Additional Coverage:
- Bongino reveals ‘three possibilities’ in Nancy Guthrie case as FBI probes disappearance (foxnews.com)
Local Authorities Scramble for Clues in Nancy Guthrie Disappearance; Former FBI Official Weighs In
The perplexing disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of NBC “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie, continues to baffle investigators, prompting former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino to outline three distinct possibilities in the high-profile case. Guthrie vanished from her Arizona home earlier this month, leading to a multi-agency search now including the FBI.
Speaking on “Hannity” on Monday, Bongino detailed the challenging scenarios facing law enforcement amid a notable lack of concrete leads.
“The first [possibility] would be, obviously, it’s a kidnapping. That was an intended kidnapping for a ransom payment,” Bongino stated. This scenario suggests a pre-meditated abduction for financial gain.
The second possibility, according to Bongino, considers a crime that escalated unexpectedly. “The second possibility would be this was just a crime that went awry.
Someone was at the house, maybe it was a burglary, maybe something went bad, and you’ve got some bad actors committing another crime unrelated – in other words, requesting a ransom for something you didn’t do just to take advantage of a situation like this.” This theory posits that the initial incident may not have been a kidnapping, but rather a different crime that spun out of control, with a ransom demand later issued opportunistically.
A third, more unsettling, possibility raised by Bongino suggests that Guthrie’s disappearance might not be a kidnapping at all. He proposed it could be the result of a medical emergency or another non-criminal event, which was subsequently misinterpreted or misrepresented.
Bongino highlighted the absence of crucial digital, forensic, and surveillance indicators as a significant concern. He noted that when a person cannot be located within the initial days of a case, it often points to either highly sophisticated perpetrators or a narrative that may not fully reflect the truth of the situation. While declining to favor any single theory, Bongino emphasized that the lack of DNA, license plate hits, cellphone activity, or social media data casts serious doubt on the initial understanding of the case.
He also referenced observations from veteran FBI Special Agent Lance Leising, pointing out that legitimate ransom kidnappings typically involve swift communication and early proof of life-elements notably missing in Guthrie’s case.
“At this point, I think we have to consider everything outside the box, because whatever is inside the box is not really panning out right now,” Bongino concluded, underscoring the need for unconventional thinking in the investigation.
As the search intensified, Savannah Guthrie made a heartfelt public appeal for information, describing the situation as an “hour of desperation.” This plea came as authorities investigated an alleged ransom note tied to her mother’s disappearance, though the note’s authenticity has not been publicly confirmed.
Savannah urged anyone with information to come forward, particularly as investigators faced a looming deadline outlined in the note. That deadline passed Monday night without any proof of life or resolution in the case.