Why did the 2002 Salt Lake City kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart become one of the most unforgettable abduction cases in modern true crime history? How did a crime that began in the upscale Federal Heights neighborhood turn into a national manhunt, a controversial early focus on the wrong suspect, and a years-long fight for justice after Elizabeth was finally found alive?

In this episode, hosts Adrienne Barker and Joseph Lobosco revisit The Kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart — the abduction of 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart from her family’s home in Salt Lake City, Utah, her nine months of captivity under Brian David Mitchell (who called himself “Emmanuel”) and Wanda Barzee, and the legal road that followed, shaped by delayed proceedings, competency battles, and public outrage over sentencing and release decisions.

⚠️ Content warning: This episode includes discussions of child abduction, sexual assault, and psychological coercion. Listener discretion is advised. If you or someone you know needs support, help may be available via the Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988.

Tune in to hear:

June 5, 2002 – Elizabeth Smart abducted from her Salt Lake City bedroom: An intruder enters the Smart home through a window after cutting a screen, and Elizabeth’s 9-year-old sister Mary Catherine becomes the only eyewitness — too terrified to immediately raise the alarm.

June 2002 – National manhunt and a massive community search: Police, the FBI, and volunteers scour neighborhoods, foothills, and canyons as the reward reportedly surges to $250,000 within days; when burned remains are found nearby, the family endures a terrifying moment before learning it is not Elizabeth.

Summer 2002 – Early tunnel vision on handyman Richard Ricci: Investigators focus heavily on Richard Ricci, a handyman who worked in the Smart home; he is jailed on unrelated matters, denies involvement, and later dies in custody on August 30, 2002 — with later reporting indicating he was not responsible, raising hard questions about investigative tunnel vision.

2002–2003 – Captivity under Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee: While the public searches, Elizabeth is held by Mitchell (a drifter and self-styled religious prophet) and Barzee; she is allegedly isolated through threats, abuse, and religious control, and kept disguised in layered clothing with robes and a veil while being moved in public — including travel beyond Utah and time in the San Diego area.

Breakthrough lead – Mary Catherine recognizes “Emmanuel”: Months after the abduction, Mary Catherine tells her parents she believes the voice she heard belonged to “Emmanuel,” a man who previously worked at their home; frustrated with the pace, the family goes public with a sketch, tips pour in, and “Emmanuel” is identified as Brian David Mitchell.

March 12, 2003 – Rescue after nine months: Multiple people report seeing a man, a woman, and a girl in disguise in a Salt Lake City suburb; police detain the group, Elizabeth initially denies her identity, but officers separate her from the adults and she is ultimately identified and reunited with her family. Mitchell and Barzee are arrested.

2003–2010 – The long, controversial road to court: The legal process drags for years amid battles over mental competency, repeatedly postponing Elizabeth’s day in court and fueling public anger.

November 17, 2009 – Wanda Barzee pleads guilty: Barzee pleads guilty in federal court to charges including kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor, with authorities framing the plea as a way to reduce the burden on Elizabeth by...

In this episode, host Joseph Lobosco is joined by guest host Vashon to unpack The Case of Anne Boleyn — the rise, fall, and execution of England’s most infamous queen, and the chilling questions at the heart of this Tudor-era true crime story.

Along the way, we explore how Henry’s obsession with a male heir helped fuel the English Reformation, expand treason law, and weaponize the courts — and why Anne’s story still resonates in today’s conversations about coerced confessions, propaganda, and capital punishment.

⚠️ Listener discretion: This episode includes discussions of execution, graphic violence, and allegations of sexual misconduct. If you or someone you know needs support, help may be available via the Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. Alt Anne Boleyn

⚖️ Disclaimer: Debate the News: True Crime Edition is for informational and discussion purposes only. We are not attorneys, law enforcement officers, medical professionals, or professional historians. While we research each case, the show is recorded live with little to no editing; any factual errors are unintentional. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Listener discretion is advised. Guest and audience views are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts or Debate The News. Alt Anne Boleyn

Speakers:

→ Joseph Lobosco — Host

→ Vashon — Guest Host

→ Lauren LaPointe — Guest Contributor

Credits:

“Debate The News: True Crime”

"The Case of Anne Boleyn"

Created by: Jonathan Bing, Adrienne Barker and Joseph R. Lobosco

Producers: Adrienne Barker, Joseph R. Lobosco, Danielle Paci and Jonathan Bing

Writers: Vashon & Joseph R. Lobosco

Editor: Joseph R. Lobosco

Cover Art: Joseph R. Lobosco

Special Thanks: Nelson, Lea, Nawzil, and the entire Chatter Social team

Theme Song: Alaina Cross — “Karma” [NCS Release]

Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds

Free Download/Stream: ncs.io/karma

Watch: ncs.lnk.to/karmaAT/youtube

🎧 A Debate the News: True Crime Production

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In this episode, hosts Adrienne Barker and Joseph Lobosco dive into Murder in Mississippi: Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington & Ole Miss Student Jimmie “Jay” Lee — the July 2022 disappearance and murder of University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) student Jimmie “Jay” Lee, and the winding path from a missing-person report to a capital murder case, a mistrial, and a shocking guilty plea. From digital evidence and surveillance footage to the controversial bond decision, this Oxford, Mississippi true crime story raises big questions about motive, secrecy, and whether you can — or should — convict someone of murder without a body.

Tune in to hear:

July 8, 2022 – Disappearance of Ole Miss student Jimmie “Jay” Lee: In the early morning hours, 20-year-old Jay leaves his Oxford apartment around dawn and never returns. When he can’t be reached and misses plans later that day, concern escalates. Police initially treat it as a missing-person case — but not for long.

Early investigation – Focus shifts to Sheldon “Timothy” Herrington Jr: Detectives identify Sheldon Timothy Herrington Jr., a 22-year-old Ole Miss graduate, as a key contact connected to Jay’s last known communications and movements. Prosecutors later argue Jay went to Herrington’s apartment that morning — and never left alive.

Chilling digital evidence – The strangulation search: Investigators claim Herrington searched “how long does it take to strangle someone?” shortly before the meetup window, and the state later frames that search as intent and premeditation.

Days later – Jay’s car found abandoned: Jay’s Ford Fusion is discovered at the Molly Barr Trails apartment complex in Oxford. His belongings are still inside, but Jay is missing — a detail investigators interpret as consistent with foul play, not a voluntary disappearance.

Surveillance timeline – The staging theory: Investigators say video captures Herrington near where Jay’s car was left, leaving on foot, and later getting a ride. Prosecutors describe the abandoned vehicle as staging — dumping the car to create confusion and buy time.

Walmart purchase – Duct tape on the morning Jay vanished:Investigators say Herrington bought duct tape that morning, a purchase the prosecution treats as potentially significant when paired with the larger concealment narrative.

Movements and concealment – “This wasn’t yard work”:Prosecutors argue Herrington’s later movements — including travel toward Grenada and items like a shovel and wheelbarrow, plus use of a box truck tied to a moving business — align with a body disposal theory.

Two weeks later – Arrest in a no-body homicide case: Herrington is arrested and charged despite no recovered body and no medically confirmed cause of death. Prosecutors argue the digital trail, surveillance, and behavior prove Jay is dead and Herrington killed him.

Bond controversy – Risk vs. rights: A judge initially denies bond, but Herrington is later released under conditions — sparking outrage and debate because Jay is still missing, while others argue due process and “innocent until proven guilty” still applies.

Capital murder indictment – The high-risk “no-body” prosecution: Herrington is indicted for capital murder. Prosecutors prepare to prove murder without a body; the defense leans hard on the lack of a body, lack of cause of death, and lack of direct forensic evidence. Late 2024 – First trial ends in mistrial: Prosecutors emphasize the digital evidence, timing, surveillance, the duct tape purchase, the abandoned car, and concealment theories. The defense attacks assumptions and the absence of a body or definitive forensic...