Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of sexual assault. Reader discretion is advised.
In June 2002, a 14-year-old girl named Elizabeth Smart was abducted from her home in Salt Lake City, Utah. Reportedly, the abductor held her at knifepoint and took her to a nearby campsite in the woods. However, police couldn’t find the kidnapper for eight months. Moreover, authorities received a breakthrough in February 2003 when Smart’s sister, who was present in the room when Smart was kidnapped, told her parents that one of the family’s former workers, Brian David Mitchell, aka Emmanuel, might be responsible for the abduction.
After receiving this crucial information, the Smart family held a press conference and released Emmanuel’s sketch. Finally, in March 2003, police found Elizabeth Smart alive and apprehended Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee. According to CNN, police charged the duo with six felony counts, including aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault, and more.
During the trial, Mitchell’s friends and family took the stand and opened up about his childhood. His father noted that he could have handled certain situations better when Brian David Mitchell was younger. Per Deseret, his father once dropped Mitchell in an unknown area and left him to make his way home. In another instance, he showed Mitchell colored pictures of human genitalia to teach him about sex education.
The trial ended with the jury delivering a guilty verdict for Mitchell and Barzee. CNN reported that the court sent Barzee to 15 years in prison, while David Mitchell received life imprisonment. According to KSL News Radio, he is serving a life sentence in the US Penitentiary Terra Haute in Indiana.
Where is Elizabeth Smart’s kidnapper Brian David Mitchell now?
Another report by Deseret stated that during the trial, the prosecution noted how Brian David Mitchell, who is currently serving his sentence in Indiana, tried to force Elizabeth Smart into a polygamous marriage. They revealed how Mitchell tried preaching his bizarre religious teachings to Smart during her captivity. Smart also testified during the trial and opened up about how Mitchell raped her repeatedly. Additionally, she claimed that she tried to fight him, but her efforts were unsuccessful. The trial ended with a guilty verdict, and the court sentenced him to life in prison.
Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography is one of the documentaries based on Smart’s kidnapping. It is available for streaming on A&E.
