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CNN Sunday Morning

Police Announce New Development in Smart Case

Aired June 16, 2002 - 07:35   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: Now to Utah. There's a new development in the disappearance of 14-year old Elizabeth Smart. CNN's Jeanne Meserve has an update for us.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A golf style hat of this type, but tan in color, that's what police believe Elizabeth Smart's abductor was wearing.

DWAYNE BAIRD, LT., SALT LAKE CITY POLICE: It's an identifying piece of this puzzle. And if someone knows someone who would have been in this area dressed like this with that kind of a cap that would be beneficial for us to know who they are, and what business they had up here.

MESERVE: The days tick away and the FBI says one or two individuals who just days ago looked like potential suspects have now provided strong alibis. The FBI says other promising leads have arisen. And a story on "AMERICA'S MOST WANTED" Saturday night will generate new leads. The Smart family continues to hope and pray that Elizabeth will be found, that her abductor will be caught.

CYNTHIA SMART OWENS, ELIZABETH'S AUNT: God knows where this person is. We need his guidance. We need his sustaining help for Elizabeth.

MESERVE: They also need the help of volunteers, who got a new set of marching orders Saturday. Organize your own neighborhood. Search your own community.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know your neighborhoods. You know what's up in your neighborhood, what's strange, if there's perhaps, you know, places where people party or hide or whatever...

MESERVE: Jillian Ruff is here because of a scary encounter she and her sister had with a man when they were children.

JILLIAN RUFF, VOLUNTEER SEARCHER: This could have been me. And I think -- I want to do everything I can do to help.

MESERVE: Jillian and her friends go to her old neighborhood in a Salt Lake City suburb and go door to door, asking and getting permission to search backyards and sheds. Although the Smart family is trying to keep this new phase of the search organized, there are logistical problems. Jillian and her friends are told by residents this neighborhood has already been canvassed.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It'd be good to know what they've done and what they haven't done.

MESERVE: The search party changes plan and delves into the thickets and underbrush of a nearby park. The going is tough, the search haphazard. The find, one scrap of cloth unhelpful. The question how long volunteers will do it with so little to show for their efforts.

Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Salt Lake City Utah.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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