More than ten days afterNancy Guthriedisappeared from her home in Tucson,Arizona, investigators say evidence points to a suspected abduction, with no confirmed proof of life received since she was last seen.
Guthrie, 84, is the mother ofNBC presenter Savannah Guthrie. She was last seen on the evening of 31 January and was reported missing the following morning after she failed to attend a scheduled church service. Family members raised the alarm when they were unable to contact her and found her home empty.
Police later confirmed that the property showed signs of tampering and possible violence. Authorities have said the circumstances suggest Guthrie did not leave voluntarily, and efforts to locate her have intensified as concern grows over her health and safety.
According toinvestigators, Guthrie was dropped off at her home in the Catalina Foothills area shortly before 10 pm on 31 January. When she did not answer calls the next morning or arrive at church, relatives went to check on her house.
Law enforcementlater identified several developments that raised immediate concern.Surveillance footageshowed a masked individual disconnecting a doorbell camera late that night. Motion was detected by a second camera minutes later.
New images in the search for Nancy Guthrie:Over the last eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department have been working closely with our private sector partners to continue to recover any images or video footage from Nancy Guthrie’s home that may have been lost,…pic.twitter.com/z5WLgPtZpT
Digital records also indicated that Guthrie's pacemaker monitoring application disconnected at approximately 2.28 am. Blood found on the front porch was later confirmed through DNA testing to belong to her, according toReuters. Investigators say these findings support the view that she was taken from the property against her will.
Officials have noted that Guthrie had limited mobility, relied on daily medication and required ongoing medical monitoring, making an unplanned departure unlikely.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department, working alongside theFBI, has classified the case as a suspected abduction and is treating the home as a crime scene. Investigators have examined physical evidence, analysed digital data and reviewed surveillance footage from the surrounding area.
Family members have reported receiving ransom messages demanding payment in cryptocurrency. Authorities have not verified the authenticity of the messages and say no proof of life has been provided. Several deadlines referenced in the communications have passed without further confirmed contact.
Source: International Business Times UK
