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Profiler believes experienced predator targeted Carlie
an ABC Action News report 2/03/04
related story: Family pleads, investigators dig to find abducted girl (2/03/04)

TAMPA - The one clue that investigators have in the abduction of 11-year-old Carlie Brucia is a surveillance tape that appeared to capture the abduction. Now that tape is getting scrutinized every way possible.

While some investigators are attempting to digitally enhance the images to get clues that might have escaped first glance, others, including an FBI profiler, are studying the behavior of Carlie and her abductor on the tape.

ABC Action News caught up with one former FBI profiler as he was getting on a plane to teach exactly this type of profiling at the FBI Academy. Joe Navarro said after viewing the tape that the kidnapper used body language to control Carlie very quickly.

"If you notice on the tape, he steps right in front of her. He blocks her way and then immediately takes control of the her arm, which is very predatory, authoritative behavior," Navarro observed.

Navarro used his 25 years of studying criminal behavior to dissect each frame of the video. He believes the sixth-grader didn't know her kidnapper because Carlie looked down as he approached her.

"Her posture is very erect, very stiff, very uncomfortable," he continued.

Carlie also tried to take a step back, but the man pulled on her arm.

Joe Navarro watches the Bruchia tape with an experienced eye.
"If you notice, her left hand is lagging behind. It's almost subconsciously, as though she is trying to grasp on to the safety that was behind her," he added.

Navarro suspects the kidnapper may work or live in the area because he seems comfortable on the tape; he never looks around or hesitates. The profiler claims that may also indicate that he watched his 11-year-old target and felt comfortable she would not put up a fight.

"[He] positioned himself to watch her for a little bit, and when he saw that there was nobody around and realized this was an optimal area, then he struck," the former profiler said. "What's sad is to see her behavior. She realizes this is dangerous."

Navarro believes Carlie didn't know what to do, so she cooperated with the adult who was in control. He wants to stress how important it is for parents to train their children to yell for help and run away whenever approached by a stranger.

Another interesting detail he observed is the kidnapper was wearing a uniform. Navarro said kids tend to respect someone in uniform, so that may have been a non-verbal form of control as well.

Note:
A second tape was revealed showing Smith's car and the advantage of it's position, he killed Carlie most likely relatively fast after snatching her, in the woods just as his last victim, only 3 miles from the scene