Days after NBC co-host Savannah Guthrie announced a $1 million reward on Instagram to help bring back her missing mother, Nancy Guthrie, experts believe investigators may be “running out of leads,” The Mirror reported.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen on January 31 at her home in Arizona, after which she was reported missing. More than 27 days have passed since she was last seen, with no breakthrough. The only breakthrough in the case so far was when the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released images from Guthrie’s doorbell camera footage of a masked man outside her home.
Earlier this week, Savannah called on people to help her family reunite with their 84-year-old mother.
Following Savannah’s statement, Michael Gould, a former Nassau County lieutenant and founder of the NYPD’s canine unit, shared his assessment of the current state of the investigation into Guthrie’s disappearance. The development came after a criminal lawyer revealed instances in the case that “must not add up”.
Read also | Nancy Guthrie case: Sheriff blocks FBI, manhunt enters 21st day – 10 updates
Investigators are running out of clues: Ex-Lt
Gould suggested that the substantial amount of the reward, which was in addition to the $100,000 reward announced by the FBI, indicated that investigators were “running out of leads.”
He added: “I believe (the cash reward) is an effort to recover Nancy’s body and bring answers to the family. The reward reflects the reality that investigators are likely running out of credible leads and that the family, heartbroken, has accepted that Nancy may be dead.”
Gould went on to say that he believed the ransoms sent to the media were fraudulent, adding that if the ransom was authentic, Guthrie’s family clearly had the means to pay the ransom. He noted: “The lack of proof of life – and the manner of communication – tells me this was never a plausible ransom situation.”
Gould said that while it is not unusual for families of significant resources to offer such large rewards, what is unusual is how the communication unfolded in this case, adding that the ransom usually requires proof of life, without which no rational exchange takes place.
Guthrie’s Suspect Left Digital Evidence?
Citing a forensics expert, Fox News reported that Guthrie’s suspect may have left behind digital evidence, adding that data from cellular network transmitters, Wi-Fi logs and other digital scraps could prove crucial in the case.
The development came after the Pima County Sheriff’s Department failed to match DNA samples from a glove that was found two miles from Guthrie’s home and was considered massive evidence.
The FBI returns Guthrie’s home to the family
Earlier on Thursday (local time), the FBI returned Nancy Guthrie’s home to her family, The Mirror reported. Citing sources, the report said such an act marks the “end of the line” in the ongoing search for her. After weeks of searching the property, Nancy Guthrie’s house is not considered a crime scene, leading to the home being returned to the family. It’s the second time the federal agency has returned the home to her family since she disappeared.
Read also | Nancy Guthrie Update: Detective Spots Live at Nancy’s House
