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By Jenna Sundel
News Reporter
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Several experts have questioned whether Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, was kidnapped.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department believes Nancy was taken "possibly in the middle of the night, and that includes possible kidnapping or abduction," NBC News reported.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said at a press conference last week there were things at the crime scene that indicated Nancy "did not leave on her own."
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Veteran homicide investigator Paul Ciolino told the New York Post, “I don't think she was kidnapped. We would’ve heard. Listen, there would’ve been a video, there would’ve been a photograph, there would’ve been something, a lock of hair, a drop of blood, something mailed to somebody so they could verify, ‘yes, in fact, these people have my mother.’”
Chris Swecker, a former FBI assistant director, said on Fox News on Sunday, “The question really is, and I’m very skeptical of this, is this really a kidnapping? Does somebody have her and is she really alive? We don’t have the answers to that question right now.”
The Context
Nancy has been missing for over a week, and her disappearance continues to receive national attention.
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She was last seen at her home in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood of Tucson, Arizona, on January 31. An alleged ransom note was sent to local news stations and TMZ after her disappearance. Investigators in the abduction case are consulting AI experts to examine the ransom notes and determine their validity and possible origins, sources told The LA Times on Monday.
Nanos has said Nancy needs daily medication, and it could be fatal if she did not have the medication every 24 hours.
What To Know
Ciolino told the New York Post that there have been no negotiations for the return of Nancy.
“No one’s called up and said, ‘Hey, where is my money?’ That hasn’t happened, for the simple reason, is nobody has kidnapped her, I don’t think,” he told the outlet.
Ciolino told the outlet, “The total lack of forensic evidence of anyone being in that house, of grabbing her, is another clue she wasn’t kidnapped.”
Swecker told Fox News that authorities were continuing searches because they are “giving some leeway for some possibility that this is not a kidnapping.”
“I'm very skeptical it is one in the first place," he told the outlet.
Gregory Vecchi, retired FBI special agent/criminal investigator, previously told Newsweek that “there’s some evidence that suggests that it’s a kidnapping.” He said the case is “unusual.”
"Where it’s really different in this case is that most ransom cases are private. They’re private between the suspect, between the kidnapper and the family. They don’t want public publicity. They don’t want law enforcement at all to be involved," Vecchi said.
Latest Updates in Nancy Guthrie Case
Savannah posted a new video to Instagram on Monday, asking the public for help.
"We believe our mom is still out there," Savannah said in the clip, shared on her Instagram. "We need your help. Law enforcement is working tirelessly around the clock trying to bring her home, trying to find her. She was taken, and we don't know where."
She said, "No matter where you are, even if you're far from Tucson, if you see anything, you hear anything, if there's anything at all that seems strange to you, that you report to law enforcement. We are at an hour of desperation, and we need your help."
On Saturday, Savannah delivered a video message to her mother's alleged abductors, alongside her two siblings, Annie and Camron.
“We received your message and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay,” Savannah said.
In a previous video message posted on Wednesday, Savannah said, “We are ready to talk. However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us."
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department told Newsweek that it will maintain a presence at Nancy’s home for “security purposes going forward.” The sheriff’s department said the presence was requested by the Guthrie family.
Law enforcement officials were seen at the home of Annie Guthrie, Nancy’s daughter, on Saturday, according to reports by NewsNation and PEOPLE.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department told Newsweek that “detectives and agents continue to conduct follow-up at multiple locations," adding that "details of that follow-up are not being released at this time.”
The sheriff’s department said, “Investigators have not identified any suspects, persons of interest, or vehicles connected to this case.”
What People Are Saying
Gregory Vecchi, retired FBI special agent/criminal investigator, in comments to Newsweek last week: “There’s evidence to suggest that there is some sort of an abduction that happened, and I think that them going down the road on doing the video and following those leads, I think that’s really good police work on that.”
Paul Ciolino, veteran homicide investigator, in comments to the New York Post: “If she was taken, we’d pretty much know for sure at this point she was really taken. There’d be some forensic evidence to help indicate that happened. Because the feds aren’t talking about it, I’m pretty sure there’s no forensic evidence indicating she was kidnapped at all.”
What Happens Next
Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Individuals can also contact their local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. Tips can be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the recovery of Nancy Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.
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