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CNN Live Today

Smart Family, Police Doubt Letter's Credibility

Aired July 11, 2002 - 11:06   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: Let's go now to Salt Lake City.

That's where Mark Potter is standing by. He has been covering the Elizabeth Smart case, and the search for that 14-year-old who has been missing for more than a month right now -- Mark.

MARK POTTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Daryn, the story that created a lot of sensation here yesterday in Salt Lake City was about the letter that we've been hearing a lot about it. It's a letter that gave at least some measure of hope and support for the family in their belief that 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart is still alive. But we must say at the outset that by now, a number of people including the police and even some family members are doubting the validity of that letter.

Now what happened is that yesterday, Ed Smart, the father, said the family received an anonymous letter from a person, probably a woman, who claims to have had contact with the abductor. And the letter says that the abductor was searching for a way to negotiate the release of the girl. And although Ed Smart is now among those questioning the credibility of the letter, he still feels it's important to reach out to the abductor just in case that letter is real.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ED SMART, FATHER OF ELIZABETH SMART: It was the first anonymous letter where we have had anyone trying to contact us to let us know that Elizabeth is there, and that they want to release Elizabeth, which is what I'm praying and I'm hoping they're going to do. And I am most anxious to negotiate, or do whatever I need to do to get her back. I just want this to be over with.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

POTTER: Now that unsigned letter contains no details on how this negotiation is to be worked out. There is no ransom demand, no credible proof that the young girl is still alive. The police have seen the letter. They have very serious doubts about it, and they point out that there have already been other hoaxes in this case, including three phony ransom demands.

Now, the investigators in this case are continuing to put almost all their focus now on 48-year-old Richard Ricci, he was the handyman in the Smart home. He worked for them last year. He is now in prison for alleged parole violations.

We're told later that later this afternoon, the state will file burglary and theft charges against him. Among the charges will be, we are told, that he stole two bracelets and a perfume bottle from the Smart home. This is well before the abduction. He took some jewelry, allegedly, from the neighbor's home, and some tools, a pressure sprayer and a welding machine from a Home Depot and again, the -- one of the charges, we are told, in connection with the break-in at the neighbor's home, allegedly occurred while the people were still in the house.

This had nothing to do with the abduction itself. No charges have been filed in that and, of course, as we know Ricci has denied any involvement in the abduction itself -- Daryn, back to you.

KAGAN: Yes, Mark, and even though no charges have been filed in the abduction itself, it seems like this buys investigators some time because they can keep him in custody without charging him with anything about the specific Elizabeth Smart crime.

POTTER: Yes, that is one of the thoughts, and one investigator also told us that this is a sign from the investigators to Ricci that we are on to you, we are serious about you, we're filing charges against you, we're not going to give up. There's a little bit of a psychological game going on here. They are focusing very firmly on Ricci, and they're very concerned about the discrepancy over the Jeep. One witness, the police believe, says he took the Jeep before the abduction, and brought it back. Ricci says he had nothing to do with it, and the police are trying to work it out, and one source said they even told Ricci that if you tell us what was going on with the Jeep and it was some other crime, we'll give you a pass on that. We just want to know about Elizabeth Smart. And they say that even given that, Ricci had refused to say anything about the Jeep, and claims that he had nothing to do with it. So that discrepancy is what is keeping them very hot on his trail.

KAGAN: And all of this stuff for now doesn't do anything to answer the one question that the family wants to know, and that is where is Elizabeth Smart and what happened to her.

Mark Potter in Salt Lake City...

POTTER: That's absolutely right.

KAGAN: Yes. That's the main the main thing that we're all still trying to figure out. Mark Potter in Salt Lake City, thank you very much.

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