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THURSDAY Volume 265 Number 146 Utah’s Independent Voice Since 1871 2003, The Salt Lake Tribune 234 MARCH 13, 2003 Alive and Well

Francisco Kjolseth/The Salt Lake Tribune Elizabeth Smart, holding the hand of her mother, Lois, is rushed into an unmarked van from the Salt Lake City Police Department after she was found alive and well in Sandy early Wednesday afternoon. Elizabeth Smart found nine months after vanishing from her home ‘NOTHING BUT A MIRACLE’ Family, friends and neighbors never BY KEVIN CANTERA fighting jback oyful tears just hours Police, who said they had not re- well-wishers worldwide. and MICHAEL VIGH after her cousin was found alive and covered the black handgun believed In recent days, the Smart family wavered in their faith in Elizabeth healthy Wednesday, walking along a to have been used in the apparent had pressured the Salt Lake City Po- Smart’s safe return A-4  2003, THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE Sandy street with her two alleged kidnapping, also could not say lice Department, criticizing what Days after her cousin Elizabeth captors. “This is a miracle. I’m just whether the 15-year-old had tried to they felt was a cavalier attitude Vigilant residents tip Sandy police to disappeared last summer, Sierra floating on air.” escape and where the three have about Mitchell, the self-styled fire- whereabouts of Elizabeth, kidnap Smart received a bouquet of roses But there were more questions been since the abduction, which and-brimstone preacher who called suspects A-5 from a stranger at a community than answers about how the vaga- sparked a nationwide quest for the himself “Emmanuel.” prayer vigil. bond couple — Brian David Mitchell, girl and a large-scale search up and The crime’s lone witness, Eliza- The stranger was convinced the 49, and Wanda Ilene Barzee, 57 — al- down the Wasatch Front involving beth’s younger sister, Mary Happy endings are much too rare in girl would someday return safely, legedly managed to hold the girl un- thousands of volunteers. Katherine, had identified Mitchell as similar disappearances nationwide, and asked Sierra to give Elizabeth detected since her June 5 purported The girl’s first night home since the possible kidnapper last October, children’s advocates say A-6 the flowers when she came home. kidnapping from her bedroom. early June was spent with her family recalling him from the November The now-wilted floral arrangement Asked whether he believed Eliza- at the Federal Heights house from 2001 day he worked odd jobs for the has hung on Sierra’s bedroom wall beth had been held against her will, which she was taken. Smarts for five hours. The family The widow of former key suspect for over nine months. Salt Lake City Police Chief Rick Elizabeth pored over hundreds of took the tip to police but it was not Richard Ricci says she does not “I can’t wait to give these flowers Dinse responded: “I do, at this point, e-mails sent to the Web site http:// carry a grudge A-8 to Elizabeth,” said Sierra, 21, yes I do.” www.elizabethsmart.com from See ELIZABETH, Page A-7

Women’s hoops teams win for Elizabeth May Have Been Taken BYU and Utes in quarterfinals. In Sports, C-1 to Be a Replacement Daughter KUTV closes deal to move sta- tion to Salt Lake City’s Main Street. In Business, C-9 BY PEGGY FLETCHER STACK Imports on Main Street. “I just thought he was trying to dress up like Jesus to  2003, THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE The Kitty Hawk comes to the appeal to the emotions of people.” west desert as the Wright Brothers fly The small-framed, big-bearded man Emmanuel is a Hebrew name for again. called himself Emmanuel and wan- Jesus; the would-be messiah began life In Utah, D-1 dered the streets of Salt Lake City in as Brian David Mitchell in a suburban white robes and linen cap, sandals and Salt Lake City neighborhood. Advice B-3 Movies B-4 a walking staff. Mitchell, 49, attended Skyline High Businesss C-9 Obituaries C-5 Classifieds D-7 Puzzles B-5,6 Emmanuel, now suspected of kid- School in the 1970s, was a member of Comics B-5 Review B-4 napping Elizabeth Smart when she was The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Crossword B-6 Sports C-1 14, looked and spoke like a modern-day day Saints, married and fathered four Editorials A-12 Television B-7 prophet, panhandling and preaching to children. the homeless as if he were a messenger Then things fell apart. Windy, warmer from God. He and his wife divorced, and in the statewide; mid-60s “Sometimes he was a little incoher- late 1980s, Mitchell married Wanda Ile- to mid-70s north, ent,” said Pamela Atkinson, a longtime ne Barzee, who had several children of mid-60s to upper homeless advocate in Salt Lake City her own. Barzee’s daughter, Louree 70s south. C-16 who had many conversations with Gayler, was 12 at the time, and her new Emmanuel. “He was more of a talker stepfather made her uncomfortable. Courtesy of KUTV2 News than a listener.” “He was kissing and holding me the The eccentric man didn’t cause wrong way,” Gayler said Wednesday. A photo taken at a party in September shows self-proclaimed prophet Emmanuel (Brian trouble, said Andrew Larsen, a sales- Mitchell) with two female companions: Wanda Barzee, right, and Elizabeth Smart, whom man at Edinburgh Castle Scottish See ELIZABETH, Page A-8 Emmanuel allegedly kidnapped in June. Elizabeth was reunited with her family Wednesday.