NEWSNancy Guthrie Investigation Shifts After Ransom Deadline Passes With No Proof of Life
Nancy Guthrie ransom deadline passes with no proof of life, raising fears the demand may be a hoax.
Feb. 10 2026, Published 1:47 p.m. ET
The investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie has taken a sobering turn.
After a ransom deadline passed without proof of life, experts warned that the demand may have been an elaborate hoax rather than evidence of a kidnapping.
Passed Ransom Deadline
A photo of an alleged suspect was released on February 10.
The supposed abductors had set a 5 p.m. Arizona time deadline on Monday, February 9, reportedly demanding $6 million in Bitcoin for the return of the 84-year-old.
When the deadline expired without further communication or consequence, investigators were left reassessing whether the ransom claims were ever legitimate.
An Expert Weighs In
Experts suggested the alleged ransom may have been a false threat.
Former SWAT team captain Josh Schirard told Daily Mail that the missed deadline signaled a clear shift for law enforcement.
"The deadline passing just tells law enforcement we need to close this particular path of investigation and continue putting efforts and resources and assets into the ones that might be more viable," he said.
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'This Wasn't Real'
Savannah Guthrie’s desperation was reportedly exploited by opportunists.
No direct line of communication was ever established between the Guthrie family and those claiming responsibility for Nancy's disappearance.
As the deadline approached, Savannah Guthrie made a public plea, posting a video on Instagram urging anyone with information to come forward in hopes of bringing her mother home safely.
The Today show anchor described the moment as an "hour of desperation." Just days earlier, she had released another video addressing the anonymous figures behind the demand, saying, "We will pay."
According to Josh, that desperation may have been exploited by opportunists with no real knowledge of Nancy's whereabouts.
"Everyone has questioned the legitimacy and authenticity of these ransom notes and... this just tells us that, okay, this wasn't real," he said.
Not a 'Traditional Kidnapping'
Nancy has been missing since January 31.
On Monday, a law enforcement expert argued the abduction could have been a situation that spiraled out of control.
"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.
Rob noted that the heavy media coverage of Nancy's disappearance seemed unusual for a kidnapping, as such crimes are typically planned to stay out of the public eye.
He also suggested that the people making the ransom demands might not have been the same individuals involved in the original incident at Nancy’s home, leaving open the possibility that the situation changed after the initial crime occurred.
"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.
On February 10, a photo of the alleged kidnapper was released, showing a person in a mask.
