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- Wanda Barzee, 79, was recently arrested for visiting Salt Lake parks illegally.
- Barzee, a registered sex offender, is prohibited from entering community parks. She allegedly said she was commanded to visit them.
- Barzee was convicted of kidnapping Elizabeth Smart in 2002.
SALT LAKE CITY — Wanda Barzee, who along with her husband Brian David Mitchell kidnapped Elizabeth Smart 22 years ago, has been arrested again.
Barzee recently visited "at least two parks in Salt Lake City, including Liberty Park and Sugar House Park," which she is forbidden to do because she is a registered sex offender, said Salt Lake police spokesman Brent Weisberg.
Barzee, 79, who was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail under the name Wanda Mitchell, was arrested for investigation of being a sex offender in a protected area.
Mitchell and Barzee kidnapped 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart in 2002 from her home and held her captive until their arrests nine months later. After years of court battles over her competency, Barzee pleaded guilty in federal court in 2009 to kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor.
In 2010, Barzee was found competent to proceed in a separate state court case against her. She pleaded guilty and mentally ill in state court to the 2002 attempted kidnapping of Smart's cousin and was sentenced to up to 15 years in prison.
After completing her federal prison sentence, Barzee was returned to the Utah State Prison in April 2016. The Utah Board of Pardons and Parole gave Barzee credit for her time served in federal prison and released her on Sept. 19, 2018, after serving her full sentence.
In April, Barzee — who is not allowed to go to any community parks because of her sex offender status — "admitted that she went to Liberty Park in Salt Lake City … because 'she was commanded to by the Lord,'" according to a police booking affidavit. She "admitted to going to the park to sit on benches and feed ducks. (Barzee) also admitted to going to Sugar House Park in Salt Lake City after being 'commanded' to."
Barzee was booked into jail and was released shortly afterward pending the filing of any formal charges against her.
In 2011, Brian Mitchell was sentenced to life in federal prison.
