Was Nancy Guthrie’s Alleged Abduction a Revenge Plot Against Savannah Guthrie? Sheriff Nanos Weighs In

More than six weeks after Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Catalina Foothills home, investigators have yet to identify a suspect, despite uncovering blood at the scene, surveillance footage of a masked individual, and alleged ransom notes.

Now, in a significant update, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has revealed that authorities believe the incident may not have been random.

Speaking to NBC Nightly News, Nanos said investigators are working with a possible motive, though uncertainty remains. “We believe we know why he did this, and we believe that it was targeted, but we, we can’t, we’re not 100% sure of that,” he said, reported The Mirror US.

“So it’d be silly to tell people, ‘Yeah, don’t worry about it. You’re, you’re not his target.’ Don’t think for a minute that because it happened to the Guthrie family, you’re safe. No, keep your wits about you,” Nanos added.

While ransom was initially considered a possible motive, former FBI special agent Harry Trombitas suggested that theory is losing traction.

He told Yahoo that while the motive could be money-related, it’s “appearing less and less” likely. “There’s too much involved,” Harry suggested, adding, “There are too many ways people can get caught.”

Trombitas explained that kidnappings for ransom are pretty uncommon, and have “really decreased over the years.” He said, “(The motive) could be for revenge of some type, anger, or it could be for a third purpose that we’re just not even aware of.”

Authorities continue to investigate the case as an active missing person inquiry. However, Trombitas acknowledged the challenges involved given Guthrie’s age and health.

“The FBI and law enforcement will continue to work this case as though she’s still alive,” Trombitas said. “I know that with her age, 84 years old, and some of her health conditions that she has, the prospects of her being found alive are not as great as they were originally.”

At the same time, investigator Morgan Wright believes the case may need to be viewed differently.

“At some point, you have to recognize this is no longer a missing person case,” Wright said. “Nancy was 84, was cardiac compromised, and was violently confronted at 2 a.m. in her own home. While people hope for her safe return, I take a pragmatic view… you must treat this as a no-body homicide,” he said, adding that the blood on the porch confirms a violent confrontation.

With no suspect identified and multiple theories still in play, the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie remains unresolved, with investigators still working to determine what happened.