TRUE CRIME NEWSNancy Guthrie Likely Knew 'Psychopathic' Kidnapper, Claims Forensic Researcher
A forensic psychologist said that Nancy Guthrie most likely knew her 'too cool under pressure,' 'psychopathic' kidnapper.
April 17 2026, Published 8:04 a.m. ET
Dr. Gary Brucato, a forensic researcher and clinical psychologist, told NewsNation that the person responsible for Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance is likely someone she knew or with whom she had a "passing relationship.”
Appearing on NewsNation with senior national correspondent Brian Entin on Wednesday, April 15, Dr. Brucato said that it’s likely the 84-year-old mother of Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie is dead and will not be found intact.
He also noted that roughly 92 percent of women who are killed in the U.S. know their killer. He suggested the suspect demonstrated a "comfort level" that indicated they may have spent time in the home previously.
A forensic expert weighed in on who would have abudcted her.
“(The person) who did this probably has some passing relationship, at least, with this victim, and that matches some of the comfort level, potentially spending quite a lot of time in the house and things like that that we see on the (home surveillance video),” he said.
Based on surveillance footage, he described the individual as "way too cool under pressure," which may point to a "psychopathic character structure.”
He also believes the perpetrator is likely local to the Tucson, Ariz., area and ruled out sexual or typical robbery motives, instead profiling the abduction as "financially driven," possibly involving a group of people.
Nancy Guthrie has been missing since February 1.
Gary speculated that the suspect likely has a history of inappropriate or criminal behavior that would make them known to law enforcement.
“A lot of what we’re seeing is somebody who is way too cool under pressure, not even flinching under pressure. And that kind of person that when we see that, we start thinking about a person who probably has some psychopathic character structure because even somebody who is frequently committing a crime who isn’t psychopathic is going to look a little nervous,” he explained.
“The probability is very high that the person has had a long history of either inappropriate behavior that people would remember or criminal behavior. So that the individual that is on the camera looks to me like somebody who may very well have come into contact with law enforcement previously,” he added.
- 'I Do Not Believe You're Going to Find Her in One Piece': Nancy Guthrie Is Likely 'Not Alive,' Claims Expert as Search Continues
- Nancy Guthrie Case: There's 'No Direct Suspect' 2 Months After Savannah's Mom Mysteriously Vanishes, Source Reveals
- Nancy Guthrie Investigation Uncovers 'Biological Evidence' That Could Be From Kidnap Suspect: Source
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New hair samples from Nancy Guthrie's home could help the case.
A private lab in Florida that had been working with the Pima County Sheriff's Department transferred DNA samples to the FBI for testing with newer, more advanced technology.
Recent reports specify that the evidence now with the FBI includes hair samples found in Nancy's home.
Authorities have not officially named a suspect or person of interest in the case.
Previous analysis was slowed because the DNA recovered from the scene was a "mixed sample" containing genetic material from multiple people. Investigators are now working to isolate the relevant strands to identify a suspect.
Despite these developments, authorities have not officially named a suspect or person of interest in the case.
The Guthrie family is offering a $1 million reward for information leading to the recovery, while the FBI and Crime Stoppers are each offering $100,000, bringing the total reward to $1.2 million.
