Warning: This article contains discussion of rape which some readers may find distressing.
The case of Elizabeth Smart’s kidnapping is back in the news after a brand-new Netflix true crime documentary film about her harrowing ordeal has come out.
In 2002, Smart was kidnapped from her home, with her nine-year-old sister Mary Katherine witnessing her being dragged out of bed with a knife to her throat. Elizabeth was just 14 and was taken for nine months, with Mary Katherine eventually figuring out who took her by reading the Guinness World Records book.
A man known as Immanuel, whose real name was Brian David Mitchell, had done work on their house months prior and decided to kidnap Elizabeth. Along with his wife Wanda Barzee, he took Elizabeth to the Utah mountains, where he kept her captive, raping her repeatedly and forcing her to drink alcohol.
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The pair were eventually caught after being spotted by a member of the public, with a police officer separating Elizabeth from Barzee and Mitchell and getting her to admit she was indeed the kidnapped girl authorities were searching for.
Where is Brian David Mitchell now?
Mitchell was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of kidnapping and transporting a minor across state lines with intent to engage in sexual activity. Though there was a possibility he could be found criminally insane at the time of his crimes, and thus not guilty, the presiding judge overruled this.
Currently serving out his sentence in a high security federal prison in Pennsylvania, he was transferred in October of 2025 from a prison in Indiana after two assaults while in custody.
Despite longstanding claims he was criminally insane, Smart claimed she was ‘100 percent’ certain he knew what he was doing during her capture.
Prior to his sentencing she spoke in court saying: “I don’t have very much to say to you. I know exactly what you did, and I know that you know what you did was wrong and you did it with a full knowledge of that.”
She went on to add: “I want you to know that I have a wonderful life now. No matter what you do, you will never affect me again. You took away nine months of my life that can never be returned, but I know that in this life or next, you will be held responsible for what you have done and I hope you’re ready for that when it comes.”
Where is Wanda Barzee now?
Barzee pled guilty to her part in kidnapping and transporting Elizabeth across state lines ‘with the intent of sexual activity’, being sentenced to 15 years in prison. She was released from prison in 2018 in a decision which her victim was outspoken in criticising.
Speaking to Skip Intro via Tudum, she said she was disappointed, but added: “Knowing that she was released also gave me such compassion for all of the victims whose perpetrators are never even named, and who live in constant fear of them coming back or hurting them again.
“As disappointed as I am, I am grateful for that understanding and compassion now that I’ve learned.”
Barzee was arrested in May of 2025 for entering a public park despite her position as a registered sex offender barring her from this, claiming she was 'commanded by the lord'.
The Elizabeth Smart Foundation released a statement calling this 'worrying', saying: "This incident highlights how crucial it is to enforce the sex offender registry, monitor release conditions, and evaluate individuals convicted of crimes like Barzee’s.
"Elizabeth Smart has continually expressed concern over Wanda Barzee’s release. Barzee’s violation affirms the need for ongoing reforms to protect survivors and prevent further trauma. At the same time, it reminds us that solutions are possible when communities, leaders, and institutions come together with a shared commitment to do better."
Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart is available to stream on Netflix now.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact The Survivors Trust for free on 08088 010 818, available 10am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-3pm and 6pm-8pm Monday to Thursday, 10am-12.30pm and 1.30pm-3pm on Fridays, 10am-12.30pm on Saturdays and 6pm-8pm on Sundays.
Topics: Netflix, True Crime, US News, Crime
Michael Slavin