Former FBI agent Nicole Parker says the investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance still has not given the public clear enough answers, raising new criticism of how authorities have handled the case as investigators continue to search for a breakthrough.
Speaking on a recent edition of Fox News’ Hannity, Parker said comments from Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos did little to build confidence in the investigation. She pointed to his public remarks that investigators believe they know why Guthrie was targeted, while also saying they are not fully certain. “The [Pima County] Sheriff came out and said he believes that he knows why the offender did this,” Parker said. “But he also said, ‘We aren’t 100 percent sure why Nancy was targeted.’”
Parker said that kind of message is troubling in an active case. “So, for me, as an investigator, that doesn’t instill a lot of confidence, and that’s part of the problem with this investigation,” she said. She also argued that police need to speak more clearly when addressing the public, saying the case has included statements that were later pulled back or appeared to conflict with earlier comments.
Her remarks came as the investigation entered another day without a publicly identified suspect. Parker said that, based on what is publicly known, authorities have not named a suspect or pointed to any specific individual they are focusing on.
As of Friday night, March 13, investigators had also recovered additional imagery from motion-activated cameras at Nancy Guthrie’s Tucson-area home, but the material had not produced any publicly known breakthrough.
ABC News reported that the FBI was able to recover thumbnail images from cameras covering the pool, backyard and side yard, but not full video. The images reportedly showed nothing suspicious. Sources told ABC News the cameras captured nothing on the night of the abduction, a detail one source called “odd.” The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said it is continuing to review laboratory evidence along with camera images and video.
A day earlier, on Thursday, March 12, Nanos said investigators believe Guthrie may have been targeted, but warned they are not certain enough to say the public faces no risk.
In an interview with NBC News, Nanos said the person or people believed to be involved in Guthrie’s disappearance could strike again. Asked whether the suspect may target someone else, he replied, “Absolutely.” He said investigators believe they know why it happened and believe it was targeted, but are “not 100% sure.”
Nanos said it would be wrong to assure the public there is nothing to fear simply because the case appears tied to the Guthrie family. He urged residents to stay alert. He also said investigators formed strong views about the case from the first day and that those views have not changed. He declined to discuss a possible motive, saying details were being withheld to protect the investigation.
Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC’s Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has been missing since Jan. 31, when investigators believe she was abducted from her home in Tucson, Arizona. Authorities have released doorbell camera footage showing a masked suspect and shared a description of a possible abductor, but no arrests have been announced.
The Guthrie family is offering a $1 million reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s recovery. The FBI is separately offering $200,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction, including $100,000 donated anonymously. The case is still under investigation.
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