Experts say Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapping was more likely to be related to her daughter, Savannah Guthrie, than financially motivated.
Despite the multimillion-dollar ransom demand, former CIA officer and FBI special agent Tracy Walder doesn’t believe the potential kidnappers are just after the “Today” anchor’s money.
“I don’t think it’s entirely about money. Her salary is largely public, but there are other people making more than her,” Walder tells Page Six.
“My gut feeling is that either this person has some sort of obsession with Savannah because of her high profile and this was a way to get closer to her, or I think this is someone who has some sort of connection to Savannah because of the articles she’s covered and the people she’s interviewed,” Walder continued the theory.
“I think there could be two different paths for a person: someone who was completely obsessed with her, or someone who was mad at her.”
“Savannah is a very public person,” Walder added. “I don’t think she ever expected something like this to happen, but I think this is a reminder for us to make sure[personal information]is kept private.”
Authorities said in a press conference Thursday that the ransom note was due by 5 p.m. Montana time on February 5, with a second deadline Monday.
Walder said the family and authorities are currently considering how to handle the alleged deadline.
“Families have either made a decision about what they’re going to do, or are about to make a decision,” she theorized. “I think the FBI is guiding that process.”
Walder previously told Page Six that Nancy had likely been “stalked for some time.”
“This is someone who is obviously wearing a suit and gloves, right? Even if they startled[Nancy]in her sleep, it’s very hard to believe that she didn’t fight back a little bit in some way,” she told Us.
“I understand that she is 84 years old and not in the best of health, but human nature is responsive and that means DNA.”
He could have gone somewhere. ”
At a news conference Thursday, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said Nancy’s doorbell camera was disconnected at about 1:47 a.m. Sunday, the day of her disappearance.
Walder noted that based on the timeline, the perpetrator was there for about 45 minutes and knew where the security cameras were installed.
“That could mean it’s a stalker. … I think they’ve probably been stalking her for a while and living a patterned life … her coming and going and things like that.”
Walder added: “There’s no way this was a robbery gone wrong.” “You’re not going to take that person with you. This can’t be random.”
Nancy did not show up for church and was reported missing on Sunday, February 1st.
At a news conference Thursday, Nanos said authorities are “actively investigating all” as suspects in Nancy’s kidnapping.
The sheriff previously said he and investigators believe Nancy was abducted while she was sleeping and was “harmed” in the process.
A blood stain was seen just outside her front door, and Nanos confirmed Thursday that it was Nancy’s.
Also during the press conference, FBI Phoenix Special Agent Heiss Janke revealed that a second deadline for the ransom note was set for Monday.
He also noted that the ransom note mentioned an “Apple Watch” and a “light projector.”
TMZ’s Harvey Levin, who received the ransom note, shared that the demand included details of Nancy’s potential location.
“There’s a radius around Tucson (Arizona), and this request seems to make that clear,” Levin said. “Based on what’s written there, I have real reason to believe this person is within a radius of the Tucson area. Authorities have a … radius and that’s something.”
However, he clarified: “To our knowledge, it is impossible to trace the origin of this email.”
On Wednesday night, Savannah and her siblings, Annie and Camron, begged for their mother’s safe return through an emotional Instagram video.
“Whoever is holding our mother, we want to hear from you. We haven’t heard anything directly,” Camron shared in an Instagram video Thursday night.
“We need a way to reach you and communicate with you in order for us to move forward. But first we have to know that you have our mother. We want to talk to you and are waiting to hear from you.”
