SARASOTA, Fla. — Detectives were questioning an ex-convict Wednesday night in the disappearance of Carlie Brucia, as indications mounted that the 11-year-old Sarasota girl whose abduction was captured on a security camera had been killed.
Late Wednesday, deputies blocked streets around a house where Joseph P. Smith had been arrested a day earlier. Authorities said the girl's body was not in the house but would not comment on what they did find.
About 10:30 p.m., officials called Steven Kansler, Carlie's stepfather, out of the crowd and took him into the house. When he emerged, he spoke briefly to Carlie's friends — many of whom began weeping, and some collapsed to the ground. A close friend of the family said investigators told him they think Carlie is dead.
Sarasota County Sheriff Bill Balkwill said the suspect, Smith, 37, was in custody on unrelated charges.
Smith, whose background includes charges of aggravated assault and drug possession, was picked up on a tip. The sheriff would not elaborate, but Sarasota County Jail records indicated that Smith was arrested Tuesday afternoon on charges of cocaine possession and violation of probation.
Detectives also seized Smith's beige 1992 Buick Century station wagon, which they said contains evidence linking Smith to Carlie.
"Our investigators worked through the night, and we have strong evidence to indicate that he is our suspect," sheriff's Capt. Jeff Bell said.
Smith lives on Ingot Lane in Sarasota, a middle-class neighborhood of single-family houses. No one answered the door at his home Wednesday night.
Ernest Riley, 43, a neighbor, said Smith was an auto mechanic in Sarasota but he didn't know the name of the shop.
"Yeah, he's a nice guy," Riley said, adding that Smith and his wife have three girls. "A typical family man. I never heard anything bad."
Riley said he couldn't believe that Smith would harm anyone.
"But if he did have something to do with it, I hope that he would admit it so that girl can come home safe," Riley said.
Kim Bringham and her stepdaughter Rebecca Feins, 13, friends of Carlie's family, wiped tears from their eyes as they heard the news.
"I'm glad they got him, but this is still scary," Bringham said. "Carlie's still missing."
Rebecca, who attends the same school as Carlie, added, "I don't know what to feel. We're holding on to hope. We have to."
Sheriff's detectives plan another news conference Thursday at 9 a.m., but said that no other information would be released Wednesday night.
"Please understand," said sheriff's Col. Terry Lewis, "our investigators need this time to dig into this case."
More here: http://www.gazettetimes.com/articles/2004/02/05/news/nation/thunat00.txt
"I'm glad they got him, but this is still scary," Bringham said. "Carlie's still missing."
"Rebecca, who attends the same school as Carlie, added, "I don't know what to feel. We're holding on to hope. We have to."
Those statments seem contradictory. What could they have found in that house? The article says no body, was it blood? This is reminding me of the Dru Sjodin case in Minnesota, perp caught, no victim found.