Police now say abductor of 14-year-old Utah girl didn't know he was watched by her sister

AP | June 18, 2002 | RICH VOSEPKA

[The Energizer]

Police now say abductor of 14-year-old Utah girl didn't know he was watched by her sister

By RICH VOSEPKA=

Associated Press Writer=

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) Police investigating the disappearance of 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart said Tuesday the man was not aware that the girl's little sister witnessed the apparent abduction.

Two weeks ago, Elizabeth was taken by gunpoint from the queen-sized bed shared by the two girls in the Federal Heights home.

He told Elizabeth to grab some shoes and as he left with her.

Although it was earlier reported that 9-year-old Mary Katherine Smart had been warned to remain quiet, police who interviewed the youngster several times now say the man did not speak to the child. The little sister waited two hours before alerting her parents.

``We believe this man may be a trusted person in the neighborhood or community,'' said Salt Lake City Police Capt. Scott Atkinson. The kidnapper was calm, he added.

Police reiterated their description of their suspect: A white man, 30 to 40 years old, with dark hair and hair on his arms and back of his hands. He was wearing tan pants, dark shoes, lighter jacket and a golf hat. He held a small handgun.

``He spoke nicely and dressed nicely,'' Atkinson said.

On Tuesday, Atkinson held up a similar pair of tennis shoes that the kidnapper allowed Elizabeth to take with her. They were white Ralph Lauren athletic shoes with dark stripes and thick soles.

Investigators still want to talk to Bret Michael Edmunds, who continues to elude them. Edmunds isn't a suspect, but he was spotted near the Smart's home two days before the kidnapping, leading police to think he might have information in the case.

``I believe Edmunds is a witness to something, we don't know what,'' Atkinson said.

Edmunds is wanted for parole violation and spraying pepper spray at a West Valley policeman who stopped him.

The community is offering a $250,000 reward for the girl's safe return. Neighborhoods are organizing searches for the teen after a centralized search effort was disbanded Friday.

A Web site to help find Elizabeth has had more than 8 million hits, which overloaded the system, said Ted Wilson, former Salt Lake City mayor.

[The Energizer]

This story keeps getting stranger or stranger . . .

[lady lawyer]

The family didn't change the story. This was reported locally very soon after the abduction. The initial characterization in the media, in the first few hours, was that the threat was directed to the younger sister. That was publicly contradicted very quickly, and reported that she heard the threat to her older sister. She pretended to be asleep, and the kidnapper never spoke directly to her.

The national media have been slow to correct the original mischaracterization. That's all.

[mountaineer]

How did she see his arms if he was wearing a jacket? Were the lights on? Was it bright enough to see the backs of his hands and discern that he had hair on them? If she saw all that, I wonder how she missed a glimpse of his face.

[per loin]

Yes. The whole story of why the police were not called until 4:01 AM falls apart with today's news briefing. It's time for the Smart family to come clean with the facts.

[babylonian]

What does this family know that they're not telling the cops?

[The G Man]

This was reported locally very soon after the abduction

Would you have a link by any chance?

[Atsilvquodi]

I think you may mean....

"What do the cops know that they're not telling the media?"

One must be careful not to judge too quickly - lest he be judged himself.

[mgstarr]

This really isn't adding up right. Why does it seem like the cops are throwing things out there in hopes of spooking the abductor?

Most likely is still that she knew the man she left with.

[stlnative]

Elizabeth's Kidnapper Didn't Know Sister Was Awake

Tuesday, June 18, 2002

SALT LAKE CITY  — The gunman who kidnapped 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart did not know that the girl's 9-year-old sister was awake at the time of the abduction, police said Tuesday.

Mary Katherine Smart saw the gunman twice, in different parts of the house, and witnessed the gunman warning Elizabeth not to speak, Police Sgt. Scott Atkinson said.

It had previously been reported that the kidnapper warned the younger girl to remain quiet.

Atkinson said Mary Katherine saw the suspect in two different locations in the home, and that both sightings were connected with the abduction.

He said there was no indication that the suspect may have been in the house for a reason other than to take Elizabeth.

"We believe this man may be a trusted person in the neighborhood or community," Atkinson said. The kidnapper was calm, he added. "He spoke nicely and dressed nicely."

Police reiterated their description of their suspect:

A white man, 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10, 30 to 40 years old, with dark hair and hair on his arms and back of his hands. He was wearing a Polo brand shirt, tan pants, dark shoes, a lighter jacket and a golf hat. Atkinson said he held a small handgun.

Atkinson also held up a pair of white Ralph Lauren Polo brand canvas tennis shoes similar to those the kidnapper allowed Elizabeth to take with her.

He said investigators still want to talk to Bret Michael Edmunds, who continues to elude them. He stressed that Edmunds isn't a suspect, but he was spotted near the Smart's home two days before the kidnapping, leading police to think he may have information in the case.

"I believe Edmunds is a witness to something, we don't know what," Atkinson said.

Edmunds is wanted for parole violation and spraying pepper spray at a West Valley policeman who stopped him.

The community is offering a $250,000 reward for the girl's safe return. Neighborhoods are organizing searches for the teen after a centralized search effort was disbanded Friday.

"Keep a watch. I think every person can be a searcher," Ed Smart, Elizabeth's father, said Tuesday. "I still feel so strongly inside that she is waiting for us to find her. And that she is alive and well."

"I would just plead with this captor to please make the right decision and let her go," Smart said.

A Web site to help find Elizabeth has had more than eight million hits, which overloaded the system, said Ted Wilson, former Salt Lake City mayor.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[The G Man]

The police are also now saying that the assailant was witnessed by the sister in TWO DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE HOUSE!! What the... ???

[twigs]

I still think they may suspect who the perp is and thought he would have come forth by now with Elizabeth unharmed. But now, they're not so sure and are trying to convince him to do so. Or if they're unsure of his identity, trying to shakes someone's memory. They've proceeded all along as though they were pretty confidant she was still alive, IMO.

[hsmomx3]

I keep asking this over and over!! I wish Hannity or someone else would ask the about it being dark and how the sister could identify certain items. Let alone the height of the abductor.

[Stingray51]

Where are the people from yesterday's threads who attacked those of us who suggested that the story didn't add up?

[r9etb]

Yes. The whole story of why the police were not called until 4:01 AM falls apart with today's news briefing. It's time for the Smart family to come clean with the facts

It's generally considered good form to clean up after you dispense "pearls of wisdom."

[twigs]

This must be the reason why the police have believed all along that Elizabeth was abducted and did not go along of her own volition. The warning was made to Elizabeth while the perp was unaware of MK's presence. This leads one to wonder how much else she saw? I believe the police have had this info all along. I also worry about MK's well-being. If there is any concern that the perp is close to the family, then could she not be in harm's way? That could be the reason they did not release this earlier, but they're now growing more concerned about Elizabeth's life.

[hsmomx3]

What? I haven't listened to the news this morning. Maybe they are trying to see which family member will crack under pressure from all of the misinformation. I still do not think it was an outsider. Too many bizarre things happening and since the family is well connected in the community, who knows? I'm stumped on this one. My husband thinks it was a family member who is behind this.

[mgstarr]

I think you're correct, but I just hope that the Salt Lake City cops are smarter than the Boulder. CO ones.....

[Utah Girl]

The police say that the family has been very cooperative. The details that are coming out are details that the police have had all along (the garage door being open, the cap, etc.) The only really new details are coming from interviews with Mary Catherine, the 9 year old sister, and the police and the forensic psychologists say that is normal, that it takes time to interview a child. Her story is consistent, just new details.

[Utah Girl]

I've heard, and sorry, I can't remember where, so you may want to take this as heresy, that the man took Elizabeth, and then they came back into the bedroom and he had Elizabeth get some shoes. Just my supposition here...

[babylonian]

I didn't pass any judgements. I'm just asking questions.

God judges. I'm a fruit inspector.