Posted on 06/22/2002 10:17:01 PM PDT by stlnative
June 22, 2002 - Late Evening Report
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. (AP) _ A hospitalized drifter sought for questioning in the disappearance of a teenager in Utah was alert and talking with investigators Saturday.
Bret Michael Edmunds, 26, was cooperating with investigators, said FBI spokesman Kevin Eaton. Salt Lake City police sought Edmunds for questioning in connection with the disappearance of 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart from her family's home June 5.
Bret Michael Edmunds
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"He's talking to us. He's not telling us, 'go away, I want a lawyer,"' Eaton said.
But investigators won't say what information Edmunds is giving them. They will release information after Salt Lake City detectives have a chance to interpret Edmunds' responses.
Questioning Edmunds likely will not substantially affect the Smart case because he was only a possible witness and not a suspect, Eaton said.
"We've been hitting five to six promising areas, and we've been concentrating on a lot of important stuff" not related to Edmunds, Eaton said.
Edmunds remained in serious condition in a secure section of intensive care at City Hospital under the watch of U.S. marshals. He is being treated for a drug-related liver damage.
"He's conscious, he's coherent and he's talking," hospital spokeswoman Teresa McCabe said.
Edmunds, who appeared at the hospital Friday, began talking with a Salt Lake City police officer and FBI agent Saturday morning. Doctors monitored Edmunds' condition to ensure he was up to the questioning.
McCabe said Edmunds would stay at the hospital at least three or four days. She would not divulge details of his condition, citing confidentiality rules.
Edmunds is being held on a federal warrant charging him with fleeing to avoid prosecution for a probation violation. The charges are unrelated to the Smart case.
"He is still not a suspect at this time," Police Chief Rick Dinse said. "He's a question mark, and we want to put a period on that question mark."
Edmunds, who was living out of his Saturn sedan, had been seen in the Smart neighborhood the week the girl vanished. While Elizabeth's sister described the alleged kidnapper as a 5-foot-8 man, Edmunds stands 6-foot-2.
A Saturn found in the hospital parking lot was photographed, impounded and towed away. Police saw nothing suspicious through the windows, and are seeking a search warrant.
Also Saturday, sheriff's deputies said cadaver dogs were unable to find a scent at a subdivision near Salt Lake City. A police search was prompted after dogs owned by search volunteers apparently picked up an unusual scent.
Edmunds has been sought since last fall for outstanding warrants on charges of fraud and assault on a police officer in Utah. He had served 60 days and was put on probation in 2000 for stealing and forging checks.
When he is physically able, Edmunds will be taken to a magistrate for a hearing, the marshals service said.
And who I take as Lois, is asking her if she is having fun. She shows no reaction. Now, it could be the 14 yr old commonplace rebellion of not wanting to go with the parents, but I don't think so. This girl was troubled.
Most definitely, and she didn't become that way overnite. Something's wrong big time.
But.....but.....we've been so ADAMANTLY told that no such rebellion existed......
It is not that he is crying, it is the fake whine/cry/talk thing he does every time he is front of a mic. I merely said it is not working for me anymore, and that it is exactly what Susan Smith did.
At my next tragedy I am going to refuse all TV interviews.
Not a bad idea.
I looked at both videos on the site and basically got the feeling that she was just fine. Maybe not thrilled with being on camera - so what?! I really think there's a LOT of extrapolation /sp/ going on with these theories...
Actually Salt Lake City put up the initial $10,000 followed quickly by Clear Channel Communications (own 6-8 radio stations here) with another $10,000. Within a day, the amount was up to $250,000, I assume bits and pieces donated by various organizations and/or businesses in the community, but I've never heard any other specifics.
This is, to me, a brilliant observation ! There is no way, in my mind, that these "perfect" children, raised in the manner born that they were, would quietly obey if it was a stranger. But hey...that is just me. ....or is it?
That would make you appear guilty, as you wouldn't face the press. :)
A FreeRepublic Exclusive! Elizabeth Smart was supposedly kidnapped from her own bedroom at gunpoint, earlier this month in the Mormon town of Salt Lake City, Utah.
The mainstream press often portrays this beautiful 14 year old girl as angelic, innocent, sweet, and happy. Nothing could be further from the truth!
FR has the true story of the real Elizabeth Smart. Adept at leading a double life, this "perfect Mormon Girl" has deceived her teachers, friends, and family and now, the entire nation.
Her real life is a life of sleaze, sex, drugs, and crime. An anonymous freeper reported, "My first clue was the look I saw in her cold sad eyes shown in a family home video. Elizabeth has been sighted at every Rave party in Utah. Her ecstacy addiction was easy to maintain with money she regularly stole from her wealthy gay father. An unnamed informant has also revealed that Elizabeth often seduced her father's friends and business associated and then blackmailed them for even more money.
Her real struggle was how to get out of the oppressive grip of the Mormon church. Her family enforced strict Mormon rules by threatening to marry her off to her 53 year old ultragay polygamist cousin Tom Green if she shamed her powerful family in any way.
Her chance came when she met drifter Bret Michael Edmunds. She devised a sinister plan to escape her boring goodie-goodie life by asking Edmunds to help her fake her own kidnapping. Edmunds, who needed the drug money said, "Sure, why not?"
Elizabeth has since been spotted in island paradises such as Bermuda, Aruba, Cancun, and Cuba. When asked by one of our inside sources why she did it, she replied, "Hey, girls just wanna have fun." /end of story
I sent this story along with my resume to Natnl Enqrer. Like people keep saying, the family members are all suspects, so, why leave out Elizabeth? What makes her exempt from the "Blame the victims" game? We just want to know the truth!
NO!
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