Experts believe Sheriff Chris Nanos made another grave mistake in Nancy Guthrie’s “complicated” disappearance.
On Thursday, Nanos said he had theories about why Guthrie was “targeted” and warned residents in the Tucson, Arizona, community that the kidnappers could strike again, but declined to share further information.
Former FBI agent Jason Pack told Page Six of the official’s comments, “In my experience as an emergency management expert, it gets complicated when, in the same interview, he suggests that the suspect might attack again. Once you get that out there, whoever’s watching wants to know who’s at risk and what to do about it.”
“If you can’t answer those questions, you probably shouldn’t be leading the way with statements like that. Warnings without context don’t necessarily protect people. It makes people nervous. And this, when juxtaposed with the ‘targeted attack’ framework he proposed, is a little disturbing.”
Pack added, “These two ideas have to fit together well before they can go out into the world.”
Pack said the sheriff’s office and FBI work together on cases “of this magnitude,” with the latter “providing resources that the county sheriff’s office cannot match on its own.”
“When the public message is coordinated and comes from a unified voice, it shows that the joint investigation is firing on all cylinders,” Pack continued. “When a statement is issued before an adjustment, it raises questions about where the seams are.
“I hope that the seams are tighter behind closed doors than they appear on the outside. I think working closely with FBI leadership and having a little more discipline at the podium will be better for everyone as things progress.”
He defended Nanos’ refusal to reveal a motive, saying, “There’s an investigative reason for the sheriff to say he believes investigators know the motive but won’t share it. That’s it. You don’t give the suspect a road map of what you know. I don’t dispute that.”
Despite Nanos’ statement, Pack acknowledged that high-profile investigations are “among the most difficult things a law enforcement leader can face.”
“Nobody does everything well under that kind of sustained pressure. I respect the weight he carries,” he explained.
Pack’s hope is that Guthrie’s grieving family, including daughters Savannah and Annie and son Camron, will have a “dedicated point of contact within this investigation to keep them informed and to be with them as things unfold.”
On Thursday, Nanos told NBC News: “It would be foolish to tell people, ‘Yes, don’t worry. You’re not his target.'”
He urged others: “Don’t think for a second that just because it happened to the Guthrie family, it’s safe for others.”
He added that authorities “believe[Savannah Guthrie’s mother]was targeted” but “we’re not 100 percent sure.”
The sheriff added, “We believe we know why he did this,” but did not provide further details.
This is not the first blunder the Sheriff’s Office has been accused of making in an investigation.
Page Six reported that authorities missed a simple strategy they could have used to catch the kidnappers.
Bezalel Ehsan Labib, CEO and founder of Lionsgate Network, a cryptocurrency recovery service with expertise in blockchain forensics, told Page Six that authorities should have deposited a small balance in the ransom suspect’s Bitcoin account to ultimately locate him.
In exchange for Guthrie’s release, the ransom note at the beginning of the investigation demanded that $6 million in Bitcoin be sent to one address by two different deadlines, each with different deadlines.
The Daily Mail also reported that when the station began searching for the “Today” show co-host’s mother, it was unable to immediately fly a high-tech Cessna plane. This is because they had to wait several hours after their mother was reported missing before they could use a high-resolution infrared camera.
Guthrie was reported missing on February 1st.
The sheriff said at the time that he and investigators believed Guthrie was abducted while she was sleeping and was “harmed” in the process.
On February 10, photos and videos were released of a masked person entering Guthrie’s home wearing gloves and a backpack.
Many people have been questioned during the investigation after the photos and videos were released.
However, authorities have not made any arrests in connection with the kidnapping. The investigation is still ongoing.
