Case overview
On June 5, 2002, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was taken from her bedroom in Salt Lake City, Utah, at knifepoint while her younger sister witnessed the abduction. Nine months later, after a widespread search and shifting suspect theories, a sketch drawn from the sister’s memory led to Smart’s recovery and the arrest of Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee.
The abduction window
Elizabeth Smart was taken from her family’s Federal Heights home between 1:00 and 2:00 a.m. on June 5, 2002. Her nine-year-old sister, Mary Katherine, was in the same bedroom when a man entered through an open window, held a knife to Elizabeth’s throat, and ordered her to leave with him. Mary Katherine stayed silent in her bed, then waited roughly two hours before waking her parents, Ed and Lois Smart.
Police confirmed forced entry through a kitchen window. A screen had been cut, and a patio chair was positioned beneath it. The intruder moved through the first floor and upstairs hallway without triggering the home security system, which had not been armed that night. Elizabeth was wearing red silk pajamas when she was taken. No physical evidence was recovered from the bedroom.
Salt Lake City police issued an AMBER Alert within hours. The FBI joined the investigation the same day. Early focus centered on whether the abduction was targeted or opportunistic, and whether the intruder had prior knowledge of the home’s layout.
The early investigation
In the first weeks, investigators interviewed family members, neighbors, and workers who had been at the Smart home in the months before the kidnapping. Elizabeth’s father, Ed Smart, appeared in multiple media appeals and cooperated fully with law enforcement. Polygraph tests were administered to family members as part of standard procedure. No immediate suspects emerged from the inner circle.
Attention turned to Richard Ricci, a handyman who had worked at the Smart home in late 2001. Ricci had a criminal record and was on parole at the time of the abduction. Investigators learned that items had gone missing from the Smart home during his employment, including jewelry. Ricci was arrested on a parole violation in June 2002 and became a primary suspect. He maintained his innocence and offered to take a polygraph, which he failed. Ricci provided alibis, but inconsistencies emerged in his statements.
On August 30, 2002, Ricci died of a brain hemorrhage while in custody at the Utah State Prison. His death left the investigation without a clear suspect, and public attention intensified. The case remained unresolved through the summer and fall of 2002.
Mary Katherine’s memory
In October 2002, four months after the abduction, Mary Katherine told her parents she thought she recognized the intruder’s voice. She recalled a man named Emmanuel who had done work at the family’s home in November 2001. The name Emmanuel referred to Brian David Mitchell, a drifter and self-described prophet who had been hired for a one-day roofing job. Mitchell had called himself Immanuel during his time at the Smart residence.
Mary Katherine described the man’s voice and appearance in greater detail. She remembered his soft-spoken manner and his references to religious ideas. Ed Smart initially struggled to recall the man, as the work had been brief and months earlier. The family later identified Mitchell from the limited interaction they had with him.
The family shared this information with police, but the lead was not immediately prioritized. Investigators had pursued multiple other theories and were working through hundreds of tips. The case received renewed urgency when the Smart family made a public appeal in February 2003, asking for help in locating the man known as Emmanuel.
The sketch and the broadcast
Working with Mary Katherine’s description, a forensic artist created a composite sketch of the suspect. The drawing depicted a man with long hair, a beard, and a gaunt face. The sketch was released to the media in February 2003, along with the name Emmanuel and details about his religious language and transient lifestyle.
The broadcast of the sketch on “America’s Most Wanted” on February 15, 2003, generated immediate responses. Multiple viewers called in to identify the man as Brian David Mitchell, a street preacher known in the Salt Lake City area. Mitchell’s estranged family members also came forward, recognizing him in the sketch and providing his real name and background.
Mitchell had a history of erratic behavior and religious delusion. He had been excommunicated from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and had written a manifesto outlining his beliefs. He lived intermittently on the streets and in camps in the foothills above Salt Lake City. His wife, Wanda Barzee, often accompanied him.
The recovery
On March 12, 2003, nine months after Elizabeth Smart was taken, police in Sandy, Utah, received a report of suspicious individuals walking near a shopping area. Four people were spotted wearing robes and veils. Officers stopped the group and identified them as Brian David Mitchell, Wanda Barzee, and two females. One of the females gave her name as Augustine, but officers recognized inconsistencies in her statements.
When pressed, the female confirmed her identity as Elizabeth Smart. She was transported to a nearby police station and reunited with her family later that day. Elizabeth was 15 years old at the time of her recovery. She had been held in various camps in the mountains east of Salt Lake City and had been moved briefly to California during the search.
Mitchell and Barzee were arrested and charged with kidnapping and sexual assault. Both were taken into custody without incident.
The charges and proceedings
Brian David Mitchell was charged in federal court with kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor across state lines. He was also charged in state court with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault, and aggravated burglary. Wanda Barzee faced similar charges for her role in the abduction and Elizabeth’s captivity.
Mitchell’s competency became a central issue. He was declared incompetent to stand trial multiple times between 2003 and 2009, delaying legal proceedings. He frequently sang hymns during court appearances and refused to cooperate with attorneys. In 2009, a federal judge ruled that Mitchell was competent to stand trial, citing evidence that he understood the nature of the charges and was capable of assisting in his defense.
Mitchell’s federal trial began in November 2010. Elizabeth Smart testified for more than five hours, describing the abduction, her captivity, and the repeated assaults she endured. She stated that Mitchell performed a mock marriage ceremony shortly after taking her and that he used religious language to justify his actions. She also testified that Barzee participated in monitoring her and preventing escape.
On December 10, 2010, Mitchell was convicted on charges of kidnapping and transporting a minor across state lines for illegal sex. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in May 2011.
Wanda Barzee pleaded guilty in federal court in November 2009 to kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor. She was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison. She also pleaded guilty in state court and received a concurrent sentence of one to 15 years. Barzee was released from prison in September 2018 after serving her federal sentence and receiving credit for time served.
Impact and aftermath
The kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart prompted reforms in AMBER Alert protocols and increased attention to child abduction response procedures. The delay in pursuing the Emmanuel lead raised questions about how law enforcement prioritizes witness statements, particularly those from child witnesses. The case also underscored the importance of forensic sketch dissemination and public media involvement in unresolved abductions.
Elizabeth Smart became an advocate for missing persons and survivors of abduction and sexual violence. She has testified before Congress on legislation related to child safety and has worked with organizations focused on prevention and recovery. She has spoken publicly about her recovery process and the role of family support and counseling.
The investigation into Richard Ricci, who was never charged and died in custody, raised concerns about premature suspect focus and the risks of investigative tunnel vision. Ricci’s widow later received a formal apology from law enforcement, though no wrongful death claims were pursued.
Mitchell remains incarcerated in federal prison in Arizona. Barzee’s release in 2018 was met with public concern, but she has since remained out of the public eye. Elizabeth Smart married in 2012 and has continued her advocacy work through the Elizabeth Smart Foundation.
Where to look next
- Documentary: “Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography” (Lifetime)
- Documentary: “I Am Elizabeth Smart” (A&E)
- Book: “My Story” by Elizabeth Smart and Chris Stewart
- Podcast: “Crime Junkie” (Audiochuck)
