Smart Case, July 25, 2002

07/25/02 | Jolly Green

[Jolly Green]

Wild-Eyed Speculation, Half-baked Theories and Myths
Theory(?)	Facts
Richard Ricci has been identified as the prime suspect in the case, though several of his "theme park" pals are under suspicion.	- Ricci is a 5-time loser, having been convicted of burglarizing a food bank and shooting a police officer. He has recently been indicted on three additional state charges including theft at the Smart residence and burglary of a Smart neighbor. Additionally, he has been recently indicted on three federal charges related to two bank robberies. - Ricci worked for the Smarts last year for several months and was paid with a white Jeep in lieu of cash. He had full access to the house and may very well have had a key to the Smart residence. Ricci and two others were fired when some items were stolen from the home. Ricci later approached Ed Smart and said he wasn't involved and wanted his job back. Ed Smart declined to rehire him. - Ricci lives in a trailer park in West Jordan that is now referred to as a "theme park" because of the large number of Ricci convicted felon friends living there. - Ricci has no credible alibi for the period during and shortly after the abduction. He is believed to have put an additional 1000 miles on the Jeep during a period when he claimed the Jeep was in Moul's shop. Moul also reported that Ricci removed several trash bags, the seat covers and a post hole digger and carried them across the street. - Ricci had both opportunity and motive.
Ed Smart and Richard Ricci were gay lovers. This is based upon Ed Smart's pleading before the media for Ricci to come clean, where he used phrases like "Help me, Richard".	This theory was eloquently refuted by Jengaio and it hasn't reared its ugly head recently.
Elizabeth Smart had a nose ring, must have been rebellious and ran away. Later, proponents shifted emphasis to "piercings".	Numerous photographs of Elizabeth Smart show no indication of a nose ring and the existence of a nose ring has never been reported by any credible news source.
Moul, the mechanic, lied to the grand jury and in TV interviews. Some of the scenarios: He knows more than he is telling; his eyesight is bad; he made it up; he is in cahoots with Ricci; he used Ricci's Jeep without Ricci's permission.	Moul has no criminal record and no motive. What's more his vehicle logs corroborate his testimony. If Moul had "borrowed" the Jeep, he certainly would have washed it to remove the bugs, mud and pine needles.
Elizabeth Smart's aunt, in a televised interview said the police "are working with us". Implications: This surely must mean that the Smarts and their influential friends and church must be controlling/thwarting the 100-man SLCPD/FBI task force	We will ask Jengaio to analyze the phrazing.

Motive	Possible Suspect	Details
Kidnapping	All	- The SLCPD has said there has not been any credible ransom demands. This may be due to the massive search and media blitz within 5 hours of the abduction i.e. the perps may have realized that their chances of getting caught were very high and they decided to get rid of the evidence.
	Ricci & cronies	- Ricci and his colleagues have recently been indicted for several Utah bank robberies, each producing only a modest amount of cash i.e. $1800 split 3 ways. It is likely that they were looking for a bigger "score".
	Unknown	N/A
Burglary	Ricci	- Ricci has five previous convictions for theft, burglary, and assault (shooting a police officer). He has recently been indicted on three additional state charges including burglary of a Smart neigbor while they were sleeping (a M.O. similar to the Smart kidnapping) and theft of the Smart home. He has also been indicted on three federal charges including two bank robberies. - The Smarts, like most people, wouldn't keep large amounts of cash around. It seems likely that a simple burglary would not produce much in the way of cash or jewelery. - The SLCPD has said some things were taken but haven't identified those items.
	Unknown	N/A
Burglary Gone Wrong	Ricci	- The Smart perpetrator may have been surprised by Elizabeth Smart and decided to remove the only witness.
	Unknown	Same as above
Sexual Predator	Ricci	- Fox News reported Ricci had attempted an "inappropriate relationship" with one of his old girlfriends 16 yr old daughters.
	Unknown	N/A
Revenge	Ricci	- Ed Smart wouldn't rehire Ricci even though Ricci claimed he had no involvement in the theft of the Smart house.
	Unknown	N/A
Runaway	Elizabeth Smart	Unknown possible motive
	Unknown	N/A

Significant Links
Date	Title	Comments
06/16/02	Sister reported the abduction relatively quickly Wait was quite short for child, an expert says	Certified forensic psychologist Gerald P. Koocher said it is remarkable the child notified the parents as soon as she did. Koocher, dean of Health Studies at Boston's Simmon's College and a faculty member at Harvard Medical School, pointed out that in other scenarios such as sexual abuse, a child will refrain from telling on or speaking ab
07/24/02	Katie Couric Boylan Interview on NBC	Complements of Neenah. See post #74

[Sherlock]

Ricci's employer...

I'd also like to know if Ricci's employer drives a white or silver Honda or Nissan.

[Bella]

Also remember that Tom was the guy who told them initially that he didn't want a sketch artist..WHY?

Another thought, was the sketch done so the Smart's can say they "cooperated" with Klaas so the negative publicity stops? Why is the sketch artist on a gag order?--Can't say whether a pix was done and what it looks like if she made one.

ED was asked some pointed questions which he avoided. He wouldn't discuss the sketch at all, but said the police are handling it..Also, he didn't make eye contact..

[Sherlock]

Also remember that Tom was the guy who told them initially that he didn't want a sketch artist..WHY?

I'm sure at the request of the police, just like they're still telling them not to release it.

Another thought, was the sketch done so the Smart's can say they "cooperated" with Klaas so the negative publicity stops? Why is the sketch artist on a gag order?--Can't say whether a pix was done and what it looks like if she made one.

Ed Smart had the sketch done because LE has not let the Smart family know who the kidnapper is and Ed Smart has methodically gone out on his own for the last 2 weeks to solve this crime, like smoking out Newhouse with his phony email story last week and the letter story earlier. She made a sketch, believe me.

ED was asked some pointed questions which he avoided. He wouldn't discuss the sketch at all, but said the police are handling it..Also, he didn't make eye contact..

Ed doesn't know what LE is doing on this case and whether to believe them or not but there is no reason for him to go against their plan by talking about the sketch because LE does not want it released and does not want to have to explain to the public why. Ed is in the precarious position of going around LE to try to get to the bottom of this without upsetting them.

[freedox]

"Ricci's employer said he was 1 1/2 hours late on Jun 6 and worked late to make it up. Ricci's employer also made statements to try to cover up for Ricci which made me wonder if he might not be suspect in this. He made an obscure and deceptive statement along the lines of Ricci worked on Jun 6 then he only had one day off in the next five so he doubted he drove to Wyoming."

Where in the world are you coming up with this stuff? Ricci's employer stated that Ricci worked from 10:30 to 7 on June 6.....he made no mention of whether Ricci was "late" that day or whether these were his scheduled hours for that day. People in the nursery business don't always work regular hours. And what is your basis for calling Ricci's employer's statements "obscure and deceptive"? And now you're trying to tie Ricci's EMPLOYER in with the physical description of the alleged abductor??? WHY? Because he didn't give answers that you liked?

Sherlock, PLEASE tell me that your post was made in jest.......

[Neenah]

Bella, could you please tell those of us who didn't see it what he said ? I wish you would.

[Jolly Green]

This is the timeline that Brigette had maintained for awhile:

May 30th, 2002 -Thursday
~ Ricci returns to pick up his Jeep at the auto repair shop before the shop has a chance to fully fix it He tells the repairman that it needed for an emergency.

June 4th, 2002 - Tuesday
~ Ricci is at work from about 9am to 5:30pm
~ Ricci claims he spends the evening with friends

June 5th, 2002 - Wednesday
~ 1:05am - 2 cars are spotted on the SLC Shriner's Hospital Parking Lot by a hospital security guard
~ 1:30am (approx) - Elizabeth is kidnapped from her home
~ 1:30am - Ricci claims to be in bed asleep with his with wife.
~ Ricci is scheduled to be off work all day today.
~ 7:21am - Rachel/Amber alert is issued and national media is involved.
~ 8:30am - Ricci and his neighbor talk about the kidnapping of Elizabeth, Ricci seems to know too much information about it.
~ Sometime during this day Ricci is visited by police in regards to Elizabeth's kidnapping as reported by Angela Ricci (Richard A. Ricci's Wife which is an ex-convict herself)
~ Ricci is seen by his neighbor digging a hole by his (Ricci's) trailer early in the morning. (heard the neighbor say this on TV)

June 6th, 2002 - Thursday
~ Ricci is scheduled to work from 9am to 5:30pm today, but instead works from 10:30am to 7:00pm
~ Police talk to Ricci this day about the Elizabeth Smart kidnapping. (The media is reporting this, so it could be wrong)

June 8th, 2002 - Saturday
~ Ricci returns the Jeep to the repair shop to get it fix. The Jeep is muddy and the repair shop owner sees Ricci remove seat covers from the back of the jeep and place them into a plastic garbage bag that already contains other stuff in it. Also the repair shop owner said a muddy post hole digger tool was in the back of the Jeep, Ricci removes this also from the Jeep. Ricci has a man waiting across the street to give him a ride. Ricci takes the plastic bag and contents along with the post hole digger with him. Also there is 500 to 1000 extra miles on the Jeep since Ricci picked it up on May 30th, 2002.

June 14th, 2002 - Friday
~ Ricci is taken into custody for a parole violation, this being the 2001 robbery of the Smart Home in which he admitted to.

Note: I added the line about the Rachel/Amber alert.

[Jolly Green]

Ricci's employer stated that Ricci worked from 10:30 to 7 on June 6.....he made no mention of whether Ricci was "late" that day or whether these were his scheduled hours for that day.

Ricci was 1-1/2 hours late to work that day.

[Neenah]

Ed Smart had the sketch done because LE has not let the Smart family know who the kidnapper is and Ed Smart has methodically gone out on his own for the last 2 weeks to solve this crime, like smoking out Newhouse with his phony email story last week and the letter story earlier. She made a sketch, believe me.

This is interesting, Sherlock, do you knnow this for certain...or are you just assuming it?

[Neenah]

Ed is in the precarious position of going around LE to try to get to the bottom of this without upsetting them.

Sherlock...He is in the position of being under the Law.He is definately acting ABOVE the law, and you seem to find no fault with that. Why? Don't you think that he is hindering the Law by taking matter's into his hands? I do.

You said.."without upsetting them". Do you think that the PD and FBI are pleased with this behaviour? Can you think of any case where the layman over rode the Law, and took it to the media to do it?

And it is yet to be determined if that email debacle was swift or not.

[Pistacio]

"There's something wrong with that family." >P> Well DUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHH!!! They lost there freakin daughter!

Rad; Thank you for Nailing it!

[freedox]

"Ricci was 1-1/2 hours late to work that day."

I see that this is stated as fact on brigette's timeline.....that Ricci was scheduled to work from 9-5:30 on June 6, but instead showed up 1 1/2 hours late. Can you provide a source for this? I don't recall seeing a statement from Ricci's employer that he was ever late to work. In the nursery business, manual laborers often work variable hours. I am not disputing that Ricci worked those hours on June 6.......I am simply asking for documentation that these were not his scheduled hours. Thanks.

[dalebert]

not critical. confused.

[Sherlock]

By deduction, LE would not want a sketch made because they knew the kidnapper, Ed comes along later and has the sketch made against the plan of LE because he wants to know but plays along with their game not to release it. He probably still does not know who the kidnapper is.

[Sherlock]

Sherlock...He is in the position of being under the Law.He is definately acting ABOVE the law, and you seem to find no fault with that. Why? Don't you think that he is hindering the Law by taking matter's into his hands? I do.

Like me, he strongly suspects something is rotten with LE but he doesn't know for sure. Thus he doesn't want to upset their investigation if it is an honest one but he doesn't want to hide his head in the sand either, he wants to follow up on some of these decisions of LE that were extremely questionable, like their decision not to have a sketch made, and trying to bury this story about Ricci building a fence in Cheyenne 2 days after the kidnapping.

[stlnative]

Freedox... It probably is not in written form. Ricci's employer has been interviewed several times on TV and this is probably where the information was picked up. Ricci employer is an older gentleman.

Ricci was placed in custody on June 14th, for a parole violation and information about him broke on June 24th in the media. You may find the information you are seeking written proof of if you start your search at around June 24th.

[Sherlock]

And what is your basis for calling Ricci's employer's statements "obscure and deceptive"?

But her story contradicts the account of Lee Mitchell, who employed Ricci before he was jailed June 14 for a parole violation.

Mitchell, owner of Mitchell's Nursery, 2184 E. 3300 South, told The Salt Lake Tribune last month that Ricci worked until 7 p.m. on June 6, and would have had only one day off over the next five days. That makes it unlikely Ricci was setting fence posts June 7 in Cheyenne, about 450 miles from Salt Lake City.

But Newhouse, 45, stands by the account she gave police, Clark said.

[Sherlock]

He was definitely an hour & a half late, this came out soon after LE made us aware of Ricci. I'll find it.

[Sherlock]

http://www.sltrib.com/2002/jul/07202002/utah/755160.htm

This is the link for the above information on the employer.

[freedox]

Ok......so Mitchell's and Newhouse's accounts differ, and you're taking her word over his?

[Sherlock]

Moul said Ricci was a regular customer who typically joked around, but seemed to be in a bad mood that day.

"I was trying to play a joke with him -- I saw his car and said, 'What, you just come back from the mountain and play in some weeds?' but he did not respond," said Moul. "He didn't even look me straight in the face."

Before returning the car, Moul said Ricci parked it across the street from the shop and removed covers from the rear seats. Ricci threw the covers into a large plastic bag, removed a post-hole digger from the Cherokee's hatchback and apparently disposed of the items, Moul said.

http://www.cnn.com/2002/US/06/28/missing.girl/index.html