Nancy Guthrie has been missing since February 1 and is believed to have been kidnapped from her home in Tucson, Arizona. Four months later, and there have been no major breakthroughs in the case; at least, nothing that has been shared publicly within the last few weeks.
The two biggest updates in the case have been the doorcam footage released by the FBI, showing an alleged suspect wearing gloves and a ski mask outside Guthrie’s home, and the ransom notes sent to media outlets demanding millions in the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Concerns for Guthrie’s well-being continue, and her loved ones and the public are desperate for answers about what happened to the 84-year-old grandmother. And now, criminal defense attorney RJ Dreiling is weighing in on the case, sharing how he believes the ransom notes were created solely as a distraction.
What Is the Significance of the Ransom Notes in Nancy Guthrie’s Case?
Getty“The lack of follow-through on any ransom demand makes it look like it was a distraction meant to throw off investigators,” Dreiling told Hello! Magazine. The ransom note was initially sent to TMZ but was later verified as legitimate.
Dreiling went on to describe the profile of the individual he believes to be behind the crime, and how he believes Guthrie was “kidnapped by someone familiar to her,” Hello! reports. Dreiling also shared how the suspect was skilled at covering his tracks. “This is someone intelligent enough to completely hide their tracks, including DNA, fingerprints, and electronic data, but also deranged enough to kidnap this woman out of her home and hold her hostage.”
Dreiling compared Guthrie’s case to the 1981 case involving actress Jodie Foster and John Hinckley Jr. The infamous case involved Hinckley Jr. attempting to assassinate the U.S. President Ronald Reagan, in the hopes of gaining Foster’s favor. Hinckley Jr.’s efforts were deluded. “What is worth considering are parallels to the Jodie Foster / John Hinckley Jr. case. Someone who is methodical in preparation but has a motive that makes no rational sense,” Dreiling said.
Dreiling also revealed that hope should not be lost, even though Guthrie is still missing four months later. “It’s important to remember that even though it has been a substantial amount of time since she went missing, hope is not lost,” he said.
Nancy Guthrie’s Case Still Has Hope of Being Resolved
GettyThe message of hope has been echoed by former FBI special agent Jason Pack, who gave an interview to Parade, published on June 1. “Four months in, cases like this don’t go cold, they go quiet,” Pack said. “That’s a very different thing. Investigators are still working, still following threads, and frankly still waiting on someone to make a mistake or a decision to come clean.”
While the public and Guthrie’s loved ones continue to pray for her and hope that she will be brought home safely, Pack has stressed that hope is a powerful thing and should still exist. “Hope absolutely remains. I’ve worked cases that looked like dead ends right up until the moment they weren’t,” he said.
