NEWSNancy Guthrie Abduction May Have Been a 'Crime Gone Wrong,' Retired FBI Agent Claims
An FBI expert said Nancy Guthrie's abduction appeared to be a crime gone wrong, not a planned kidnapping for ransom.
Feb. 10 2026, Updated 11:28 a.m. ET
A law enforcement expert suggested that the circumstances surrounding Nancy Guthrie's abduction did not appear to involve a carefully planned kidnapping for ransom.
Instead, the facts point to a situation that may have spiraled out of control.
'Crime Gone Wrong'
A former FBI agent weighed in on the unusual circumstances surrounding the alleged ransom demands.
"The facts of what I see available to use right now are more in line with a potential crime gone wrong," retired FBI supervisory special agent Rob Chadwick said during an appearance on The Will Cain Show on Monday, February 9, per Fox News.
"It could've been targeted, could have been random – we don't know. But we don't see a traditional kidnapping or designed kidnapping for ransom," he continued.
The expert believes it's a 'potential crime gone wrong.'
Rob explained that the intense media attention following Nancy's disappearance appeared inconsistent with how professional abductors typically operate, as such crimes are usually designed to avoid widespread scrutiny.
He also suggested the individuals issuing ransom demands may not have been the same people involved in the initial incident inside Nancy's home, raising questions about whether the situation evolved after the crime took place.
"If someone were truly invested in trying to recover money for this case, they're going about it in a very, very different way," Rob said.
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Ransom Deadline
Nancy has been missing since January 31.
Tucson ABC affiliate KGUN9 reported that the Guthrie family had been given a deadline of Monday, February 9, at 5 p.m. Mountain Time to deposit the $6 million ransom in bitcoin.
As of Monday at 6 p.m. EST, the cryptocurrency wallet "was still empty," according to Fox News anchor Sandra Smith.
'Hour of Desperation'
The Guthrie family were given until Monday, February 9, to pay $6 million in bitcoin.
On Monday, Savannah Guthrie shared another heartbreaking video on Instagram, begging people for help.
"I wanted to come on and just share a few thoughts as we enter into another week of this nightmare," she began.
"Just want to say first of all, thank you much for all of the prayers and the love that we have felt, my sister and brother and I, and that our mom has felt because we believe that somehow, someway she is feeling these prayers," she said. "We believe our mom is still out there. We need your help."
Savannah said law enforcement was working "tirelessly around the clock" to try to find her mother, who has been missing since January 31.
"She was taken, and we don't know where. We need your help," she said while shaking her head. "So I'm coming on just to ask you, not just for your prayers, but no matter where you are, even if you're far from Tucson, if you see anything, hear anything that seems strange to you, that you report to law enforcement."
The journalist called it an "hour of desperation."
