Lois and Ed Smart Speak

KSL-TV ^ | July 24, 2002 | Sam Penrod

[Palladin]

The Search For Elizabeth Smart Ongoing updates on the search for Elizabeth Smart, missing from her home in the early morning hours of June 5th.

Update:

The investigaton into the kidnapping of 14- year old Elizabeth Smart is in its 49th day, but the case may be getting some new help. A well known forensic artist has met with the younger sister of Elizabeth and that may give detectives new insight into the abductor. Go to story...

It's been almost seven weeks since the abduction of Elizabeth Smart. And there are still more questions than answers for investigators, and her family. News Specialist Jill Atwood sat down with Lois and Ed Smart Tuesday.Go to story...

Stacy Butler takes a look back at the last thirty days of the Elizabeth Smart case, and the daily developments that occurred. Go to story...

More Details and Real Audio Reports from KSL Newradio 1160

July 24, 2002--

The investigaton into the kidnapping of 14- year old Elizabeth Smart is in its 49th day, but the case may be getting some new help.

A well known forensic artist has met with the younger sister of Elizabeth and that may give detectives new insight into the abductor.

News Specialist Sam Penrod is live with the latest.

The Smart family decided to take today off from its efforts to search for Elizabeth.

But investigators in the case now have the results of an interview that a noted sketch artist recently had with Mary Catherine, that could give police another lead in the case.

Speaking this morning on NBC's Today Show, Jeanne Boylan describes her meeting with nine year old Mary Catherine Smart, who pretended to be asleep, while her sister Elizabeth was abducted from their bedroom.

Jeanee Boylan/Private Investigator: "WE SAT ON THE FLOOR AND WORKED IN A WAY THAT SHE WAS VERY COMFORTABLE, WE WORKED IN AN AREA OF THE HOME THAT SHE CHOSE AND IN A FORMAT THAT SHE COULD CONVEY IN SHE'S SO ARTISTIC."

Jeanee Boylan/Private Investigator: SO WE WERE ABLE TO UTILIZE THINGS LIKE FINGERPAINTS, CLAY AND PLAY DOUGH SO SHE COULD CONVEY WHAT SHE SAW ON THAT NIGHT."

Boylan takes a non-traditional approach to sketches.

Instead of focusing on facial features, she uses methods to try and glean details from inside a witness's mind.

Jeanee Boylan/Private Investigator: "TYPICALLY I'M BROUGHT IN TO UNDO DAMAGE THAT'S BEEN DONE INADVERTENTLY BY INVESTIGATORS ASKING LEADING QUESTIONS, IN THIS CASE, I WAS ACTUALLY FAIRLY STUNNED TO ARRIVE TO THE SCENE AND FIND THAT NONE OF THOSE MISTAKES HAVE BEEN MADE."

Boylan has worked on thousands of cases, including this well known sketch of the Unabomber.

She was also involved in the Polly Klaus abduction, but Boylan's ties to Polly's father Mark, who came to Salt Lake in June to analyze the case for a news network, concerned the Smart family who until recently kept Boylan away from Mary Catherine.

Boylan will only say the information from her interview has been given to investigators.

She will not disclose if she created a composite sketch or if the information has any resemblance to Richard Ricci, who remains at the center of the investigation

The Smart family is saying very little about Mary Catherine's meeting with Boylan, but are said to be encouraged at the results of the interview which are now in the hands of the police.

July 23, 2002--

Lois and Ed Smart Speak

View the Entire Smart Interview

It's been almost seven weeks since the abduction of Elizabeth Smart.

And there are still more questions than answers for investigators, and her family.

False leads continue to create false -hopes, but the Smarts say hope of any kind is what keeps life -bearable.

News Specialist Jill Atwood sat down with Lois and Ed Smart Tuesday, and has more.

Despite the horror this family has been through and is still going through life has to go on. Ed and Lois continue to shelter their other five children from the press, and are trying to keep things as normal as possible for them.

The media coverage has dwindled, the search efforts are much smaller in scale and number...still it's hard to pass a street corner without seeing this 14 year old's face and wondering what's become of her.

Ed and Lois Smart say they relive that June 5th night over and over...and with each lead they pray for that missing link.

Lois Smart/Elizabeth Smart's Mother: IT'S ONLY GOING TO TAKE ONE AND EACH ONE WE HEAR WE THINK THIS IS IT AND MAYBE IT WILL BE AND SO IT ENCOURAGED US AND TO HAVE THE TIPS KEEP COMING IN AND HAVE EM TO KEEP SEARCHING..THAT KEEPS US HOPE A FAITH WHERE AS IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THOSE IT WOULD BE UNBEARABLE.

At times the media coverage has not been kind...still this family continues to put itself out there....

IT'S SO IMPORTANT IT HAS TO BE DONE...THE UGLINESS COMES WITH THE TERRITORY. They say they don't care how they come across, or what trash some tabloid wants to print, all they care about is finding their daughter.

In that regard..they are still hopefull Elizabeth will escape and be found alive, but those expectations..at least for Ed Smart may be dwindling some as well.

Ed Smart / Elizabeth Smart's Father: HOW DO YOU POTENTIALLY FACE REALITY IF SHE'S FOUND OTHER THAN A LIVE AND YOU KNOW I FEEL THAT IT'S EASIER TO THINK OF HER AS NOT BEING HERE ON THIS EARTH BEING WITH HER HEAVENLY FATHER THAT POTENTIALLY WHERE SHE MIGHT BE AND WHAT SHE MIGHT BE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW...

Of course the searches here in the state continue...as well as searches all over the country thanks to the Elizabeth Smart website.

Ed Smart says he is trying to get back to work on a limited basis, but he says it's very difficult to concentrate on anything other that his daughter...no surprise there.

[Palladin]

"I FEEL THAT IT'S EASIER TO THINK OF HER AS NOT BEING HERE ON THIS EARTH BEING WITH HER HEAVENLY FATHER."

I find this quote very strange. I should think that any normal father would prefer to think of his daughter as being alive, in whatever circumstances. Where there's life, there's hope. Does Ed Smart know that his daughter is no longer among the living? If so, how would he know, unless he has had contact with the kidnappers?

[hsmomx3]

I find it very strange that they would not allow the sister to give a description to a sketch artist. If it were my child missing, I would do this in a heartbeat. And I could not take a day off or move on with my life until the child was found. Something is not right with this kidnapping/abduction.

[Palladin]

What are your thoughts on Ed Smart's behavior and replies to the media? Do you agree with crimewriter Dominick Dunne that "There is something wrong with this family"?

[hsmomx3]

I thought something was strange from the beginning. A few things come to mind such as: Were family members involved? Was this a money issue? And the father sounds a little strange. Whatever became of the tabloid trash article?

[Palladin]

Thank you for your observation. The fact that renowned crime sketch artist Jeanne Boylan is just now getting involved--7 weeks into the case--has people wondering. Jeanne has stated her utmost support for the LEA in SLC. Could she be working with them to set a trap for Ed Smart, or other individuals "trusted in the community" who may be co-conspirators in this unusual kidnapping?

[Palladin]

The tabloid "trash" article about the three Smart brothers being involved in a gay sex ring has never been refuted by the Smarts or anyone else. The Smarts have issued an ambiguous "no comment". There may be blackmail afoot here, as well as kidnapping.

[Rad_J]

I would much rather have my child in heaven than repeatedly raped and tortured by some nutcase. There are worse things than death.

At this point, I think he is just facing reality. What else can he do? I think it would be very strange if he said "I FEEL THAT IT'S EASIER TO THINK THAT SHE IS ALIVE AND BEING REPEATEDLY RAPED AND TORTURED."

I think that what happenned to the 5 year old girl in California has something to do with him wanting to beleive that she is dead instead of suffering every minute of every day. Wanting her to stay alive through something like that would be selfish.

[hsmomx3]

I never thought of that angle--setting a trap!

[Tacis]

I'm afraid I a little more cynical. I had 14 year old daughters and they can be viciuos. Once you put aside the sister's "testimony," do we know that this girl simply didn't run away with the pool boy? Do we known that she did not marry one of the Mormon polygamists, like the one recently jailed who also had 14 year old wives?

[Palladin]

It would be a pretty clever way to get someone aligned with LEA "inside" the Smart family. Boylan is said to build up an immediate trust and rapport with those she interviews, especially children. Perhaps Mary Katherine told her things she has not told anyone else.

Ranger, I agree with your conjectures on the other thread:

Ricci is a scumbucket loser, but I don't believe that he did this crime. That does NOT mean that he won't be tried and convicted for it, though- especially if there is someone a little more influential in the community who needs to be covered up for...

[Palladin]

There is nothing to indicate that Elizabeth was taken by a nutcase rapist. She may have been taken by a polygamist as a bride, and may now be having consensual marital relations. I would much rather think of my daughter in this context, than think of her taking a dirt nap.

[tracer]

Don't quit your day job. You will starve as an investigator....

[Palladin]

Although Elizabeth is reported by all who know her to be a sweet, obedient, compliant, quiet child, you may be right. It's the quiet ones you have to worry about. She may have executed a carefully-planned elopement with an older guy. The little sister may have been sworn to secrecy.

[Palladin]

Thanks for the advice, but being a person of independent means, I find paid employment unnecessary. True crime is, for me, a hobby.

[mystery-ak]

Now that we know that a sketch artist is involved in the case.....one simple queston: Did the kidnapper have a moustache?

[tracer]

You sound like a hobbyist, and one with too much time on his hands.

BTW, if your screen name is reference to being an advocate/champion/knight or the character played by Richard Boone, you've misspelled it with an extra "l"....

[Palladin]

Ah! The elusive moustache....real or fake? Friend or foe?

What do you all make of the motivation for having Jeanne Boylan come in at this late stage of the game? An attempt by the Smarts and their PR person Chris Thomas to suppress criticism, after the sketch in the Samantha Runnion case proved so effective? A stealth weapon for the FBI--getting Jeanne inside the Smart compound, and inside MK's mind? A copyrighted and confidentiality-sealed sketch by a famous artist for the Smarts upcoming book about the case?

[mystery-ak]

If they have a sketch why don't they release it, or maybe it doesn't match who the PD has in custody?

[Villiany_Inc]

"Do we known that she did not marry one of the Mormon polygamists, like the one recently jailed who also had 14 year old wives?"

The polygamist you are referring to is Tom Green. Got convicted of polygamy because of little used 'common law marriage' statutes. Otherwise, he was legally only married to one woman.
His own fault really, for sharing Utah's dirty little secret on national TV (Dateline). Had he shut up or just stuck to the Springers/Jones/Maury's of trash TV, you would never of heard about him. He forced the prosecutor to save face for UT. (Green's prosecutor is brother to UT governor.)

[Palladin]

They refuse to call it a sketch. They call it a result or a product. You can bet your bottom dollar that the "result" or "product" of the brilliant Jeanne Boylan is a sketch...and a very good one. She even went so far as to ascertain the skin texture of the person seen by MK.

The "results" were probably not what the Smarts expected, after coaching MK for 7 weeks to come up with a mental picture that resembled Ricci. Surprise, surprise! -- as Gomer Pyle would say...

RE: moustaches--David Smart has one. He also has bad skin.