Nancy Guthrie detective refuses to rule out 'revenge' motive in kidnapping investigation update

Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, has been missing since February 1, and investigators say revenge has not been ruled out as a possible motive.

The 84-year-old mother of the Today co-host was last seen at her home in Tucson.

Chris Nanos of the Pima County Sheriff's Department raised the question in comments to the Daily Mail, asking whether the crime was financially motivated or driven by something more personal.

“Is it really for money, or is it for revenge for something?” Mr Nanos said.

He added that while a ransom demand has been received, it has not helped investigators determine whether financial gain was the true motive.

Mr Nanos also rejected suggestions the incident may have been a burglary gone wrong, a theory that had gained traction among some investigators, according to earlier reports.

He pointed to doorbell camera footage capturing a masked figure attempting to disable the security system as evidence of premeditation.

“This is somebody who’s disappeared from the face of the earth, and now we have a camera that says, ‘Here’s the person who did this,’” he said.

“That’s what makes me say this is a kidnapping.”

The individual recorded on Nancy's Nest camera was seen wearing a holstered firearm and carrying an overstuffed rucksack, further suggesting careful preparation rather than an opportunistic break-in.

A significant development emerged Sunday when the Federal Bureau of Investigation confirmed a glove recovered near the missing woman’s property appears to correspond with those worn by the armed suspect captured on surveillance footage.

An FBI spokesperson said: "The one with the DNA profile recovered is different and appears to match the gloves of the subject in the surveillance video."

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Investigators collected 16 gloves from the vicinity of Nancy's home, most of which were later identified as having been dropped by volunteers participating in the search.

The FBI received preliminary laboratory results from a private Florida facility on Saturday and was awaiting quality-control verification on Sunday.

Once confirmed, the DNA profile will be checked against Codis (Combined DNA Index System), the federal database of genetic profiles, potentially enabling authorities to identify the suspect if their DNA has previously been collected.

The search for Nancy has now entered its third week, with authorities receiving approximately 50,000 tips regarding her whereabouts.

Mr Nanos cautioned that locating the elderly woman could take time, telling The New York Times: “Maybe it’s an hour from now. Maybe it’s weeks or months or years from now. But we won’t quit. We’re going to find Nancy. We’re going to find this guy.”

Savannah, 54, released another video appeal on Sunday, urging whoever took her mother to come forward.

“It is never too late to do the right thing,” the television presenter said. “We believe in the essential goodness of every human being.”

A $100,000 (£73,364) reward remains available for information leading to Nancy's recovery or an arrest.

Support for Savannah continues to grow online, with celebrities and fans flooding the comments on the video appeal she posted yesterday.

“I’m so sorry you’re going through this nightmare. Praying for you and for your mother’s safety,” one person wrote, while another added: “We believe in you, and we stand with you, your family, and most of all, Nancy.”

A third commented: “I continue to pray every chance I get… I love you.”

Another penned: “We hope with you. May you all be wrapped in love and protection.”