Suspect being held by FBI in Smart case in SLC

[Jolly Green]

I could just see that press conference! A feeding frenzy of the highest order. The cops, FBI, IRS, etc., will never exonerate anyone. Everyone is guilty of something. The family has only said they won't dignify it.

[John Jamieson]

I've watched several old cases on TV recently were ransom demands have been secretly met and the slimball wouldn't pick it up for fear of being caught. They drug it out for weeks trying to arrange the swap.

[stlnative]

Since I caught your post here I added to my Ping List, if you want off of it send me a Private FR email. Why I ask for a private FR email to be placed on my Ping List or to be taken off my Ping List, is so that I do not miss anyone's request, as I may not see or catch everyone's request in a public thread.

[Bella]

http://library.northernlight.com/EA20020624400000014.html?cb=0&dx=2006&sc=0#doc

Utah Officials Mum on Search for Girl

Story Filed: Monday, June 24, 2002 2:33 AM EDT

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Detectives investigating the disappearance of 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart have been questioning a convict who worked in the Smart home more than a year ago and say they haven't ruled him out as a suspect.

The man was arrested on an unrelated parole violation June 14, nine days after Elizabeth Smart was reportedly taken at gunpoint from her bedroom in an affluent Salt Lake City neighborhood.

Police Chief Rick Dinse told KSTU television on Sunday that investigators haven't been able to pin down the man's whereabouts on the morning of the abduction. Detectives have been questioning the man for more than a week; he has not been charged in the kidnapping.

``He is potentially a big piece of the puzzle,'' Dinse told KSTU. ``Just how big, we're not sure at this point.

``We haven't been able to satisfy ourselves that he was not involved.''

Chris Thomas, who has been acting as a spokesman for the girl's family, said the man last worked in the Smart's Federal Heights home more than a year ago, painting and doing handyman work.

Authorities scheduled a news conference for Monday in Salt Lake City about their interview of Bret Michael Edmunds, whom they had sought for two weeks for questioning in the abduction investigation.

Edmunds was interviewed at a West Virginia hospital by FBI agents and Salt Lake City police detectives.

``I can confirm they have spoken to him. I don't have any details about the context of questioning or the conversations,'' police spokesman Fred Louis said.

Investigators were analyzing the interviews and continued to follow leads in the case Sunday, but Louis said there were no developments.

``We're still going all day every day, seven days a week,'' he said.

FBI spokesman Kevin Eaton didn't return messages left by The Associated Press. He said Saturday that questioning Edmunds, 26, likely would not substantially change the Smart case because he was a possible witness and not a suspect.

A milkman helped police trace a car owned by Edmunds that was spotted in the family's neighborhood two mornings before her June 5 abduction.

The car was seen in a suburban Salt Lake subdivision in the days following the girl's disappearance, but search teams recovered nothing Saturday after dogs had picked up a possible scent in the same area one day earlier.

Edmunds checked himself into a hospital in Martinsburg, W.Va., on Thursday for treatment of drug-related liver damage. A nursing supervisor said he remained in serious condition Sunday in the critical care unit.

Authorities said Edmunds was cooperative with investigators and allowed a search of his vehicle.

[stlnative]

Authorities Silent on Search for Missing Utah Girl and Witness Questioning
By Tim Korte Associated Press Writer
Published: Jun 24, 2002

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Detectives investigating the disappearance of 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart have been questioning a convict who worked in the Smart home more than a year ago and say they haven't ruled him out as a suspect.

The man was arrested on an unrelated parole violation June 14, nine days after Elizabeth Smart was reportedly taken at gunpoint from her bedroom in an affluent Salt Lake City neighborhood.

Police Chief Rick Dinse told KSTU television on Sunday that investigators haven't been able to pin down the man's whereabouts on the morning of the abduction. Detectives have been questioning the man for more than a week; he has not been charged in the kidnapping.

"He is potentially a big piece of the puzzle," Dinse told KSTU. "Just how big, we're not sure at this point.

"We haven't been able to satisfy ourselves that he was not involved."

Chris Thomas, who has been acting as a spokesman for the girl's family, said the man last worked in the Smart's Federal Heights home more than a year ago, painting and doing handyman work.

Authorities scheduled a news conference for Monday in Salt Lake City about their interview of Bret Michael Edmunds, whom they had sought for two weeks for questioning in the abduction investigation.

Edmunds was interviewed at a West Virginia hospital by FBI agents and Salt Lake City police detectives.

"I can confirm they have spoken to him. I don't have any details about the context of questioning or the conversations," police spokesman Fred Louis said.

Investigators were analyzing the interviews and continued to follow leads in the case Sunday, but Louis said there were no developments.

"We're still going all day every day, seven days a week," he said.

FBI spokesman Kevin Eaton didn't return messages left by The Associated Press. He said Saturday that questioning Edmunds, 26, likely would not substantially change the Smart case because he was a possible witness and not a suspect.

A milkman helped police trace a car owned by Edmunds that was spotted in the family's neighborhood two mornings before her June 5 abduction.

The car was seen in a suburban Salt Lake subdivision in the days following the girl's disappearance, but search teams recovered nothing Saturday after dogs had picked up a possible scent in the same area one day earlier.

Edmunds checked himself into a hospital in Martinsburg, W.Va., on Thursday for treatment of drug-related liver damage. A nursing supervisor said he remained in serious condition Sunday in the critical care unit.

Authorities said Edmunds was cooperative with investigators and allowed a search of his vehicle.

AP-ES-06-24-02 0229EDT

[Erasmus]

I noticed yesterday on the morning show there was a strategically placed laptop in front of Kirin Chentry, and she was pulling her skirt down the whole show. Ahhh, the travails of a professional...

At the hem or the waist?

[per loin]

I'm withholding judgment on the National Enquirer story. There haven't been any denials.

I find that lack of denial difficult to to understand, if there is no truth to the NE story. This does not seem the type situation where a refusal to confirm or deny is appropriate.

[Oak]

How can one not think back to the Ramsey's? It hard to believe someone can move around so easily inside another's house. One reporter quoted a police officer that said he got lost 3 times trying to get to the bedroom?

Everyone wants to think the best...

[Yeti]

So why the nation wide hunt for Edmunds then? None of this makes sense to me.

Don't forget that he also pulled the typical profiler's stunt of showing up at the candlelight vigil. He was drunk and evaded the police when they tried to approach him.

[rogercolleridge]

First the little sister didn't see anyone...then she did...then she didn't.

This is what bothers me the most -- why would she change her story? Did the part about waiting two hours before telling the parents come directly from her? If so - why would she make it up? Very, very strange.

[OldFriend]

It was the National Enquirer who put up the reward for the killer of Bill Cosby's son.......and that reward resulted in the solving of the murder.

They ought to be taken seriously.

[TheBigB]

Hmm. Well, she is a just a little one. If she heard a threat, either directly to her or one made to Elizabeth, I'm sure she was very scared. Maybe that's why the delay.

[rogercolleridge]

Hmm. Well, she is a just a little one. If she heard a threat, either directly to her or one made to Elizabeth, I'm sure she was very scared. Maybe that's why the delay.

The poor little thing must have been petrified!!! And now she'll have to carry this around for the rest of her life.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Chris Thomas, who has been acting as a spokesman for the girl's family

New spokesman??

[Jolly Green]

This is what bothers me the most -- why would she change her story? Did the part about waiting two hours before telling the parents come directly from her? If so - why would she make it up? Very, very strange.

You might want to check your "facts". The girls story has been consistent throughout. It is the reporting of the girls story that has changed. According to the chief, the initial story was broadcast within the first few chaotic hours so they could get out the Rachel(?) Alert - before the girl had been interviewed by the police.

[TheDon]

And I simply stated what I was told. I was not "propagating" anything.

That's a fun quote.

[SarahW]

And in her underpants

[Vinomori]

. He was drunk and evaded the police when they tried to approach him.

Imagine if he had been sober. It would have been even easier to get away. The police here need to be held accountable for their performance.

[Agamemnon]

Every anti-death penalty supporter has their breaking point. Seems that Cherry has reached theirs.

"Pro-life" as it is commonly used does not blindly imply "anti-death penalty." Cherry has confused the terms. "Pro-innocent Life" more accurately describes the "Pro-life" position.

[LurkedLongEnough]

Danielle Van Dam was blonde too.