Netflix’s new documentary, Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart, reexamines the teenager’s terrifying abduction more than two decades ago, as well as what happened to the captors responsible.
Brian David Mitchell and his then-wife Wanda Barzee abducted Elizabeth Smart in 2002. While Mitchell received a sentence to spend the rest of his life in prison for the horrific crime, Barzee is now released and attempting to adjust to free life. Barzee, 80, played a key role in Mitchell’s conviction, agreeing to cooperate with prosecutors as part of her own plea agreement.
However, Smart has offered details of Barzee’s own role in her nine-month ordeal, and vocally opposed her release from prison in 2018. Here’s what we know about Barzee’s life today and the ongoing consequences of her involvement in Smart’s kidnapping.
What Was Wanda Barzee’s Role in Elizabeth Smart’s Disappearance?
Wanda Barzee, born November 6, 1945, is the ex-wife of Brian David Mitchell. She was married to the convicted kidnapper at the time he abducted Smart from her Salt Lake City home in 2002.
The couple met in 1985 at a mental health counseling group and quickly struck up a relationship. By that time, Barzee had six children and was in the process of divorcing her first husband. The pair also shared a growing interest in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, as Mitchell had been ordained an elder. Mitchell and Barzee married that year on November 29.
In testimony during Mitchell’s 2010 trial in Salt Lake City, Barzee claimed that in 2001, Mitchell told her he had revelations about restoring the law of celestial marriage, an LDS doctrine that says marriage is destined to last beyond death into eternity, and that he was commanded to find girls aged 10 to 14 to marry.
Smart, 14 years old at the time, was kidnapped in June 2002. She later testified that Mitchell raped her daily and kept her chained to heavy cables to prevent her from escaping, threatening to kill her if she screamed or ran away. Smart later told CBS This Morning that Barzee often encouraged the sexual assaults.
The pair held Smart captive for nine months, and even temporarily took the young girl to San Diego, where they lived at a series of campsites and under bridges, according to History.com.
When Were Barzee and Mitchell Arrested, and What Were They Charged With?
Within a couple hours of their return to Salt Lake City from San Diego, multiple witnesses identified Smart and contacted police. On March 12, 2003, authorities pulled over a car containing Mitchell, Barzee, and Smart, who was wearing a gray wig and sunglasses and initially identified herself as Augustine Marshall.
Once Smart was positively identified, Barzee and Mitchell were charged with aggravated kidnapping, burglary and sexual assault.
Court records show Barzee filed for divorce from Mitchell in November 2004, according to the Deseret News.
In 2004, Barzee was declared mentally incompetent to stand trial. She was transferred to the Utah State Hospital, where doctors testified she claimed to receive messages from God through a television. By June 2006, a Utah district judge approved a plan to forcibly medicate Barzee in an effort to improve her competency. She previously refused medication because she didn’t believe she was mentally ill, according to the Deseret News. The ruling was upheld two years later, but temporarily halted.
Not long after, though, Barzee shifted the course of the Smart case with a surprise decision.
Did Wanda Barzee Apologize to Elizabeth Smart?
Facing life in prison, plus an additional 15 years for the second charge, Barzee accepted a deal with federal prosecutors in November 2009 and pleaded guilty to kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor.
Barzee also agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated kidnapping in state court and cooperate in the case against Mitchell, according to NBC7 in San Diego.
Barzee made a public apology during her court appearance, but Smart was not present as she prepared to serve an LDS mission in France. “I am so sorry, Elizabeth, for all the pain and suffering I have caused you and your family,” she said. “It is my hope that you will be able to find it in your heart to forgive me.”
Her own family also was the subject of Mitchell’s disturbing behavior, as Barzee admitted he once gave her the idea to prepare her daughter’s pet rabbit for dinner. She then told her daughter it was chicken.
When Was Barzee Released From Prison?
In April 2016, Barzee completed her federal sentence at a Texas prison and was transferred to the Draper Prison in Draper, Utah, to complete her state sentence.
Barzee was originally scheduled for release in 2024, but Utah authorities announced in September 2018 they had miscalculated her sentence. Barzee’s legal team had successfully argued her time served in federal prison should count toward her state conviction, according to ABC News.
A week later, Barzee was released with terms including federal supervision for five years and required registration as a sex offender. She was also banned from having any direct or indirect contact with the Smart family.
Elizabeth Smart delivered a public statement questioning Barzee’s release. “I would urge the powers that be and anyone who works under them to really strongly reconsider this situation, to look at all the facts, look at her mental status, and see if they really and honestly truly feel that she is no longer a threat,” she said.
In December 2018, the Salt Lake Tribune reported Barzee was initially placed in a halfway house and later moved into an apartment several blocks away from a Salt Lake City elementary school.
Why Was Barzee Arrested Again in 2025?
Barzee has successfully completed her parole following her release, but will be considered a registered sex offender for life, according to KSL TV5.
In May 2025, Barzee was arrested after allegedly visiting two Salt Lake City parks, which she is forbidden to do based on her sex offender terms. Barzee said she “was commanded to by the Lord” to go to the park and admitted to sitting on benches and feeding ducks, according to a police affidavit.
Barzee was released and appeared in court a month later to hear her updated charges. Although each count carries a penalty of up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine, Barzee was not expected to face additional prison time.
Following the incident, Smart’s father, Ed Smart, said in an interview he hoped Barzee would be monitored more closely with an ankle bracelet. “The issue is, can we keep the children safe?” he told KSLNewsRadio. “When she starts using the terms, you know, ‘God told me to,’ I think that we can’t allow that excuse to, you know, condone her behavior.”
How to Watch Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart on Netflix
Barzee did not participate in the new documentary, but will likely appear through archival footage. Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart features new interviews with Smart, members of her family, and others connected to the case.
Stream the film on Netflix now.
Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.
