Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Salt Lake Police Looking for 'Mystery Man'

Aired July 02, 2002 - 10:33   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: Now the latest on the search for Elizabeth Smart. The 14-year-old girl was abducted from the bedroom of her Salt Lake City home, and the wife of family man -- actually, family handyman Richard Ricci is coming to his defense. Police are on the hunt for a so-called "mystery man."

Here to fill us in on all the details is our Ed Lavandera, joining us now from Salt Lake City -- Ed, good morning.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn. That mystery man you were talking about was standing across the street at the auto mechanic's shop where Richard Ricci had dropped his car off on June 8. The mechanic telling investigators that he saw Richard Ricci walk across the street and walk away with this man, so they are trying to figure out how he might be connected to Richard Ricci, and what he might be able to offer investigators at this point.

But now we want to talk a little bit about Angela Ricci, who appeared last night on CNN's "LARRY KING," and coming to her husband's defense, saying that the night that Elizabeth Smart was abducted, on Elizabeth's -- on June 5, that he was at home, asleep. That's what she has been saying all along. But investigators say that they have reason to question what she has been telling police at this point, and Angela Ricci also taking it a step further, talking about the Jeep Cherokee that investigators have been focusing on. If you remember this part of the story, the Jeep Cherokee was dropped off at the auto mechanic's shop sometime in May. Richard Ricci, the mechanics say, and investigators say as well, that Richard Ricci came by on May 30, came by to pick up the car, and then brought it back on June 8 with more miles, about 1,000 more miles, actually, and investigators are trying to figure out where those miles came from. But Angela Ricci says that her husband never went to pick up the car.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": How do you account for the mileage put on the car?

ANGELA RICCI, RICHARD RICCI'S WIFE: Well, I don't know who drove that car. I don't know who put the miles on it. So...

(CROSSTALK)

DAVID K. SMITH, RICHARD RICCI'S ATTORNEY: Well, let me just put it this way. You know, Salt -- as you know, Larry, Salt Lake is a very large metropolitan area now. And it goes from the city center down to the southern end of the valley. And it is quite broad and wide. And so, it's not uncommon for a person to put on 50, 60, 80 miles a day in the course of a normal day, either going downtown and back or up to the ski resorts, or even four-wheeling.

So, you know, it's certainly possible for a person in a period of, I understand, about nine days that the car was said to be missing from the shop to put on that kind of mileage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: So as investigators try to figure out where exactly Richard Ricci was between May 30 and June 8 of this year, they have been asking everyone, and focusing in particular on all of the residents in the trailer park community that he lives in, and we have talked to a lot residents there who say they have gone under a lot of questioning from FBI agents and investigators as they try to figure out where Richard Ricci might have been. So they have been handling quite a few questions from investigators.

Now, I think the overriding sense from a lot of people and what they want to know is just what the status of this investigation is at this point. A senior law enforcement source tells CNN that they describe the investigation as very, very frustrating but by no means do they feel that they're at a dead end. Ricci is at the top of the list of the people they are looking at, but at this point, they just don't feel like they have enough information and evidence at this point to bring any kind of charges, much less a conviction in court -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And, Ed, unfortunately as time goes on, and we are almost coming on about a month here since Elizabeth Smart disappeared, the hope for her fate, and what might have happened to her, that has to dwindle some -- somewhat. Do police -- does their mood change, and how they're handling this change, or until there is a development, no?

LAVANDERA: Well, Daryn, what the law enforcement sources told CNN is that what they're looking into is -- at the top of their list, is what they hope to do, is just find Elizabeth Smart, and at this point, the law enforcement source told us that at this point, dead or alive, is -- would be the best thing for this family, and that's very harsh to say, but the law enforcement officials understand what they're up against at this point.

And the family does as well. They understand that as each day goes by, it becomes much more difficult for them, and several times, they've acknowledged that they're holding out for miracle at this point.

But the law enforcement sources here very confident that they will be able to bring all of this to an end, and -- the overall hope that they will be able to bring a conviction along with this as well -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Ed Lavandera in Salt Lake City. Ed, thank you very much. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com