Private investigator Dan Ribacoff has stated that Nancy Guthrie's body is unlikely to be found if she was murdered during a botched abduction. Speaking to the BBC, Ribacoff explained that turning the case from a kidnapping to a murder probe would likely drive those responsible underground.
Case Background
Nancy Guthrie, 84, mother of US TV journalist Savannah Guthrie, vanished from her home in the Catalina Foothills near Tucson, Arizona, on February 1. The Pima County Sheriff's Department, alongside the FBI, believes she was taken against her will in a targeted crime. Despite a massive search, extensive media coverage, and a $1 million reward offered by her family, her whereabouts remain unknown after five months.
Ransom Notes and FBI Response
Three ransom notes have been sent, demanding millions of dollars in cryptocurrency. Initially treated as genuine, Reuters reported that the FBI now considers some of them fakes. The Phoenix FBI later clarified on X that while some notes have been deemed extortion attempts without legitimacy, other ransom demands may potentially be legitimate.
Investigator's Analysis
Ribacoff, founder of the International Investigative Group, suggested that if Nancy died during the abduction, the case becomes a murder, not just a kidnapping. 'It probably drove the criminal underground,' he said. 'He doesn't want to release where the body is buried, because he doesn't want to expose himself.' Ribacoff believes that if the abduction had gone as planned, a ransom would have been paid, and Nancy would have been released, generating leads through IP addresses or phone records. However, evidence went cold quickly after the kidnapping.
Disappearance Details
Nancy, who has limited mobility and relies on medication, disappeared in the early hours of February 1. Doorbell footage captured a masked individual carrying a backpack approaching her porch before the camera was disconnected. Her family was alerted the next day when she failed to show up at a friend's house for church, prompting a search.
Public Appeals
Savannah Guthrie, 54, has made several emotional public pleas for her mother's safe return. In a direct appeal to the abductors, she said: '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.'
Ongoing Investigation
The Pima County Sheriff's Department told Metro: 'The investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie remains active and ongoing. The Pima County Sheriff's Department continues to work closely with the FBI as investigators follow up on leads, review information, and pursue the facts surrounding this case.'
