The FBI has sent some special investigators to Salt Lake.
These so-called "Profilers" will try to figure out the personality traits of the suspect, which could help local authorities in their work.
Keith McCord explains how they do it.
While searchers and volunteers look for physical evidence in the case, the FBI has brought in specialists to examine evidence gathered so far.
Their job will be to give local investigators an idea as to the type of person who might commit such a crime.
Lou Bertram/Retired FBI Special Agent: "IT'S A 5 OR 6 PAGE REPORT DESCRIBING THE INDIVIDUAL, DESCRIBING WHAT THEIR HABITS ARE GOING TO BE, WHAT THEIR BACKGROUND WOULD BE-- PERSONALITY TRAITS."
These "psychological profiles" are based on previous cases.
Lou Bertram/Retired FBI Special Agent:"SIMILIARITIES."
McCord: "THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT?"
Bertram: "SIMILARITIES. MAYBE IN NEW YORK OR MARYLAND OR OREGON THEY HAD A SIMIILIAR TYPE OF ABDUCTION."
Retired Special Agent Lou Bertram, for years, worked with FBI profilers, helping them gather evidence. One of the cases involved the 1982 disappearance of Rachel Runyan.
Because there was so much evidence in that case, the profilers did come up with a suspect profile.
Lou Bertram/Retired FBI Special Agent: "WE HAD THE CRIME SCENE, THE ABDUCTION SCENE, WE HAD THE VICTIM. (edit) WE HAD THE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S REPORT. WE HAD EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING WAS COMPLETE."
But in the Elizabeth Smart case, there's not much to go on, at least right now.
Bertram says usually, profilers don't visit the scene. But in some cases-- when time is a critical factor-- they do.
It's been nearly three days since Elizabeth vanished, and authorities admit, a lot of pieces of the puzzle are still missing.
MCCORD: "HOW TOUGH IS THE CASE GOING TO BE TO SOLVE?"
BERTRAM: "THEY'RE GOING TO NEED A BREAK. A TREMENDOUS BREAK. I THINK PRETTY MUCH, SOMEONE SAW SOMETHING."
Leads continue to come in and authorities are following each one.
Bertram says profiling work isn't an exact science. But it is a valuable tool in helping with an investigation.
June 7, 2002
