A former FBI agent has said explained why the case of missing Nancy Guthrie remains “red hot.”
In a post on X early Sunday, Jennifer Coffindaffer said the case would only be “cold” if investigators had no leads, no interviews to conduct, no video footage to evaluate and no forensic evidence to examine.
“Nancy’s case is red hot (behind the scenes) in each of these categories,” she wrote. “Just because we don’t see what the FBI is investigating, I assure you they are drinking from a fire hose with more investigative leads than most cases ever have.”
The Context
The search for Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie, has now entered an eighth week. She was last seen at her home on January 31 in Tucson, Arizona, and was reported missing the following day. Authorities believe she was kidnapped and said drops of her blood were found on the front porch of her home.
Since the first days of her disappearance, authorities have expressed concern about her health because she needs vital daily medication.
On February 10, the FBI released video from a doorbell camera showing a man wearing a ski mask, a jacket, long pants, gloves and a handgun holster on Guthrie’s porch on the night she disappeared. Authorities have not publicly identified the person, whom they called a suspect, but the FBI described him as a male about 5-foot-9 or 5-foot-10 with an average build and said he was carrying a 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack.
Since then, investigators have not provided any details publicly about any significant breakthroughs in the case.
What To Know
Coffindaffer said that even though investigators have leads, it “doesn’t appear” they have a “set direction.”
She said that if investigators had probable cause or “even reasonable suspicion to believe someone was involved, they would likely make a move.”
It comes after reports that federal investigators have returned to Nancy Guthrie’s Catalina Foothills neighborhood to ask fresh questions about a vacant property and nearby construction activity.
NewsNation correspondent Brian Entin reported that investigators are focusing on a nearby property that was vacated shortly before her disappearance, as well as several homes under construction in the area. Agents have also reportedly requested the names of contractors and workers active in the neighborhood in the days and weeks leading up to Guthrie’s disappearance.
Asked for comment, a spokesman for the FBI’s Phoenix Field Office told Newsweek via email: “We typically don’t respond or reply to independent reporting. Additionally, as a DOJ rule, we don’t comment on ongoing investigations.”
On Saturday, Nancy Guthrie’s family released a new statement urging the community to renew its focus on the case.
They asked the community to revisit their memories as well as consult camera footage, journal notes, text messages, observations or conversations connected to two key time frames: January 31 and the early morning hours of February 1, as well as the late evening of January 11.
“No detail is too small. It may be the key,” the family said.
In an interview with NBC News last week, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators believe Guthrie’s kidnapping was targeted, but he warned that residents should remain wary as the suspect could “absolutely” strike again.
What People Are Saying
Savannah Guthrie and her family said in a statement released on Saturday: “We are deeply grateful for the outpouring from neighbors, friends, and the people of Tucson. We are all family now.
“We continue to believe it is Tucsonans, and the greater southern Arizona community, that hold the key to finding resolution in this case. Someone knows something. It’s possible a member of this community has information that they do not even realize is significant. We hope people search their memories, especially around the key timelines of January 31 and the early morning hours of February 1, as well as the late evening of January 11. We desperately ask this community for renewed attention to our mom’s case—please consult camera footage, journal notes, text messages, observations or conversations that in retrospect may hold significance. No detail is too small. It may be the key.
“We miss our mom with every breath and we cannot be in peace until she is home. We cannot grieve; we can only ache and wonder. Our focus is solely on finding her and bringing her home. We want to celebrate her beautiful and courageous life. But we cannot do that until she is brought to a final place of rest.”
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told NBC News: “We believe we know why he did this, and we believe that it was targeted. But we can’t—we’re not 100 percent sure of that, so it would be silly to tell people: ‘Yeah, don’t worry about it. You’re not his target.'”
He added: “Don’t think for a minute that because it happened to the Guthrie family, you’re safe. No, keep your wits about you.”
What Happens Next
Nancy Guthrie’s family is urging anyone who might have relevant information to come forward to investigators.
Anyone with information is urged to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), 520-351-4900 or 88-CRIME or visit tips.fbi.gov.
