stupidest yet. Especially the part about parking his Jeep away from the trailer park for a week then taking it back filthy wearing a machette in broad daylight and then trying to tell police he never had it.
Because he's a moron? Bad judgement in a post-homocidal depression? He had told Moul he wanted other repairs then took it back, somehow he thought this would work into his plan of having access to the Jeep while being able to claim he never had it. Like when he loaned his buddies his truck and they robbed the food bank with it but then he got caught with the stolen food. Not the sharpest tack in the box. Unfortunately this caper cost him his life. Will be interesting to find out if they were after ransom or just a good time before going back to the big house for his drug use he had gotten caught at by his probation officer.
If I ever, EVER, made a comment on Ed's slacks, I would not have used the word "beige." Tan, a light tan, would have been my description of the color.
Secondly, JG, Elizabeth is the victim! Until LE says the family members (neighbors & friends, too) have been completely cleared, they remain persons whose actions, and lack of action, continue to need further investigation.
One of Ed's first actions is a strong reason for suspicion, not so much of Ed being the culprit, but whether a gun was mentioned at that time, plus the lack of the public being allowed to hear the 911 tape.
As for MY wild theories, I had one main theory. It hinged on Moul's accuracy. I stand by it.
From the very beginning, JG, you slammed anyone as "ridiculous," then switched to calling them "sophomoric" when their opinions didn't jibe with your attempts to sway everyone to "Ricci is guilty" when even the police couldn't tie him to the crime. Some people may have left these threads later on because of my remarks, but plenty more left early on because of your remarks.
And that's exactly the way you want it. I don't know what your vested interest is in this case, whether or not you're just a person who always wants to be an attention grabber via insults for a sense of power. Or, if you know more about the workings, finances, etc., perhaps sexual practices of higher ups, of the LDS church - have a need to protect the image, to scare off anyone who might be so inclined to give us some deep details.
As for patting yourself on the back for what you say I consider "slamming others," while good you are only pointing out "flaws in logic and common sense, and taking posters to task for smearing the victims in this case without any evidence whatsoever," JG, you overlook that you have provided no proof either of Ricci's guilt. What has been reported in media is often in error, therefore not always a source of concrete, credible proof.
difference is the source of the information. the only source for the chair, is ed. notice the difference in the quote about the chair at the wright home. "Salt Lake County sheriff's deputies reported that the screen covering the 15- year-old's window was cut and that a chair was found by the window."
Police have publicly stated that they have no evidence linking Ricci to Liz's disappearance.
they would be infinitely easier to identify in this case. the perp's smoothed fingertips would be so different than all other 'whorl prints' in the house. the perp's fingertips would be so distinctive, because he had no 'whorls'.
Of course you know the difference between a baseball cap, and a scottish style cap, is fairly extreme.
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