Posted on 07/25/2002 11:57:28 AM PDT by 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.
Frankly, their behavior still seems very secretive. Maybe there is a good reason -- I hope so.
I do agree with Dominick Dunne. He can be something of a nut, but he seems to have pretty good intuitive skills.
The Smart family may be somewhat dysfunctional. Sadly, it's often the ones that seem so "together." who have the most problems. Actually, most families have some dysfunction just because nothing is "perfect" in this world. Doesn't mean they are a bad family, just trying to cope.
"I FEEL THAT IT'S EASIER TO THINK OF HER AS NOT BEING HERE ON THIS EARTH BEING WITH HER HEAVENLY FATHER."
I don't find this strange at all. He basically said, if you watch the tape..(paraphrased) that he of course would rather she come home, but if she is no longer with us, he would KNOW that she is with her Heavenly Father.
That is the blessing that they have, and the comfort. They know she was a believer, and that is the promise to those who believe. But I did not gleen at all from him that he THOUGHT or KNEW that she was not alive. In fact, in the interview, he couldn't even say the word "dead".
I did have a problem when the interview turned to Richard Recci, however. In the beginning, up until just recently, Mr. Smart has repedidly said, he couldn't believe that Richard would ever do something like this. We all heard him say that in many interviews when he was asked about Recci.
Now, he is talking like Richard is the guilty party, and that kind of bothers me.NOT THAT I AM A RECCI LOVER AT ALL, but because he is counterdicting himself again. Changing. If your daughter is missing now almost 2 months, and you have a ex-handyman of yours as a suspect....and you have stated that you couldn't believe that Ricard would do this...how can you now? Cause of the evidence ? But there is no solid evidence..if there was solid evidence, wouldn't he be arrested?
If he had somewhat good report on Recci all these weeks, why is he now talking about post hole diggers? Well, maybe he has changed his mind , but he KNEW when Recci had stolen from his house ONE YEAR AGO, that he stole. On the film, Mr. Smart tells how Recci, after he was arrested for burglery, came to him (Smart) and told him he had taken a polygraph to proove to him that he did not burglerize his house. On this film, Mr. Smart then says (paraphrased).." So right THERE he lied to me !! "
My point is...that was a year ago..A YEAR AGO, you KNEW that Recci was a liar, and yet, when Elizabeth was taken almost 2 months ago....you (Smart) said..." I just can't believe Richard would do something like this."(paraphrased), and tonight on the film I watched, Mrs. Smart says Recci was kind, respectful,good to the children, and they liked him.
If he knew the guy had lied to him about stealing from them, had been in his home, knew his children..and then is a suspect, now in jail...why is he changing his tune now, from what he said 2 months ago?
Tonight I viewed the film, and they were asked about the tabloid stories. Mrs. Smart said all they think of is Elizabeth, something like " that means nothing it is all Elizabeth, and I think Mr. Smart said something or agreed with her.
But with this direct opportunity, they did not say.." IT IS NOT TRUE". They could have said that, and refused to elaborate anymore, but would have made a statement. I wish they had.
You are right, Neenah. There is something here between Ed and "Richard" that I can't quite figure out. And when Lois joined in singing Ricci's praises, I just said to myself, "These people are unreal".
Are they still being so conciliatory towards him because they think he can still somehow prevent Elizabeth's death? Or do they know he is innocent of the kidnapping, because they have known all along that it is someone close to the family.
Such odd statements. The whole interview is odd, with Lois sitting there like a statue, while Ed gesticulates wildly. There are no signs of affection between them, like a little pat on the hand, or a meaningful hug when discussing the possibility that Elizabeth may be dead. You know what? I don't think they like each other very much.
As a Mom, I can IMAGINE how she feels inside of her. She is the strong one in this family, I believe. He is a very weak man.
You can just see how he trys to reach inside her for strength and support. It should be the other way around. IMHO.
I am sorry, but what some may find her being a good Mormon wife(no meaness to Mormons...if she was Christian, I would say "Good Christian Wife *) I want to say loud and clear...It makes no difference if you are a Mormon wife, or any kind of faith wife....IT IS NOT NORMAL TO ACT LIKE YOU DON'T HAVE A HURT IN THE WORLDNow, that is probably an unfair statement on my part, cause I have no idea how she is grieving, and I can't judge her like I sound like I have, but I say this because when it got to me, is when on the video they are asked about the tabloids, SHE speaks for them..and poo poo's them.
In fairness, that is not the venue to spout out her innermost hurt...but she dismissed it in the manner of..." Oh that is stupid and not true ". If that is the case, then she has been taught to be a "good little wife", and never question her husband. THAT is what I thought of...and I am probably all wrong and feel bad I am even saying it...but you know what? I am going to post it anyhow.
Aren't many of you the same people who were claiming that Mormon women were weak, subservient and defenseless a few weeks ago?
Please enlighten us as to why Ricci won't divulge his whereabouts during several critical periods following the abduction even after having been granted immunity if it isn't related to the Smart case? What is he hiding that is more incriminating?
It's possible. Still waters run deep, to quote an old cliche. I hope this is it, because it might mean she is still safe.
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