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CNN Live Today

Authorities to Hold Press Conference About Elizabeth Smart Case

Aired June 26, 2002 - 12:32   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In about an hour, we may learn more about the case of the missing Utah girl, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart, when authorities hold a news conference.

CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Salt Lake City, and covering every news conference for us every day.

Hi, Ed.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.

Well, one new development we'll be able to pass along to you this morning, there is a federal grand jury that has gathered here in Salt Lake City, Utah, and we understand that Ed Smart's wife Lois Smart, Elizabeth's mother, is before the grand jury right now answering questions -- I'm sorry, Ricci's wife, I apologize, Richard Ricci's wife is before the federal grand jury, answering questions that they have pertinent to this investigation. Now what all of this means is that this doesn't necessarily mean that there is an indictment looming or anything like that, but it's an investigative tool that authorities are able to use to get people's stories on the record at this point.

Now Richard Ricci came into question in the last couple of days, as authorities found he had worked at the Smart family home, and that they were looking into him because of his criminal background, and then they started asking him questions, and now authorities came out and put out the pictures of three cars he may have had access to, and they were asking for help from the public to help put the timeline together. Between May 31st and June 8th, authorities are trying to figure what Ricci was doing around town, and come up with the timeline so they can put that against what Richard Ricci had been telling police at this point.

Now Ricci was arrested on June 14th on a parole violation. He has been answering questions from police, although police say they are not happy with what he has been telling them so far. Now after the pictures of these cars came out, we went back, and you remember last week we talked with a security guard who works at the Shriners Hospital, just up here across from the church, who had seen on videotape two cars that pulled into the hospital parking lot here in the early morning hours of June 5, when Elizabeth Smart was abducted.

Now we asked him, because he had seen two cars in that parking lot, if he recognized those cars, if it matched the description of what -- the pictures the police are putting out, and this is what he told us a while ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRED TRUJILLO, ASST. SECURITY DIR., SHRINERS HOSPITAL: The second car the likelihood is high, that it was a similar vehicle to one of these two. You can see they are both fairly similar in rounded lines, and four doors, and light colors. Second vehicle was like this. I can't say it was one of these two vehicles, because of the distance, because of the dimly lit area. But I can tell you it was likely it was a similar type vehicle is very high.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: Now, authorities have come out here to the hospital again to relook at all of those tapes, and another series of tapes that they have, is they have been looking at that. We haven't heard anything from authorities that say whether or not it is conclusive that those cars might have been the ones on the videotape. So that's still up in the air at this point.

The family continues their -- prepare to hold another press briefing later on this morning, about half an hour, in front of the church here, where they belong, in the neighborhood where they live. We are expected to hear more about their search efforts, as the family has said that's where they continue to focus all of their efforts, and that's where they feel like they can be the most effective.

But the headlines from this morning as well is that Richard Ricci's wife is testifying, or answering questions from a federal grand jury here in Salt Lake city, Utah. The try focus on what the man they consider at the top of the list of their possible theories as to why Elizabeth Smart is abducted. So those questions are being asked right now, and possibly answered, but authorities aren't saying much more than that at this point.

Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: All right, we will check in with you later, Ed. Thank you.

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