Pima County Sheriff’s Department/AP
By Khaleda Rahman
National Correspondent
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A former FBI agent has listed seven reasons why the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie was likely not linked to cartels.
Jennifer Coffindaffer said the incident was likely not a cartel kidnapping because there was no ransom demand, and Guthrie's home near Tucson was "too off the beaten path."
Coffindaffer added that if a kidnapping had been carried out by a cartel, they "would have been in and out quickly" and "would not have used shrubbery to obscure their faces."
Read More on News
She also said that cartels had other ways to make money, and would not risk crossing the border for an 84-year-old woman given the current immigration enforcement operations across the U.S.
The Context
The search for Guthrie, the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, is in its third week. She was reported missing from her home on February 1 after spending the previous night with family, authorities said. Police believe she was taken against her will, and said her blood was found on her porch.
Purported ransom notes were sent to news outlets, but two deadlines have passed and law enforcement has not said if the notes were credible.
Last week, authorities released a description of a man seen on surveillance footage outside Guthrie's front door the night she disappeared.
Authorities have expressed concerns about her health because she needs daily medication.
...
What To Know
Bill Garcia, a private investigator, told Border Report on Thursday that he believes Nancy Guthrie was abducted by a cartel. However, he said he does not believe she was transported to Mexico because of the amount of surveillance and law enforcement between Tucson and the southern border.
The FBI has contacted authorities in Mexico about Guthrie's disappearance, TMZ reported on Wednesday, citing law enforcement sources. But Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators had found no evidence indicating that Guthrie was taken to Mexico.
The attorney general of the Mexican state of Sonora, which borders Arizona, said on Wednesday that his office had not received a formal request from authorities in the U.S. to collaborate in the investigation or provide any information or assistance.
The statement said that "should an official request be received through the appropriate institutional channels, it will be addressed with full cooperation and within the framework of its legal powers and existing cooperation mechanisms."
The Pima County Sheriff's Department said on Tuesday that DNA from gloves found two miles from Guthrie's home did not match any entries in CODIS, the FBI's national database. The FBI said the gloves appeared to match the gloves worn by the suspect seen in the surveillance footage.
The sheriff's department has also said investigators were turning to investigative genetic genealogy in a bid to track down the suspect. Coffindaffer told Newsweek that the method could help solve the case, though she said it could take weeks, if not longer, to yield a result.
The sheriff's department said on Tuesday that investigators were working with experts to try to locate Guthrie by detecting her pacemaker.
Investigators are also working with Walmart management to locate the individual who purchased a 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack seen in surveillance video captured by Guthrie's doorbell camera. The suspect was seen wearing the backpack, which is sold exclusively at Walmart.
The sheriff's department said the backpack remains the only clothing item that has been "positively identified."
The FBI said the suspect in the surveillance footage was a man about 5 feet, 9 or 10 inches tall with an average build.
Nanos said on Monday that the Guthrie family, including "all siblings and spouses," had been cleared as possible suspects in the case.
What People Are Saying
Private investigator Bill Garcia told Border Report on Thursday: "That particular area of Arizona is a high drug and money transporting area. It has deepened my belief that this is in some way related to a money-making venture by people involved with a cartel."
The Pima County Sheriff's Department said on Thursday: "This remains an active investigation. As long as leads continue to come in, investigators will continue to follow up on them. Currently, several hundred personnel are assigned to this case from various law enforcement agencies and are actively reviewing thousands of tips."
The department added: "Lab analysis continues on biological evidence (DNA) found at Nancy Guthrie's residence. To be clear - this is not new or different evidence from what was already recovered from the property."
Savannah Guthrie said in a video posted on Instagram on Sunday: "We still have hope and we still believe. And I wanted to say to whoever has her or knows where she is that it's never too late. And you're not lost or alone. And it is never too late to do the right thing. And we are here. And we believe in the essential goodness of every human being, that it's never too late."
What Happens Next
Anyone with information has been urged to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), 520-351-4900 or 88-CRIME or visit tips.fbi.gov.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines