No Leads In Missing Girl Case
Police continued to work on the apparent kidnapping of 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart, who disappeared from her home June 5. But as of Sunday there were no new leads or developments.
Sgt. Fred Louis, a spokesman for the Salt Lake City police, said investigators held weekend meetings on the case.
"The detectives are still at it," Louis said. "There are no new developments."
Elizabeth's 9-year-old sister, Mary Katherine Smart, was the sole witness to her abduction. She told police she feigned sleep while a soft-spoken, dark-haired man with a gun took her sister.
The younger girl said the man had dark hair on the backs of his hands, wore a tan-colored jacket, light-colored pants and a Scottish-style tan golf hat. Police have questioned a multitude of neighbors, family members and potential witnesses to the kidnapping.
Most recently, they have focused on a 48-year-old handyman with a long criminal history. Police Chief Rick Dinse says Richard Albert Ricci tops the list of potential suspects. Ricci, who is in the Utah State Prison for violating the terms of his 2000 parole, has cooperated with the police, Louis said. Ricci denies any involvement with Elizabeth's disappearance.
"First, I would like to say I have no knowledge of Elizabeth Smart's abduction, disappearance or whereabouts," Ricci said in a statement. "I want to say to the Smart family from my family, (wife) Angela, my stepson and myself, that we pray for her safe return."
Ricci's family says they are standing by him.
"He said, Dad, I didn't do this ... and I said, OK, we'll back you as long as you know, until they can prove something else, which I don't think they can," said Dave Morse, Sr., Ricci's father-in-law.
Ricci worked at the Smart home last year. Ed Smart, Elizabeth's father, gave Ricci a 1990 Jeep Cherokee in exchange for his labor. The Cherokee is in police custody.
Last week, investigators seized a tan golf hat and a machete-like knife from the property of Ricci's father-in-law. A federal grand jury was looking into the case, with many of the witnesses apparently testifying about Ricci, who has felony convictions spanning three decades.
Ricci's wife, Angela, his neighbor Andy Thurman and his mechanic, Neth Moul, are among those who appeared before the grand jury.
Angela Ricci has been excused from further testimony, Nancy Pomeroy, an assistant to David K. Smith, the attorney representing the Riccis, said Sunday.
Louis denied a report that neighbors had been asked to submit blood samples. However, he said neighbors who had gone to the house when the Smarts learned of the kidnapping had been asked to provide samples of their fingerprints so they could be eliminated from fingerprints found in the house.