Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee remain largely in the background of Netflix’s Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart, allowing the Smarts to tell the story through their eyes. But the kidnappers exhibited behaviors and beliefs that provided warning signs long before the abduction.
Kidnapped is a new true crime documentary that details the horrifying ordeal Elizabeth Smart experienced on June 5, 2002, when at the age of 14, she was kidnapped from her family home in the Federal Heights neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Utah.
For nine months, her family and the authorities launched an exhaustive search for Elizabeth. But it wasn’t until the only witness to the crime – Elizabeth’s nine-year-old sister, Mary Katherine – unlocked a key memory that the perpetrators were caught.
Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee – religious fanatics who called themselves Immanuel David Isaiah and Hephzibah Eladah Isaiah – were finally arrested after Elizabeth was found alive, bringing an end to months of captivity and torture.
Where is Brian David Mitchell now?
Mitchell, now 72 years old, is currently serving life in prison without parole after being sentenced in 2011. Up until recently, he had been serving time at the United States Penitentiary, Terre Haute, a high-security federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana.
But in October 2025, WFIU/WTIU News reported that he had been transferred out of the prison after being attacked.
The high-profile nature of his crimes and the fact that he had sexually assaulted a minor makes Mitchell a target. The outlet stated that after being attacked in May, he was transferred to the facility’s Special Confinement Unit and kept in near-solitary conditions.
A second attack reportedly took place months later inside the unit. Mitchell’s case has drawn attention not just due to the nationwide search for Elizabeth but also the horrific nature of his crimes.
As revealed in the Netflix documentary, Mitchell and Barzee kidnapped Elizabeth and held her captive in the woods, where they would stay in a tent and Mitchell would repeatedly rape her.
Elizabeth herself appeared in court, where she recounted details of the daily torture she endured, having been starved, sexually assaulted, and forced to take drugs and drink alcohol. If she resisted, they threatened to kill her.
Although Mitchell was the main perpetrator, Barzee facilitated his crimes. Elizabeth was also forced to wear white robes that matched Barzee’s, with Mitchell claiming to be a prophet of god who experienced visions.
Following his arrest, disputes about his competency to stand trial led to delays, but the court case finally commenced in 2010. The following year, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole, with federal prosecutors citing the fact that he showed no remorse for his crimes.
In documents filed with the court prior to the sentencing hearing, they said to the judge, “The defendant’s history and character make clear that he is a danger to the community. A life sentence is necessary to protect the public from further crimes of the defendant.
“Not only is the defendant a recidivist, but his refusal to acknowledge the wrongfulness of his conduct poses an even greater risk of future crimes against children. The defendant cannot be released back into society.
“A sentence of life is an appropriate and reasonable sentence in this case.” The reasons for this are clear from the kidnapping case, but further insights into his background reinforce the judge’s decision.
The warning signs before Elizabeth Smart’s abduction
Long before he named himself “Immanuel David Isaiah,” Brian David Mitchell had a documented history of instability, sexual misconduct, and escalating extremist religious fixation.
Private detective Charles Montaldo wrote a profile of Mitchell, sharing more about his background. Born on October 18, 1953, in Salt Lake City, Utah, he was the third of six children to Mormon parents Irene and Shirl Mitchell.
The family were reportedly described by neighbors as “odd but decent” people, but the parents’ behavior raised questions. Notably, Shirl was said to have taught Mitchell about sex by showing him explicit pictures in a medical journal when he was eight years old.
At age 12, his father allegedly dropped him off in an unfamiliar area, leaving him alone to find his way home in a bid to teach him life lessons. As he grew older, Mitchell started becoming more isolated, and in high school, he was arrested for exposing himself to a four year old.
This led to arguments between the family and Mitchell became even more isolated, dropping out of high school and experimenting with drugs and alcohol.
Mitchell left Utah at 19 and soon married 16-year-old Karen Minor after she got pregnant. They had two children – Travis and Angela – and when the relationship between Mitchell and Karen broke down, they entered a custody battle, with Mitchell eventually taking them to New Hampshire.
In 1980, he had a change of heart when reconnecting with his brother: he returned to Utah, stopped using drugs, and became active in the Latter Day Saints church again, leading to him marrying his second wife, Debbie Mitchell.
Debbie had three daughters from a previous marriage, meaning together they had five children, but they still went on to have two more together. Over time, their relationship strained due to Mitchell’s behavior.
Travis and Angela were reportedly sent to foster care, and in 1984, Mitchell and Debbie got divorced. Debbie accused Mitchell of controlling behavior and abuse, saying that his obsession with Satan disturbed her.
She also alleged that Mitchell had sexually abused their three-year-old son, and although this couldn’t be medically confirmed, future visitations with his children were supervised by the DCFS.
Later, he was also accused of sexually abusing one of Debbie’s daughters over a period of four years. Debbie was said to have notified the LDS church, but the elders allegedly told her to drop the case.
Immediately after the divorce was finalized, Mitchell married Wanda Barzee, who herself had six children. She left her kids with her ex-husband, but after the new marriage, a few of them lived in their home.
However, Mitchell’s increasingly erratic behavior resulted in them leaving. According to one of his stepsons, Mitchell told him that he’d shot his dog in the head. By the ‘90s, Mitchell had renamed himself, claiming he was a prophet of God.
Meaning behind Immanuel David Isaiah & manifesto
Mitchell adopted the name Immanuel David Isaiah, which is a combination of biblical references. Immanuel translates to “God with us,” David represents the divinely chosen king of Israel, and Isaiah refers to the prophet associated with judgement and salvation.
Meanwhile, Barzee was named Hephzibah Eladah Isaiah. Hephzibah is a biblical name meaning “my delight is in her,” while Eladah means, “God adorns.”
Essentially, the couple’s self-proclaimed titles reinforced their delusions that Mitchell was God’s voice and Barzee was his chosen, obedient counterpart. The pair were known around Salt Lake City for preaching, panhandling, and dressing in white robes.
In early 2002 – months before Elizabeth Smart was abducted – Mitchell produced the 27-page document later circulated in the media as ‘The Book of Immanuel David Isaiah’.
Deseret News published the Associated Press-provided transcript in full, and it’s written in dense, pseudo-biblical language while being framed as direct revelations from God. Throughout, Mitchell positions himself not just as a prophet, but as a chosen figure of authority.
The manuscript repeatedly claims divine authorship, opening with sweeping declarations such as, “Hearken! Oh ye inhabitants of the earth… for it is I, the Lord God… that speaketh unto you,” before identifying Mitchell as God’s chosen servant.
Elsewhere, he writes that God has “raised up my servant Immanuel David Isaiah… to be a light and a covenant to my people,” placing himself above existing religious leaders and institutions.
A recurring theme is the rejection of mainstream churches, governments, and social systems, which the text describes as corrupt, wicked, or controlled by “false prophets.” The manuscript warns of imminent judgment and urges followers to separate themselves from the modern world.
Mitchell also frames his teachings to advocate for polygamy, outlining the plan that he launched by kidnapping Elizabeth: “Hephzibah, my most cherished angel, thou wilt take into thy heart and home seven sisters.”
Taken together, the manuscript presents Mitchell’s delusions of grandeur and coercive ideology, demonstrating how his beliefs were already firmly in place before June 2002.
These beliefs also contributed to his sentencing. As US Attorney for Utah Carlie Christensen said at the time, “A sentence of life in prison for Brian David Mitchell is an appropriate, just, and long overdue result for this community, the Smart family, and most importantly, Elizabeth.
“Mitchell’s heinous criminal conduct and the evidence of his propensity to reoffend warrant nothing less.” Christensen went on to say that the sentence won’t “erase the pain or emotional anguish of Elizabeth’s nine-month captivity.”
However, she continued, “A life sentence provides a measure of justice for Elizabeth and the assurance that Brian David Mitchell can never inflict such intolerable cruelty on any one else again.”
Where is Wanda Barzee now?
Wanda Barzee, now 80 years old, appears to still be living in Salt Lake City. Although she was released from prison in 2018, she was arrested last year for violating the terms of her sex offender status.
Barzee played an active role in Elizabeth Smart’s kidnapping, helping Mitchell restrain, conceal, and control the teenager during her captivity, and later pleading guilty to kidnapping.
She entered a plea deal in exchange for testifying against Mitchell, leading to her receiving 15 years in prison. Barzee was let out on parole in September 2018.
In 2010, one of Barzee’s children, LouRee Gayler, appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, where she described her mother as a “monster,” and even said Barzee tricked her into eating her pet rabbit as a child.
As a result of her conviction, Barzee is on Utah’s Sex Offender Registry, and in May 2025, she was arrested after allegedly visiting a park near her home in Salt Lake City – which violates the terms of the registry.
Sex offenders in Utah are required to check in twice a year, but after the arrest, Barzee reportedly has to do so weekly.
Brent Weisberg, a spokesperson for the police department, told People at the time, “Detectives developed information that Barzee had allegedly visited at least two parks in Salt Lake City, including Liberty Park and Sugar House Park, in violation of state law.”
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