There is no conspiracy here: SLPD Press Conference (Elizabeth Smart abduction)

KSL Radio ^ | 6/19/2002

[Utah Girl]

Elizabeth Smart's little sister, the sole witness to the teen's abduction, waited two hours to tell her parents about the kidnapping because she feared the kidnapper was still in the house.

Salt Lake City Police Chief Rick Dinse said Wednesday that the girl, Mary Katherine, got out of bed soon after the abduction and headed toward her parents' bedroom. But she saw the man still in the house, so she went back to her room and waited for two hours.

On Tuesday, police changed a key detail in the case. Their initial report, based on secondhand accounts, stated that Mary Katherine had been threatened by the kidnapper to keep quiet about the abduction.

They now say that Mary Katherine, who was in the same bed as Elizabeth, feigned sleep during the abduction.

"She hasn't wavered one bit from her original statement that she gave investigators," Dinse said.

Dinse rejected any idea that his department was deliberately deceiving the media.

"There is no conspiracy afoot here," Dinse said. "We are not telling you everything ... and we probably are not going to until we're further along."

Wednesday was the 15th day of the investigation into Elizabeth's abduction. She was reportedly taken from her bedroom at gunpoint in the early hours of June 5, police said.

Police still have no suspect in the case. They have received a total of 8,000 to 10,000 leads, of which 1,300 warranted follow up, Dinse said. Up to 900 of those leads have been cleared and about 400 remain to be looked at, he said.

Police who interviewed Mary Katherine four times now say the man did not speak to the younger child or apparently realize she saw him.

Working from Mary Katherine's description, police are looking for 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 Scottish-style golf hat. He held a small handgun.

"This investigation would be very, very difficult without Mary Katherine. She has provided us with a tremendous amount of information, and we're very appreciative of her," Dinse said. "I'm saying again, I believe we will resolve this case eventually, and Mary Katherine is a big part of doing that."

The community is offering a $250,000 reward for Elizabeth's safe return.

Investigators still want to talk to Bret Michael Edmunds, a drifter who continues to elude them. Edmunds was spotted near the Smart home two days before Elizabeth's disappearance.

Police have repeatedly said they don't consider Edmunds a suspect, but may have seen something in the Federal Heights neighborhood that would help the investigation.

A Web site set up to find the teen is getting more than 2 million hits a day, said David Smart, Elizabeth's uncle.

[Utah Girl]

This is the report on the police press conference that was held concerning the abduction of Elizabeth Smart. I am typing up my notes, and will post them momentarily. There was some good clarification from Police Chief Rick Dinse this morning, and a bit more information.

[The G Man]

They now say that Mary Katherine, who was in the same bed as Elizabeth

Is that correct? Or a typo?

[TheDon]

Thanks for the info. Let the speculation begin!! :)

[tippytoes]

Where was the bedroom the girls were in and how close was it to the parent's bedroom?

[Poohbah]

Let the speculation begin!!

Corrected copy:

Let the irresponsible and uninformed speculation begin!!

[freedox]

I saw in another article that the two girls were sharing a queen size bed. Originally, it was reported that this was a temporary arrangement while Elizabeth's room was being renovated. I never saw any details on how long this arrangement had been in place.

[ET(end tyranny)]

Saw the conference. At least they admitted to not giving all information. And that they allowed a misconception to go reported. Must be they thought it was beneficial to do so.

They will not be releasing a sketch to the media.

Do you happen to know if anything came from the hospital worker that saw the silver car in the parking lot the night of the abduction? Could this silver car be the 'grey' car that the milkman saw? Some people call that color silver and others call it grey. Just wondering if there had been any comment from the police linking these two vehicles. I didn't hear one today, but wondered if they addresses it previously.

I think the police said that they are looking at multiple suspects, meaning that they think there was more han one person involved. Could this be based on the hospital worker seeing the silver car, while another car pulls up, and both cars sped off?

I have some other thoughts but will wait.

[truthkeeper]

Okay, I'll start. The kidnapper felt comfortable enough to remain in the house long enough for a scared nine-year old to attempt a little investigating. Interesting.

[Lorraine]

Thanks Utah Girl - I look forward to your reports as they usually contain such useful information. God bless Mary Katherine. I hope they have her well guarded, and also shielded from seeing the news and speculation. It sounds like she kept a very cool head for a 9-year old.

One thing that seems odd to me is that the intruder was a wearing the Scottish style flat type golf hat. I would associate this with an older man unless he was trying to disguise himself in some way. I work at a golf club and I seldom see anyone wearing that type of hat as they have not been fashionable for a long time.

[tracer]

Yes. It should have been "in the same red." Hoping that this helps....

[tracer]

Indeed. Expiring minds want to know....

[mystery-ak]

Does anyone have any thoughts on why the police let this *misinformation* be reported for 2 weeks before they decided to correct it....Im baffled!

[GovernmentShrinker]

Maybe he heard or saw a car or pedestrian outside and was waiting until he felt sure the coast was clear.

[Wright is right!]

"Salt Lake City Police Chief Rick Dinse said Wednesday that the girl, Mary Katherine, got out of bed soon after the abduction and headed toward her parents' bedroom. But she saw the man still in the house, so she went back to her room and waited for two hours."

OK, that narrows down the possibilities of WHERE in the house the perp was seen a second time by Mary Katherine. The man was visible to her at some point between her bedroom and the parentals'. Anyone have a layout on this house? Is it a standard model for the area where it was constructed? TV shots have made the house look quite similar in architectural style to all the others surrounding it.

Michael

[ER_in_OC,CA]

Based on the other articles of the day, the perpetrator was said to have "dark hair on the back of the hands." This would suggest that the abductor was not wearing gloves.

This would therefore suggest that there was at least a reasonable opportunity for the police to get fingerprints. And perhaps the "trusted person in the community" statement reflects that those fingerprints don't match anyone with a record.

Pretty sure this speculation doesn't meet Poohbah's criteria, but not caring...

[GovernmentShrinker]

Hard to say. Perhaps they saw no benefit to correcting it, and had other priorities -- there's been an awful lot of misinformation getting passed around, and unless it is somehow interfering with the investigation, it isn't really the important that it be corrected. Actually, if investigators (as opposed to police spokesmen) knew this from the beginning, I'm a little surprised that they let the public know that Mary Katherine had been awake and seen the abductor. I can think of some good reasons to let the abductor think no one had seen him, and thus that no one had any idea what he (or even she!) looked like; especially when the description they were giving out was so vague that it was really of no use to the public in helping spot him.

[ET(end tyranny)]

I'm guess because it kept the media busy reporting misinformation instead of asking morepertinent questions like they did today. The business with the non sketch and the alledged abductor remaining in the home longer than necessary makes you wonder if it is someone that they know very well.

To release a sketch to the media.... could the media recognize this person? If so, then could viewer's also recognize this person. Today's conference lent more to the family/friend abductor angle, in my opinion.

And the police would not say what the second area of the house was. Why not? How could revealing that hinder the case? This whole case is very strange. If it were a mere ransom, why no ransom request yet (that we are aware of), and if there had been one, you'd think it would have been met by now. Very odd indeed.

[GovernmentShrinker]

See post #263 here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/fo cus/news/702003/posts?q=1& &page=251

[ET(end tyranny)]

Maybe he heard or saw a car or pedestrian outside and was waiting until he felt sure the coast was clear.

OR, perhaps waiting for a car to arrive to pick him and Elizabeth up?

[mystery-ak]

I also got the impression today that there is a sketch, just not being released.....