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Huge update in Nancy Guthrie case as Sheriff claims they have identified kidnapper's motive
More than a month after the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, authorities say they believe they understand why the 84-year-old was targeted in a suspected abduction.
The mother of Today anchor Savannah Guthrie was reported missing from her home in Catalina Foothills, Arizona on Feb. 1, launching a large investigation that is now more than 40 days old.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos shared a new update on Thursday during an interview with NBC Nightly News, saying investigators believe the crime may have been deliberate. At the same time, he warned residents not to assume the case was isolated.
Officials are still working to confirm key details surrounding the disappearance, including possible technical disruptions in the area the night Nancy went missing.
Sheriff warns suspect “could strike again”
Speaking with NBC News correspondent Liz Kreutz, Nanos said investigators believe they have a strong idea of the motive behind the suspected abduction, though those details are being kept private for now.
“We believe we know why he did this, and we believe that it was targeted, but we're not 100 percent sure of that, so it'd be silly to tell people, 'Yeah, don't worry about it. You're not his target.' Don't think for a moment because it happened to the Guthrie family you're safe. Keep your wits about you.”
The sheriff added that investigators formed early theories about what may have happened, and those views have not changed.
“From day one, we had some strong beliefs about what happened, and those beliefs haven't diminished,” he said.
Authorities are also examining whether an internet outage reported in the neighborhood the night Nancy disappeared could be connected. Investigators are considering the possibility that a Wi Fi jammer or another type of electrical disruption may have been used.
Nanos said, “We have our beliefs, everybody else has theirs.”
Questions around the sheriff’s résumé addressed
The investigation has also drawn attention to Sheriff Nanos himself after reports claimed he withheld physical evidence from the FBI, which is assisting with the case. Nanos denied those allegations in February, calling them “not even close to the truth.”
Another report published Monday by the Arizona Republic raised questions about discrepancies in his résumé related to his time with the El Paso Police Department. According to the report, his service ended in 1982, while the résumé listed 1984.
A representative for the Pima County Sheriff's Department later confirmed there were clerical mistakes.
“The Pima County Sheriff's Department recently identified two clerical errors in Sheriff Chris Nanos' publicly posted resume,” the statement said. “Both date discrepancies were administrative in nature and were not intended to mislead or misrepresent Sheriff Nanos' work history.”
The department clarified that Nanos served with the El Paso Police Department from 1976 to 1982 and that he was promoted to captain in 2007, not 2009. An updated résumé has since been posted to the department’s website.
Savannah Guthrie says family still hopes for a miracle
As investigators continue searching for answers, Savannah Guthrie has spoken publicly about the painful uncertainty facing her family.
In a video shared to Instagram on Feb. 24, the Today anchor said she and her siblings, Annie and Camron, are holding on to hope while also confronting the possibility that their mother may not be found alive.
“We still believe in a miracle, we still believe that she can come home — hope against hope,” Savannah said fighting back tears as she added that her family is “aching” for their missing matriarch. “As my sister says, 'We are blowing on the embers of hope.'”
Savannah has also acknowledged the possibility that her mother “may already be gone” as the search continues.