If I recall, didn't the Smart family obscure their children's faces from the media after Elizabeth's kidnapping? Didn't they obscure Mary Katherine's face, and certain information she had, from the public? She was admittedly a few years older, but still a young child that did not appear to hold any real clue that would help identify the kidnapper. Regardless, her family protected her,
JUST IN CASE.
MARY KATHERINE'S RECALL OF A SINGLE CHARACTERISTIC, ONCE PUT IN CONTEXT, SINGLE-HANDEDLY LED TO THE IDENTITY OF HER SISTER'S KIDNAPPER.
RJ's information might seem of little value now, but I believe the most damaging thing learned from that interview was,
RJ WAS AWAKE AND WITNESSED THE KIDNAPPING. That is very unsettling to say the least. Who knows (and now the abductor has reason to consider) the potential clues that WITNESS may hold somewhere down the line (Mary Katherine's epiphany took 9 months).
What value does his experience hold once placed in the proper context?
**Brian Mitchell did attempt (unsuccessfully) to go back and kidnap another relative of Elizabeth's.