Where Are Elizabeth Smart's Kidnappers Now? Here’s What Happened to Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee

Elizabeth Smart's life was everlastingly changed erstwhile she was abducted successful nan mediate of nan nighttime by Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee.

During nan early greeting hours of June 5, 2002, Mitchell collapsed into nan Smart family’s Salt Lake City location and snatched then-14-year-old Elizabeth from her bed. Mitchell — who claimed to beryllium a belief prophet named Immanuel — and his woman Barzee past held nan teen captive for nan adjacent 9 months, pinch Mitchell many times raping Elizabeth while Barzee watched on.

As Elizabeth endured this terrifying ordeal, her missing persons case captivated nan federation and her family ne'er mislaid hope that she would beryllium rescued. “We ever knew that if Elizabeth was live it would beryllium a miracle,” her uncle Tom Smart told PEOPLE. “But we ever believed that nan occurrence was very, very possible. And judge enough, it was.”

On March 12, 2003, Elizabeth and her kidnappers were spotted stepping successful Sandy, Utah. Despite being dressed successful a disguise and giving constabulary a clone name, Elizabeth was yet saved by authorities and reunited pinch her family — while her kidnappers were taken into custody. About a week later, Mitchell and Barzee faced charges of aggravated kidnapping, burglary and intersexual assault, according to nan Los Angeles Times.

In nan much than 2 decades since her abduction, Elizabeth has managed not conscionable to survive nan traumatizing experience — but thrive successful spite of it. With a attraction connected sharing survivors’ stories, Elizabeth is an accomplished author, TV correspondent, motivational speaker, philanthropist and victims’ authorities advocate. In her individual life, Elizabeth wed Matthew Gilmour successful 2012; nan mates are parents to 3 children together.

So wherever are Elizabeth Smart’s kidnappers, Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee, now? Here's everything to cognize astir nan husband-and-wife who abducted nan Utah teen and their lives today.

Who are Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee?

Mitchell and Barzee first met successful nan mid-1980s astatine a group counseling convention successful Salt Lake City tally by nan Mormon church, The New Yorker reported.

At nan time, Mitchell’s matrimony to his 2nd wife, Debbie, was falling isolated amidst allegations that he had abused Debbie’s 2 younger children from a erstwhile marriage, according to CNN. Meanwhile, Barzee alleged successful tribunal that she was successful nan process of ending a 20-year abusive matrimony while besides losing custody of her six children, per CNN.

The 2 were joined wrong 9 months of their first meeting, connected Nov. 29, 1985 — the time Mitchell’s divorcement was finalized, Deseret News reported. In nan pursuing years, Mitchell worked arsenic a dice cutter astatine O.C. Tanner, while Barzee stayed location to believe and study nan organ. Both were progressive members successful nan Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

But by nan mid-1990s, each of that changed erstwhile Mitchell discontinue his occupation and stopped paying taxes, according to CNN. The mates sold disconnected each their possessions and began surviving disconnected nan land, panhandling to get by arsenic they hitchhiked crossed nan country. During this time, they besides distanced themselves from nan Mormon religion and began to deterioration belief robes, arsenic Mitchell had go convinced he was a prophet who was to person 7 wives.

What did Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee do to Elizabeth Smart?

Mitchell first encountered nan Smart family and their Utah location successful November 2001, PEOPLE antecedently reported. Lois Smart met Mitchell while he was panhandling connected nan streets of Salt Lake City. At nan time, she gave him $5 and an connection to do immoderate roofing activity connected nan family’s location — an hold of kindness that was not uncommon for Lois and her hubby Ed, who were Mormons.

Mitchell returned to nan family’s Salt Lake City location months later pinch sinister intentions. On nan nighttime of June 5, 2002, nan self-proclaimed prophet trim a spread successful nan Smart’s room surface and entered nan chamber that Elizabeth shared pinch her younger sister, Mary Katherine. He past abducted nan 14-year-old Elizabeth astatine knifepoint.

“He placed his manus connected my thorax and past put nan weapon up to my neck,” she said successful national court successful October 2009. “He told maine to get up softly and if I didn’t past he would termination maine and my family.”

Mitchell past forced Elizabeth to march 3 miles done nan woods to a makeshift campy wherever Barzee was waiting. Elizabeth was changed into a clothes and wed to Mitchell successful a pseudo-ceremony performed by nan belief zealot himself. Mitchell past raped Elizabeth for nan first time.

Over nan adjacent 9 months, Mitchell raped Elizabeth up to 4 times per time and kept her tethered to a character pinch a cablegram erstwhile he was not assaulting her. Barzee not only witnessed everything but besides did thing to extremity it, Elizabeth later revealed.

“She would promote him to rape me. She would beryllium adjacent to me. The broadside of her assemblage would beryllium rubbing maine while he was raping me,” Elizabeth said during a September 2018 question and reply pinch CBS This Morning. “There were nary secrets. She knew what was going on.”

Did Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee kidnap different girls?

In July 2002, 7 weeks aft Elizabeth was taken, Mitchell attempted to abduct Elizabeth’s cousin, 18-year-old Jessica Wright.

Mitchell allegedly trim done Wright’s chamber model surface and attempted to participate her room utilizing a chair he placed beneath nan model — akin to really he had surgery into Elizabeth’s home, according to ABC News. However, successful Wright’s case, Mitchell fled erstwhile nan family canine began barking.

“When I heard that, I thought they were trying to get a companion for Elizabeth,” her uncle David told PEOPLE successful March 2003. “We were like, ‘No question, she’s alive.’ ”

Elizabeth later revealed successful her 2018 book, When There’s Hope: Healing, Moving Forward, and Never Giving Up, that Mitchell had attempted to kidnap different girl while she was successful captivity.

According to Elizabeth’s recollection, Mitchell began looking for his “next wife” and searched section churches for young girls. He befriended a Mormon family successful El Cajon, Calif., and aft learning they had a young daughter, selected her arsenic “his adjacent victim,” Elizabeth wrote.

One night, Mitchell near their campsite dressed successful acheronian apparel and pinch a weapon successful manus to kidnap nan young girl. However, his scheme was foiled erstwhile he entered nan location and was alarmed by a man snoring. The sound compelled Mitchell to time off and wantonness his plans to return nan young girl.

“I cognize astir group see snoring a wellness consequence aliases an annoyance, but successful nan lawsuit of this young girl, it saved her life,” Elizabeth wrote.

How were Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee caught?

The roadworthy to rescuing Elizabeth — and catching her captors — sewage its first break successful October 2002, erstwhile Elizabeth’s sister Mary Katherine told her parents she remembered who had taken her sister. Mary Katherine revealed it was nan worker she knew arsenic “Immanuel,” and Ed knew instantly it was nan man who had worked connected their roof, PEOPLE antecedently reported.

Based connected Mary Katherine’s recollections, a constabulary sketch of Mitchell was revealed successful February 2003. Following nan constabulary sketch, Mitchell’s sister came guardant and provided photos, which were past featured connected a February section of America’s Most Wanted. Additional photos of Mitchell were shown for a 2nd clip connected nan programme successful March.

On March 12, 2003, 2 abstracted couples who had seen America’s Most Wanted spotted Mitchell stepping astir Sandy, Utah, pinch 2 females and called 911, PEOPLE reported astatine nan time. When they were approached by constabulary officers, Elizabeth — who was disguised successful a grey wig and sunglasses — claimed her sanction was Augustine Marshall.

At nan constabulary station, Elizabeth yet confirmed her personality and was reunited pinch her family, while Mitchell and Barzee were arrested connected suspicion of aggravated kidnapping, The New York Times reported.

What happened astatine Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee’s trials?

Due to delays, intelligence evaluations and competency hearings, it took astir 8 years for Barzee and Mitchell to beryllium brought to proceedings for nan kidnapping of Elizabeth.

In November 2009, Barzee pleaded blameworthy to kidnapping and unlawful proscription of a insignificant successful a woody pinch prosecutors, The New York Times reported. As portion of her plea deal, Barzee besides agreed to cooperate successful nan lawsuit against her estranged husband, Mitchell. (Barzee revenge for divorcement successful November 2004, per the outlet.) In speech for her blameworthy plea and cooperation, Barzee was sentenced to 15 years successful national prison, according to The New York Times.

“I americium truthful sorry, Elizabeth, for each nan symptom and suffering I person caused you and your family,” Barzee said successful court. “It is my dream that you will beryllium capable to find it successful your bosom to forgive me.”

Mitchell’s proceedings began successful November 2010, and his defense tried to reason he was not blameworthy by logic of insanity, but was recovered competent to guidelines trial, per The Seattle Times.

In December 2010, a assemblage recovered Mitchell blameworthy of kidnapping and transporting a insignificant crossed authorities lines pinch nan intent to prosecute successful intersexual activity, The New York Times reported. He was sentenced to life successful prison.

Where is Wanda Barzee now?

After getting arrested by Utah authorities successful March 2003, Barzee spent nan adjacent respective years successful custody erstwhile she pled blameworthy successful November 2009. She was subsequently sentenced to 15 years successful national situation for her domiciled successful Elizabeth’s abduction, but received in installments for clip served.

In 2016, Barzee was transferred from a national situation to a Utah authorities situation to statesman serving her abstracted one-to-15-year condemnation for nan attempted abduction of Elizabeth’s cousin, NBC reported. However, successful June 2018, Barzee’s lawyer requested that she person in installments toward her authorities condemnation for her clip spent successful national prison.

Utah parole officials initially denied that petition and group Barzee’s condemnation to tally until January 2024. But nan parole committee unexpectedly reversed that determination successful September 2018 — ruling that, aft “further reappraisal and proposal from ineligible counsel,” Barzee’s clip spent successful national prison, arsenic good arsenic successful a authorities infirmary and jail, must beryllium credited toward her existent term.

The news near Elizabeth “surprised and disappointed,” she revealed successful a connection astatine nan time, per KSL. “It is incomprehensible really personification who has not cooperated pinch her intelligence wellness evaluations aliases consequence assessments and personification who did not show up to her ain parole proceeding tin beryllium released into our community,” Elizabeth said successful her statement.

During a property conference, Elizabeth urged nan parole committee to reconsider their decision. “I do judge she’s a threat,” she said astir Barzee. “I judge that she is simply a threat and a threat to immoderate susceptible personification successful our community, which is why our organization should beryllium worried.”

Barzee was fto retired of prison connected Sept. 19, 2018, and began 5 years of national supervised release. She was first placed successful a halfway house earlier moving into an flat successful Salt Lake City adjacent an simple school, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.

Following her early release, Elizabeth said out astir really she refused to fto nan past impact her coming happiness. “I’m not gonna fto these group aliases this female extremity maine from surviving nan life that I want to live, and that’s really I still feel,” she said.

Most recently, successful May 2025, Barzee was arrested for violating her parole. She allegedly visited parks successful Salt Lake City, which she is restricted from doing owed to her position arsenic a registered activity offender. A spokesperson for nan Salt Lake City Police (SLCP) told PEOPLE that "detectives developed information." Barzee was later released connected judicial orders and nan SLCP will proceed monitoring nan situation, requiring her to do play check-ins.

Where is Brian David Mitchell now?

While Barzee was released early from prison, Mitchell has been serving a life condemnation pinch nary anticipation of parole since being convicted successful 2010.

Mitchell is presently an inmate astatine nan United States Penitentiary, Terre Haute, a high-level information national situation successful Indiana, per its inmate directory.

With Mitchell down bars, Elizabeth revealed she does not walk overmuch clip reasoning astir nan man who permanently altered nan people of her life complete 2 decades ago.

“They’re not group that I deliberation of regularly,” she told PEOPLE astir her captors successful September 2024. “I conjecture each now and then, portion of maine wonders really you could get to a constituent wherever you would deliberation it's okay to kidnap a young girl.”

Mitchell, she added, “should ne'er get out” of prison.

“I conscionable deliberation nary matter what, if he sewage out, he would beryllium a threat if not to maine than to different young girl,” Elizabeth said. “I deliberation he will ever airs a threat.”