New Theory Emerges in Nancy Guthrie Case as FBI Veteran Raises Crypto-Linked ‘Wrench Attack’

NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, has been missing for almost four months, and the Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos revealed that his department is no longer directly in contact with the family.

Amid ongoing speculation surrounding the case, former FBI special agent Jennifer Coffindaffer on May 19 raised the possibility of a wrench attack. Posting on X, she said these are “very organized attacks against the rich to extort cryptocurrency via kidnappings/violent home invasions.”

“The puppet masters in these crimes are sophisticated,” she added.

The 84-year-old Tucson resident vanished from her ranch-style home on February 1, with drops of blood found on the front porch and a masked individual captured on a Ring doorbell camera. Despite ongoing efforts by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Guthrie remains missing.

In the social media post, Coffindaffer questioned why the FBI had not identified who sent the ransom notes to media outlets early in the investigation, despite the agency’s expertise.

“The FBI works with private SMEs (Subject matter experts) in the forensic digital arena, yet still no answers on who sent any of the messages. Why? Because they are a sophisticated network and they know their business,” the law enforcement expert said.

“This is the same reason the Bitcoin addresses haven’t been traced by the FBI. These extortionist/kidnappers are experienced in such matters.”

Coffindaffer argued that the case remains unsolved because of the sophisticated nature of whoever orchestrated the crime. “Are all of the ransom/extortion emails connected that were sent to TMZ? No one knows because none have been traced but they sure use the same modus operandi,” she said. “Porch Guy is a mope.”

Coffindaffer also pointed to a similar case involving two California teenagers accused of committing a crypto-related crime in Scottsdale in January.

“They wanted crypto, didn’t know each other before the crime, and purportedly were directed by ‘Red’ and ‘8’ as to their target and provided the seed money,” she wrote.

“No, these teens aren’t related to Nancy’s crime, but is a Wrench Ring connected? This is what makes sense. Remember, LE knew early on this was a kidnapping for ransom. They have said this and so has Savannah.”

A wrench attack, also known as a “$5 wrench attack,” refers to a physical assault or threat used to force cryptocurrency holders to reveal private keys or transfer funds. The term comes from an XKCD webcomic illustrating how an attacker could use violence to obtain passwords, according to Ledger.

These attacks can include home invasions, kidnappings, or robberies aimed at gaining immediate access to cryptocurrency holdings. Unlike traditional cybercrime, wrench attacks rely on physical intimidation and violence rather than hacking digital systems.

Such attacks are often carefully planned, with criminals researching and targeting victims in advance.

The last family member known to have seen Guthrie was her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, who dropped her off after a family dinner on January 31, just hours before the incident is believed to have occurred overnight.