Elizabeth Smart Kidnapping - Daily News/Chat Thread

They had 2 of 3 cars have been searched and released, they are still holding the 1990 Jeep Cherokee (White). The police want to know if anyone seen these car between May 31 (?) and June 8th

Police have released 2 cars and are still holding the Cherokee?

they have had this guy in jail since the 11th

If he had her stashed away in a old house or basement somewhere and was keeping her locked up but bringing her food and water, then it has been at least 2 weeks since he has had an opportunity to visit her. Awful thought, but what if he knows where she is, but knows it is too late for her, so he isn't gonna tell.

Sorry they had all 3 cars - 2 have been released, they are holding the 1990 4 Door White Jeep Cherokee (Ricci's Cherokee) They want to know the whereabouts of the 3 cars during the time I just posted in last post.

Ricci & Smart had an agreement that Ricci was to work a certain amount of hours before he was to receive the car as payment. Ricci agreed to this.

Off-topic a bit for those who haven't seen it: Missing-child prayers needed here, for FReepers Mini_Teacup and Teacup's son/grandson. (Taken by mentally unstable father.)

Could he have stolen Elizabeth for someone else?.....

Could he have stolen Elizabeth for someone else?.....

That's a theory...hmmm

The Smart family is reporting they have redone the website again www.elizabethsmart.com

* The Smart Family still believes she is alive and and they are still holding out hope

* Smart Family reports that many tips are still coming in.

* (the Brothers seem on the downside today, they are probably tired)

* May 31 to June 8 this is the time period they want to know where these cars were.(I am trying to locate the pictures of the cars online now)

That's where the speculation comes from (and I stress, speculation...nothing to back it up, just throwing out ideas for discussion)that there's more to this than meets the eye. I could be completely wrong.

I think you're right, just because this guy has a history of crimes, doesn't seem to match up. How many other criminals are in that area w/ similar criminal pasts. They normally look for suspects w/ similar histories..Even though we'd like Ricci to be the "one", I have reservations.

Richard Albert Ricci, 48, who has failed a lie-detector test in the case and has (confessed to burglarizing) the missing girl's home last year,

"At this point in time, he is (not) a charged suspect, but he is very interesting."

The handyman worked for six months in Elizabeth's home in an affluent neighborhood of Salt Lake City before he was fired by the girl's father, Ed Smart, who suspected Ricci had (burglarized the home.)

Police said Ricci, who has a (29-year criminal record), has an extensive knowledge of the home and has confessed to the burglary.

He has a long criminal history in Utah, beginning with a (burglary conviction) in 1973. He was been in and out of prison for the past three decades, and was most recently freed on parole in 2000.

Ricci's convictions also include (aggravated robbery, attempted homicide and a prison escape).

Dinse said he believed Ricci had contact with the Smart children while he was working on the house.(many contractors do generally KNOW members of a family when working at their homes for extended periods of time, isn't unusual). I just have reservations on this guy. His past doesn't add up..If he was going to rob the place, WHY would he go to the girl's bedroom instead to an area of the house where there was something he wanted to steal...His past convictions aren't related to children..

Ricci's last contact with the Smart Family was in September of 2001

Thanks for keeping us informed. Prayers for Elizabeth's return and for her family.

Police Can't Pin Down Convict's Whereabouts on Day of Elizabeth Smart's Disappearance
By Paul Foy Associated Press Writer
Published: Jun 25, 2002
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Police investigating the apparent abduction of Elizabeth Smart appealed to the public Tuesday for anyone who might have seen a convict who once worked as a handyman in the girl's home.

Richard Albert Ricci was questioned by police the day after the 14-year-old girl's June 5 disappearance and was among those re-interviewed because he did painting and yard work at the home more than a year ago.

Ricci's initial alibi "became more suspicious" when he was questioned again, Salt Lake City Police Chief Rick Dinse said Monday. The chief wouldn't elaborate.

"At this point in time, he is not a charged suspect, but he is very interesting," Dinse said.

Police said Tuesday they would pass out photos of Ricci's three vehicles, including a Jeep Cherokee given to him by Elizabeth's father, Ed Smart, as payment for handyman work last year.

Police spokesman Sgt. Fred Louis said investigators want to hear from anyone who saw Ricci in one of the vehicles around the time Smart disappeared.

Ricci, who has a 29-year criminal record, has denied any involvement in the kidnapping to police, Dinse said. Authorities said he hasn't obtained an attorney yet.

Chris Thomas, who has been acting as a spokesman for the Smart family, said Ricci left the handyman job on good terms and received a 1990 Jeep Cherokee from Ed Smart as compensation for his labor.

Ricci (pronounced REES-ee) was arrested on an unrelated parole violation June 14, nine days after Elizabeth was reported taken at gunpoint from her bedroom in an affluent Salt Lake City neighborhood.

Despite having had Ricci in custody for days, police haven't been able to confirm his whereabouts on the morning of the abduction, Dinse said.

Dinse said investigators have not shown a photo of Ricci to the sole witness to the abduction - Elizabeth's 9-year-old sister, Mary Katherine Smart. Considering the sister's description, police said they think the abductor is 30-40 years old, nicely dressed and soft-spoken. A jail mug shot of Ricci shows him wearing a thick mustache and long hair.

Ricci, 48, has a criminal history in Utah that began with a burglary conviction in 1973. He was convicted of attempted homicide for the 1983 shotgun wounding of a Salt Lake City police officer. He has been in and out of prison for the past three decades, and was most recently freed on parole in 2000.

Thomas said the Smart children were familiar with Ricci during his two-month employment at the house, and the family didn't know about his criminal history.

While suspicion of the handyman was growing, a transient sought for questioning was looking less like a potential suspect after turning himself in to a West Virginia hospital.

Police and FBI agents have interviewed Bret Michael Edmunds, whom they had sought for two weeks for questioning in the abduction. He is not considered a suspect.

He is at hospital in Martinsburg, W.Va., where he was listed in serious but stable condition Tuesday. Edmunds, 26, had checked himself in to the hospital Thursday for treatment of drug-related liver damage.

---

On the Net:

http://elizabethsmart.com

AP-ES-06-25-02 1222EDT

Ed Smart seemed as authoritative and in control today as I have ever seen him...he almost seems now resigned to the fact about poor Elizabeth...

He was also interviewed on msnbc and he broke down...said he would only ask Ricci if he had done it to return her...

There has been a change in this case today...the father's demeanor has changed...I think he knows that Elizabeth is not coming home.

What is up with this May31 to June 8 deal?...are those just days picked out of a hat?...why those days?..do the cops have info that is pertinent to this case involving those days?...or, it could just be that they picked the week of her abduction ...

Faith....where are you when we need you

What is up with this May31 to June 8 deal?...are those just days picked out of a hat?...why those days?..

My guess is that the payroll records of Ricci's employer show something odd about that time range. What would be interesting would be to see if there was a pattern of similar break-ins at places where Ricci (or some other person with connections to Smart or other remodels) worked, during the time leading up to 5 June, when ES was taken.

The nexus would be: Actual or attempted break-ins, recent remodel, young daughter at home, overlap between workers at various jobs.

What is up with this May31 to June 8 deal?...are those just days picked out of a hat?...why those days?..do the cops have info that is pertinent to this case involving those days?...or, it could just be that they picked the week of her abduction ...

It sound to me that this is when Ricci may have had access to these 3 cars, they want to know if anyone can ID that these cars where seen somewhere unusual or possibly in the Smart neighborhood during that time. They are trying to find out if Ricci was spotted somewhere unusual in one of these 3 cars during May 31 to June 8 also. Ricci owns the 1990 White 4-DR Jeep Cherokee which is still being held (The Cherokee does not have the panels on the side of it...it is painted fully white). It sounds to me that they were watching Ricci from June 9th, until they took him into custody on June 14th.

the father's demeanor has changed...I think he knows that Elizabeth is not coming home.

I thought the same thing last night while Dave Francom was talking. Although he was calm, he mentioned that it was hard to think what Elizabeth was going through--or had gone through. It was the first time I had heard a family member mention her in the past tense. So sad.

What is especially sick about this is that Mr.Smart wanted to do the right thing to help out a guy who probably did decent work but was in a down and out state. Sheesh, he even paid him with a Jeep Cherokee.

When I thought about the British driving hat coupled with the photo of this Ricci guy, I could see him wearing it... ick and ick...

The police have suspicions about Ricci, but they cannot connect him directly to the Smart Kidnapping and may not be able to. I still don't think he is their man, it just another good lead due to his history with the Smart home/family that is turning into a cold lead. Unless they can prove somehow that he was in the Smart Neighborhood or Home on June 5th.