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American Morning

Latest Developments in Elizabeth Smart Case

Aired June 13, 2002 - 11:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We're getting reports that police in Salt Lake City think it's possible a relative may have been involved in the disappearance.

Our James Hattori is keeping track of the latest developments in Salt Lake, and he joins us live now.

James, good morning.

JAMES HATTORI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn.

I was able to check with a police official a little while ago in Salt Lake City, and he says the family of Elizabeth Smart is very upset at a story that appeared in this morning's paper, "The Salt Lake City Tribune." You can see the headline here. It says, "Police Eye Relatives in Probe." Now, in fact, police are looking at the possibility that relatives could be involved in the crime. In fact, there are a couple of good reasons. We already that, for example, as we've been reporting, Ed Smart has undergone polygraph tests. Police say other family members are possibly going to be asked to take a polygraph as well.

Another reason is that in many cases of child abductions, a significant number of them, family members are involved statistically. That's anther reason why they are looking at family members.

A third reason is that recently, just a few days before the kidnapping occurred, Lois Smart's father passed away. That would be Elizabeth Smart's grandfather. And as a result, there was a family gathering at the house just a couple of days before the kidnapping. And so among the people who were last in the house were this gathering of family members. So Naturally, police officials and investigators would be looking at people who were in the house in the immediate days prior to the crime occurring.

So police officials this morning are saying, yes, this is a true statement, but that doesn't mean that's the focus of the crime. It's one direction they are looking. They have not ruled out anybody, or ruled in, or focused or named a suspect at all at this point.

One other piece of news we're dealing with still is police investigators are getting information about a man they're trying to question, and that is 26-year-old Bret Michael Edmunds, who is 26- year-olds white male, 6'2, 235 pounds. He's described as transient who was seen in the neighborhood of Elizabeth Smart's home a couple of days before, driving in a green Saturn. A milkman, Charlie Miller, saw him acting suspiciously and reported to police, and he talked with CNN earlier this morning about what he saw.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHARLIE MILLER, MILKMAN: For me, when someone is following me, I get suspicious, and it's just information I would take in case something does happen, and I've had people that have actually followed me and have actually done that. So I didn't -- so I took this information and -- when I was going by and I read the story about the little girl's sister description of the gentleman actually fit the description of the man that I saw, and so I passed on to the authorities.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HATTORI: Bret Michael Edmunds is wanted just for questioning, as we say. He's not considered a suspect at this time.

Back to you.

KAGAN: James Hattori in Salt Lake City. James, thank you very much.

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