Elizabeth Smart Case Timeline (2002–2003)
The Elizabeth Smart case began in the early hours of June 5, 2002, when the 14-year-old was reported missing from her bedroom in the Federal Heights neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Utah. What followed was a nine-month investigation that evolved from a local missing-child case into one of the most closely followed criminal investigations in the United States.
This timeline documents key events from the initial 911 call through the national search effort, the early suspect focus, media escalation, and eventual recovery in March 2003. Where possible, events are presented chronologically and in the context of what was known at the time — including police statements, press briefings, and contemporaneous reporting.
The goal of this timeline is not interpretation, but structure: to clearly map how the case developed day by day, and how official information shifted as the investigation progressed.
Key Events in the Elizabeth Smart Case
June 5, 2002 – Reported missing from Federal Heights home
Early police response and neighborhood search
National media escalation
Richard Ricci named as person of interest
Continued investigative developments
March 12, 2003 – Elizabeth Smart located alive
Federal charges and court proceedings
Sentencing outcomes