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.

[Ditter]

You made one correct statement "it is not the venue to spout ones innermost feelings". Please don't decide what is NORMAL behavior for people who are grappling with their world that has been turned upside down.

[Ditter]

I absolutely agree with you!

[Neenah]

Jolly, you misread what I said on that. Mr. Smart didn't know AT FIRST who of the worker's had stolen from them. But he soon found out, and that was in that time period, but I don't know if it was weeks or months. So it was reported, he knew approx. a year ago that Recci had stolen from them. He surely knew when Elizabeth had been abducted that Recci had stolen. right?

Then you said:

Ricci later came to him, claimed he was innocent and wanted his job back. That might lead a fair minded person, to think that maybe, just maybe, Ricci was innocent.

I wrote about that too..Recci came to him, told him he took a polygraph and Mr. Smart said ON THE VIDEO, that he LIED to him. So HE LIED TO HIM a year ago...and Mr. Smart still made the statements after Recci entered the picture after the abduction of Elizabeth. right?

As to if Recci is innocent or guilty....that is why we have trials. I have no way of knowing who did this. No one does. I just hope something shows up soon, for the family first, and then all the people who are praying for them.

[Neenah]

Yes, and I belive that and always will. She is under more stress than we can even imagine. It is unfair of me or anyone else to judge the "why" of what we percieve of their behavior.

However, their statements, and tactics that are in full press or full view, I believe can be scrutenized.

[Ditter]

If you want to solve crimes, particularly child murder crimes, there is a little book that you should get to gain some insight into what it is like to lose a child. The title is The Bereved Parent by Harriet Sarnoff Schiff. Your comments on the lack of warmth between Elizabeths parents shows your lack of understanding. I will quote from the book "it is impossible to give comfort when you feel an equal grief". I will give you the ISBN if you wish.

[Villiany_Inc]

"I think you are mistaken. I believe he went on Dateline after he was convicted. That kind of blows your theory/inuendo doesn't it?" Sorry Jolly Green, it is you that are mistaken - on both accounts.
He went on Dateline BEFORE he got arrested. That is what prompted the DA to go after him. Tom Green had been on trash TV prior to that, such as Jerry Springer. I dont think the governer was too worried about what was said there, but when you go on NBC's DATELINE and start saying that you are a polygamist, you have 5 wives, and you live in Utah - the governor is going to take notice.
The AG was interviewed by Dateline. On Dateline, he said that if Tom Green was commiting a crime, he would prosecute. The AG and Tom Green had met a couple of times before he was arrested/convicted - once going out there for dinner. After Tom Green's conviction, Court TV (just the other day) ran a piece on him, interviewing both Green and the AG, and the AG admitted that if Tom had shut up and not gone on national television (DATELINE) he would not have prosecuted. As it was, the AG had to do some clever lawyering to get the conviction.

There is no inuendo, and the only theory I have is that Tom Green was foolish for making himself an easy target. I was merely giving information on someone elses post (about Tom Green and polygamy.)
Most polygamous families/communities out there usually involve themselves with other polygamous families/communities. I doubt they are into white slavery and child abduction.

[hsmomx3]

I do know what it is like to lose a child as we have lost one of our own. Everyone grieves differently. Hopefully, the Smart case will get solved.

[Ditter]

I am a member of that club, too.

[Palladin]

My heart goes out to both of you. There are many FReepers who are members of that club. All are heroic in carrying on with life, one day at a time.

We do not know that Elizabeth Smart is dead. Therefore, I respectfully submit that Ed and Lois are not yet members of that club.

[andysandmikesmom]

I, too, am sadly a member of that club, having lost my son at age of 15, due to leukemia...

All of us moms and dads who have lost one of our beloved children, deal with it in our own way, and in our own time...no one could or should tell us how to deal with our grief, or how we should or should not act, or how we should or should not behave...

And for those who have never lost a child, let me assure you, you do not know how you would react, and hopefully you will have to find out how you would react, should you ever lose your child...

My heart goes out to the Smart family...I think they are dealing with it, and all the publicity, as best as they can...

I can also state, I was medicated heavily at times, when my son was having a crisis in the hospital, and after he died...I am sure, my mood, my behavior, my actions, may have been deemed odd, or strange by some, but my grief, weighed down with medication, was probably in some small sense the reason for that...

[Ditter]

No, not members yet, but they are beginning to fear that they are. I haven't stood where they are standing, I cannot even imagine the horror.

[Ditter]

Thank you for your words of wisdom. I hope that those who would criticize the Smarts will see them & understand.

[hsmomx3]

I am so sorry to hear of your loss. Our son was born with a fatal genetic defect (trisomy 13) and died about an hour after birth. We had found out about it approximately one month before he was born. This happened almost 7 years ago. It's easy for me to discuss as it sheds light on the defect and helps others as well to cope.