Elizabeth Smart Case - Ricci Dies in Hospital

FoxNews | 8/30/02

[stlnative]

Richard Ricci Dies in Hospital

AP
Richard Ricci

Friday, August 30, 2002

SALT LAKE CITY — Richard Albert Ricci, the top potential suspect in the kidnapping of 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart, died at a hospital Friday.

Ricci, 48, had been hospitalized for three days after suffering from a brain hemorrhage and collapsing in his jail cell, doctors said.

Earlier Friday, doctors had said Ricci had an irreversible injury to the brain stem after the hemorrhage Tuesday night.

The former handyman for the Smart family was not charged in the disappearance and denied involvement. He was in prison for a parole violation.

Salt Lake City Police Chief Rick Dinse this week reaffirmed that Ricci remained at the top of the list of potential suspects in Elizabeth's abduction. However, investigators were no closer to finding the missing 14-year-old than they were June 5, when a gunman took her from the bedroom she was sharing with her younger sister.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[varina davis]

My mom also said that the reporter said that Ricci would never answer who picked him up that day from the auto repair shop...

If Ricci was not involved, he probably wouldn't identify the person because he knew that person would also be harrassed and maybe even jailed on circumstantial charges.

[varina davis]

Ford said that if Ricci remained persistently vegetative, the Board of Pardons likely would release him.

Right, Utah Girl, but that still might involve a long, long time with the state (taxpayers) picking up the tab.

[stlnative]

They probably did the right thing since his brain was damaged so badly. Maybe more things will come out about what he did tell the police and what he would not tell them.

[sandude]

If Ricci was not involved, he probably wouldn't identify the person because he knew that person would also be harrassed and maybe even jailed on circumstantial charges.

Richard was jailed because of parole violations. I know that is a technicality that they used to hold him but even without the abduction, there were the theft, burglary, and bank robbery charges that were pending. It is possible that his friend had some kind of unrelated charges that he could have been exposed to but we will probably never know now. It is a mistake though to believe that Ricci was being held because of some circumstantial evidence. That is still illegal in this country.

[varina davis]

Excerpt from MSNBC: DOCTORS HAD SAID that Ricci, 48, had an irreversible injury to the brain stem after he suffered a hemorrhage Tuesday night. The cause of the hemorrhage remained unknown, doctors at University of Utah Hospital said.

Ricci’s family, including his wife, Angela, his mother, his brother and his sister, decided to take Ricci off life support, doctors said. He died at 7:28 p.m.

“I know he would not have wanted to be kept alive by artificial means,” Angela Ricci said in a statement read by a family friend. “Like other new brides, I planned a life with the man I loved. He and I and my son looked forward to building a better future together. Sadly it was not meant to be.”

Salt Lake City police said this week Ricci was not formally considered a suspect but was at the top of a list of potential suspects in the disappearance of Elizabeth, who vanished from her Salt Lake City home the night of June 5. Police said they believed she was kidnapped.

Ricci’s death could make it difficult to ever find Elizabeth or determine what happened to her, police Capt. Scott Atkinson said Friday night. .

“What he knows goes with him,” Anderson said. “With Ricci gone, there will be no more opportunity to question him about things left unsaid or things he said that we didn’t believe.”

Ricci, a career criminal who was in prison for an unrelated parole violation, admitted stealing items from the Smarts’ home in 2001, but he denied any involvement in Elizabeth’s disappearance and was never charged in the case.

Elizabeth’s father, Ed Smart, extended condolences to Angela Ricci in a statement Friday night but said that “this turn of events may help, because other people who were involved or people who may know something about Richard will come forward and tell all.”

Check out Ed Smart's remarks! What an icy thing to say about someone who was not even charged, let alone convicted. Advertisement

[TheDon]

I wonder if Angela had life insurance on Dick. Hopefully.

[varina davis]

Don't know where the word "advertisement" came from, must have been in the news report. Not part of the story or comment.

[ChocChipCookie]

I will always wonder why Ricci stole a wine glass filled with seashells.

[TheDon]

Pretty smart.

[Conservababe]

Your post pulled at my heart strings. As a medical professional in charge of ventilatory support of patients, I can say that you did the right thing to let your son go, in peace. You had verified proof that he was indeed brain dead, and therefore deceased at the time he was committed to being ventilated by artificial means.

Please do not let these conspiracy pseudo medical experts on this thread make you doubt your decision.

[sandude]

I will always wonder why Ricci stole a wine glass filled with seashells.

Who knows but perhaps it was close to Angela's birthday and he thought it might be a nice gift for her.

[varina davis]

I will always wonder why Ricci stole a wine glass filled with seashells.

A whimsical "gift" for Angela, perhaps? Maybe he was a romantic at heart.

[Sherlock]

If Ricci was not involved, he probably wouldn't identify the person because he knew that person would also be harrassed and maybe even jailed on circumstantial charges.

Brilliant, Varina, Ricci wouldn't give up his partner because of his high ethics. Aren't you a judge of character.

[whenigettime]

"How does a brain stem bleed differ from subdural hematoma?"

The brain stem bleed is blood pouring freely from a ruptured vessle in that area. The rupture can occur from an anerysm, clot or I suppose some sort of trauma (but I really don't know what kind of trauma that would singularly cause a brain stem bleed - somebody help me here). A subdural hematoma is a bruise (hematoma) that occurs beneath the dura mater (covering of the brain and spinal cord). Beneath the dura mater is the pia mater and then there is the brain.

Can this be due to poor nutrition? Yes, if you're talking about an anerysm. Anerysms can be due to a lack of copper in the diet. Pregnant women are prone to this possible but rare occurrence, so make sure your prenatal has copper in it!! Alcohol and drug abusers are certainly candidates as well.

Hope this helps, I'm no expert but I did some time helping out in a neuro unit one summer (I'm an RN).

[joyce11111]

The evry same thing happened to my Grandmother. She died immediatly at home.

[joyce11111]

Nobody really knows if they have not had the experience of a brain hemorrhage, It happened to my Grandmother. She died instantly.

[varina davis]

Brilliant, Varina, Ricci wouldn't give up his partner because of his high ethics.

No. 1. no one knows if Ricci had a "partner."

No. 2. It has nothing to do with "ethics," more likely with loyalty, which is not uncommon even among thieves.

No. 3. You are a snob of the highest order -- or amoral.

[Bella]

http://www.msnbc.com/news/800125.asp?0na=x2101570-

Man connected to missing Utah girl dies

Ricci, jailed in separate case, never charged in Elizabeth Smart case

NBC NEWS AND NEWS SERVICES
SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 30 — Richard A. Ricci, the Utah man who became the subject of national scrutiny but was never charged or declared a suspect in the disappearance of 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart, died Friday, three days after he collapsed in his prison cell.

DOCTORS HAD SAID that Ricci, 48, had an irreversible injury to the brain stem after he suffered a hemorrhage Tuesday night. The cause of the hemorrhage remained unknown, doctors at University of Utah Hospital said.

Ricci’s family, including his wife, Angela, his mother, his brother and his sister, decided to take Ricci off life support, doctors said. He died at 7:28 p.m.

“I know he would not have wanted to be kept alive by artificial means,” Angela Ricci said in a statement read by a family friend. “Like other new brides, I planned a life with the man I loved. He and I and my son looked forward to building a better future together. Sadly it was not meant to be.”

Salt Lake City police said this week Ricci was not formally considered a suspect but was at the top of a list of potential suspects in the disappearance of Elizabeth, who vanished from her Salt Lake City home the night of June 5. Police said they believed she was kidnapped.

Ricci’s death could make it difficult to ever find Elizabeth or determine what happened to her, police Capt. Scott Atkinson said Friday night. .

“What he knows goes with him,” Anderson said. “With Ricci gone, there will be no more opportunity to question him about things left unsaid or things he said that we didn’t believe.”

Ricci, a career criminal who was in prison for an unrelated parole violation, admitted stealing items from the Smarts’ home in 2001, but he denied any involvement in Elizabeth’s disappearance and was never charged in the case.

Elizabeth’s father, Ed Smart, extended condolences to Angela Ricci in a statement Friday night but said that “this turn of events may help, because other people who were involved or people who may know something about Richard will come forward and tell all.”

NO INDICATION OF SUICIDE Ricci was stricken Tuesday, calling out to guards from his cell. He said he was having trouble breathing, state Corrections spokesman Jack Ford said this week. He then passed out.

The guards began resuscitation, and he was flown to University Hospital.

Ed Smart told reporters this week that his first thought was that Ricci had been poisoned, even though he was being held in a maximum-security cell. But no traces of drugs were found in Ricci’s cell, Ford said, adding that Ricci also did not leave a note to indicate suicide.

Elizabeth’s family offered a $3,000 reward Friday for information on who picked up Ricci when he left his white Jeep Cherokee at a repair shop June 8, three days after Elizabeth vanished. Ricci’s mechanic told the family that he saw a man waiting for the handyman that day and that the two walked away together toward a blue van.

The family also said it would pay $3,000 for information regarding an attempted break-in July 24 at the home of Jeannie Wright, Elizabeth’s aunt.

A $250,000 reward was posted in June for information leading to Elizabeth’s safe recovery. A separate $25,000 reward was offered for information leading to finding Elizabeth or contributing to the arrest and conviction of her abductor. Neither has been claimed.

[TheDon]

One thing is for sure, there is one less violent criminal to victimize others. Unfortunately, as we have seen in the news lately, there are many to step in his place.

[stlnative]

You know it would really suck if Ricci was willing to talk to the police but was trying to bargin with them, but the police decided to let him sit and sweat awhile without hearing what he had to say because his "offer to talk and what he wanted in return" was too much and they were hoping he would lessen his bargin request eventually. I guess his lawyer may come out now and say what Ricci wanted in return if he gave more information to police.

I just remember hearing Ricci lawyer say around July 31st that police had not been back to talk to Ricci since about 3 weeks before July 31.