Tag: nancy-guthrie

The contents of this blog are a compendium of various media reports supplemented by my own personal opinion where indicated.

Unlike most of the commentators who have opined on Nancy Guthrie’s mysterious disappearance and the subsequent investigation I am neither an experienced law enforcement officer nor an attorney. Nevertheless, I feel compelled to offer my opinion on the matter. Feel free to disagree.

As most of you know, Nancy Guthrie is the mother of Savannah Guthrie, one of the hosts of the Today show on NBC. She was last seen on the night of January 31 around 9:30pm. Her pacemaker and Nest Cam were disconnected at around 2:00am the next day. She was reported missing that same day. As I write this she has been missing for over two weeks, and despite extensive law enforcement action and publicity the authorities have no suspects or even persons of interest. The police have detained and questioned five suspects, but subsequently each was released.

Authorities have released a description of a suspect who was recorded wearing a mask and gloves and tampering with the doorbell camera in front of Nancy’s house in the early morning hours of February 1 around the time she went missing. He has been described as a male between 5’9” and 5’10,” with an average build carrying a 25-liter “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack” backpack. To date, the best lead has been a glove containing DNA evidence that was recovered roughly two miles from Guthrie’s home. Said glove appears to be consistent with the glove worn by the aforementioned person who was recorded by Nancy’s doorbell camera on the morning she disappeared. The DNA on the glove is still being tested.

After weeks of searching for evidence authorities found an additional three gloves just off the road a short distance from Nancy’s house. It appears that these gloves were overlooked in the initial search for evidence even though they were in “plain sight.” These gloves are also being tested for DNA, but currently it is not known if they have any connection with the case.

There is a $100,000 reward for information leading to Nancy’s rescue or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance. Oddly, after a few days the kidnappers sent a series of ransom notes demanding millions of dollars. That was to be expected. The family was willing to pay, but demanded “proof of life,” which is reasonable and prudent. So far, the kidnappers have been unwilling or unable to comply.

This is the strangest case of an abduction I can recall. Virtually nothing about it makes sense.

For example:

1. Why kidnap an 84-year-old person who is such high maintenance. Assuming you want to keep her alive and collect a ransom it complicates the situation immeasurably. Nancy is sick, has a pacemaker, needs to take certain medication daily to stay alive, and has limited mobility, among other issues. That never made sense to me.
2. If the goal is to collect a ransom why not work with the Guthrie family, which has readily offered to pay it.
3. It bothers me that the kidnapper(s) have not agreed to demonstrate “proof of life.” It is not hard to do. It makes me doubt that Nancy is still alive and well.
4. The investigation has taken far too long and has shown very little progress. The Pima County sheriff’s behavior has been puzzling, to say the least. At first, he was reluctant to request assistance from the FBI. Then, when he finally agreed to do so he failed to cooperate fully. The most obvious instance is that the sheriff used a lab in Florida to analyze DNA instead of the FBI’s lab, which is simply the best. As I write this, said lab has not provided an analysis.
5. Turf wars between the Feds and local law enforcement is not unusual, but assuming the ultimate goal is to find Nancy alive and well, time is of the essence. As we all know, the FBI has far more experience and expertise in solving this type of crime and far better resources.
6. The Guthrie Family has reiterated several times that it is willing to pay a ransom provided that the kidnappers can show “proof of life” beforehand. Savannah has implored to the kidnappers “it is never too late to do the right thing.” So far, the kidnappers have declined to do so, which raises suspicions of Nancy’s well-being.

Currently, law enforcement is attempting to locate Nancy through her pacemaker. Apparently, it emits a ping, and the FBI is employing advanced technology that it is hoped can trace it. It has been using helicopters equipped with a “signal sniffer” device. Amazing technology. I hope it works.

Conclusion

As I said, this has been a very odd case. Some people have speculated that it was not an intended kidnapping but a burglary that spun out of control. The investigation has been inefficient and uncoordinated and fraught with “turf wars” between the locals and the Feds to the detriment of the victim and her loved ones.

I hope and pray that Nancy will be found alive and well, but I am not optimistic. Sad to say, as time goes on a happy result becomes less and less likely. At some point I expect the emphasis will switch from “rescue” to “recovery.”