Credit: Fox News & Pima County Sheriff’s Department
FBI Official Casts Doubt On Nancy Guthrie Kidnapping Case
A former FBI official has cast doubt over the abduction of Nancy Guthrie as the investigation into her disappearance reaches day nine.
The 84-year-old was reported missing on February 1 after she failed to arrive at a church service, sparking concern among her family.
It’s now been one week since President Trump ordered top federal officers from the FBI to work with the Guthrie family in search for their elderly mother, who they claim has been taken against her will.
Nancy’s daughter, Savannah, co-host of NBC’s Today show, reportedly earns upwards of $8 million per year – a motive which, it’s been suggested, may have prompted the abduction.
The ransom note
Federal law enforcement and local media received an alleged ransom note just days into the search, demanding $6 million in bitcoin to be deposited into an account.
The note contained two deadlines for payment, one having been last Thursday, and the second set for Monday, 5 p.m. Arizona time.
The ransom deadline has now passed, and concern is growing over Nancy’s disappearance.
The note specified a publicly viewable Bitcoin account where the payment was to be deposited.
Savannah and her family directly addressed the alleged ransom note in a statement, speaking to viewers on Instagram.
Sitting with her siblings, Cameron and Annie, the TV host said: “We received your message, and we understand.
“We beg you now to return our mother to us, so that we can celebrate with her.”
Guthrie added: “This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”
The deadline – what happens next?
Just three hours before the ransom deadline yesterday, Guthrie noted that her family was ‘at an hour of desperation.’
She pleaded with the public to be alert and report any suspicious behavior to law enforcement.
The FBI is now offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of Nancy.
In an update, the FBI wrote: “We are currently operating a 24-hour command post that includes crisis management experts, analytic support, and investigative teams.
“But we still need the public’s help. Someone has that one piece of information that can help us bring Nancy home.”
Officers are still working to verify the legitimacy of the ransom note, after a secondary note appears to now be in ciruclation.
Have the police identified anyone?
Investigators are still searching the area, reviewing digital evidence, and following up on leads, but as of yesterday, no suspects, vehicles, or persons of interest have been publicly named.
However, the FBI has made its first major breakthrough in the case, releasing surveillance images and a video – which were previously ‘inaccessible’ – that show a masked figure on Nancy’s doorstep on the morning of her kidnapping.
Officials haven’t publicly identified the individual, nor confirmed whether they are directly responsible for the kidnapping of the 84-year-old; however, it’s the most significant public lead in the case so far.
Guthrie claimed that officers are working ‘around the clock’ to bring her mom home, who requires urgent medication every 24 hours in order to survive.
It’s understood that Nancy vanished without the necessary medication.
The Guthrie family are almost certain that Nancy was taken against her will, echoing the sentiment of law enforcement.
Former FBI official casts doubt
Despite the ransom note having been issued and Nancy disappearing without a trace, one former top FBI official has raised concern over the narrative that the elderly woman has been kidnapped.
“I’m very skeptical of this,” former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker told Fox News.
He questioned: “Is this really a kidnapping? Does somebody really have her, and is she really alive?”
Casting doubt, Swecker added: “If this was a kidnapping, it would be a very simple matter to authenticate and provide proof of life.
“You have to allow for the possibility that this was something more or something other than a kidnapping.”
The former FBI assistant director noted that a single piece of evidence is yet to be ‘authenticated’ at this point.
He said: “Remember now, it was one million not too long ago. All of a sudden, it’s six million.
“I really think there’s a third party here that’s just playing with them, opportunists who think they can exploit this situation.”
Related Article: FBI Issues Devastating Update On Abduction Of Nancy Guthrie
Related Article: Alarming Reason Footage Of Nancy Guthrie’s Disappearance Can’t Be Recovered Despite Security Cameras
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