Ex-FBI Agent: Guthrie’s ‘Baffling’ Disappearance May Not Be Ransom Kidnapping

The perplexing vanishing of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, may not be a straightforward kidnapping for ransom, according to a former FBI special agent. James Gagliano, speaking with CNN’s Pamela Brown, expressed his doubts that the elderly mother of the television star was abducted by individuals seeking a substantial financial payout.

Nancy Guthrie has been missing since Sunday, February 1. In the days that followed, authorities reported discovering evidence at her residence in Tucson, Arizona, which led them to believe she had been abducted. Coinciding with this, alleged ransom notes have reportedly been sent to various media outlets.

The Rarity of Elderly Kidnappings

The Guthrie family has since released a series of emotional videos, making earnest pleas to Nancy’s alleged captors, urging them to release their beloved mother.

However, drawing upon his extensive experience in the field, James Gagliano remains unconvinced that the 84-year-old grandmother was forcibly taken against her will.

“Pam, I can give you a statistic here,” Gagliano stated. “Do you have any idea what percentage of kidnappings involve individuals aged 80 or older? It’s virtually infinitesimal. It’s less than half of one percent. This is precisely why this case, once again, is so baffling and confounding.”

The Pace of Kidnapping Operations

When directly questioned by Pamela Brown about whether he believed Nancy had been kidnapped, Gagliano responded with a definitive “No.” He elaborated, “There are numerous ways kidnappings can be conducted, correct?”

He then delved into a phenomenon he’d observed previously. “There’s a new trend emerging, and we saw this south of the border when I was stationed there, referred to as ‘virtual kidnappings.’ In these scenarios, perpetrators go to great lengths to convince you that they have your loved one in their so-called ‘possession,’ when in reality, they do not.”

“They act swiftly and are now leveraging AI, artificial intelligence, to help create this fog of uncertainty, thereby panicking families and compelling them to comply with their demands,” the CNN contributor explained. Gagliano further clarified that, based on his professional experience, he would expect kidnappers to have made contact with the family by now if it were a genuine abduction.

Savannah Guthrie’s Plea to Alleged Captors

Savannah Guthrie, 54, issued a public message on Saturday, February 7, stating, “We have received your message and we understand. We implore you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will find peace. This is incredibly important to us, and we will pay.”

In a subsequent video posted on Monday, the television personality expressed her conviction to her followers that Nancy “is still out there.”

“She was taken, and we don’t know where. We need your help,” she pleaded with the public. “So I’m coming to you today not just to ask for your prayers, but also to ask that no matter where you are, even if you are far from Tucson, if you see anything, hear anything that seems unusual to you, please report it to law enforcement.”

Last Known Sighting of Nancy Guthrie

Nancy Guthrie was reportedly last seen by her daughter, Annie Guthrie, at dinner on Saturday, January 31. It is believed that either Annie or her husband, Tommaso Cioni, dropped Nancy off at approximately 9:30 p.m.

Her disappearance was officially reported by family members the following day, around 12:15 p.m., after a parishioner from her church alerted them that she had failed to attend services.

Authorities discovered blood at the upscale Catalina Foothills home of the retiree. Additionally, there were indications of forced entry, and a portion of her Ring doorbell camera was also reported missing.

Law enforcement has announced a $50,000 reward for any information that leads to the recovery of Nancy Guthrie, “and or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.”