Elizabeth Smart's Rescue

Elizabeth Hatches a Plan

After taking a bus and being in San Diego for several months, moving between campsites and eating at homeless shelters, Immanuel announces that they need to leave and go somewhere far away, such as New York or Boston. Elizabeth, in desperation, tells them she believes God wants them to move back to Salt Lake City. The trick worked, and they hitched a ride to Salt Lake.

The Trio are Found

On March 12, 2003, a witness in Sandy, Utah, thought she recognized the man with two women covered in veils walking down a sidewalk. Later, she said that the young girl looked to be Elizabeth Smart and contacted local police. After the discovery, Elizabeth was rescued and finally reunited with her family, who wept with relief while Mitchell and Barzee were arrested.

Elizabeth was then taken to the hospital for an examination and testing.?

Wanda Barzee was scheduled to stand trial in July 2005 but was deemed unfit for trial–the same as Brian David Mitchell. This put the trial on hold for two years while the two were in the Utah State Hospital.?

March 2008: Mitchell and Barzee are Indicted

After five years of waiting for justice to be served, Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee are federally indicted on the charges of interstate kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor across state lines. However, in October of that year, after a judge denied a request to medicate Mitchell forcibly, the case was turned over to the federal court system. It wouldn’t be until 18 months later that Barzee pleaded guilty for her role in kidnapping and assaulting Elizabeth. She apologized, saying, “I'm so sorry, Elizabeth, for all the pain and suffering I caused you and your family," she said in court. "It is my hope you will be able to find it in your heart to forgive me."

March 2010: Wanda Barzee Stands Trial

Eight years after her part in the kidnapping and sexual assault of Elizabeth, Barzeel is finally competent to stand trial. On May 21, Barzee was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for kidnapping and sexual assault and one to 15 years at the Utah State Prison for the attempted abduction of Smart's cousin, with the sentences running concurrently.

Elizabeth’s mother, in her victim impact statement, said, "What you did to our family and our girl Elizabeth was wrong. It was wrong, and it was evil," Lois tells Barzee. "You hurt our family in ways you'll never know."

November 1, 2010: Brian David Mitchell Stands Trial

After a long-awaited trial of felony kidnapping, sexual assault, and burglary charges, Mitchell’s trial began. Still, a few days later, a request from the plaintiff to move venues delayed it until the appeals court ruled it would be allowed to stay in Salt Lake City.

On November 8 until the 10th, Elizabeth, who at the time was serving an LDS mission.came back to testify and tell the in-depth story of the terrifying experience of being abducted, “married” to Mitchell, the sexual abuse, and the horrible living conditions she endured for nine months. She also told of her near rescue in a library but was too afraid to speak up.?

November 18-19, 2010: Barzee Testifies Against Mitchell

As part of her plea deal, Barzee agreed to testify against her husband, Mitchell, in which she explained that he had a “revelation” to garner 350 wives and set to abduct Elizabeth, making her his second wife and then abducting her cousin and making her the third wife. She was ordered to set up the camp for Elizabeth’s arrival.

Five weeks later, on December 10, 2010, Mitchell was convicted on all charges after the defense argument of an insanity plea was denied. Elizabeth beamed at her mother. After a lengthy trial, Mitchell was sentenced to life in prison on May 25th, 2011, almost nine years after he abducted Elizabeth Smart. Before he was transferred to the state prison, Elizabeth confronted her abductor and said this:

"I know that you know what you did was wrong," she said. "You took away nine months of my life that can never be returned, but in this life or next, you will have to be held responsible for those actions, and I hope you are ready for when that time comes."

The Aftermath

On September 18, 2019, Wanda Barzee was released from prison after only 9 years, but the terms of her release included being registered as a sex offender and getting mental help counseling. Elizabeth reacted to Barzze’s release: "May we all remain vigilant in watching over our families, friends, and community from anyone who would seek to hurt or take advantage. I truly believe life is meant to be happy and beautiful, and no matter what happens that will remain my goal for me and for my family."

After the trial and sentencing, Elizabeth created the Elizabeth Smart Foundation in 2011 to help combat sexual violence and raise awareness. It's still going strong. She traveled and spoke around the country. In 2012, she married Mathew Gilmour and had three children together. She also published her first memoir of the ordeal, My Story, in 2013, followed by a second book in March 2018, Where There's Hope: Healing, Moving Forward, and Never Giving Up.

In 2014, Elizabeth Smart testified for the Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Bill HB 286 in Utah. The TV movie I Am Elizabeth was released on the Lifetime Movie Network in 2017. In 2023, Elizabeth Smart executive produced the Lifetime movie The Kara Robinson Story.

Stay tuned to learn the history of Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee and the events that led up to the horrifying kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart.