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A veteran law enforcement expert is raising serious questions about the investigation into the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie after her daughter revealed alarming new details about the night she vanished.
The concerns follow an emotional, three-part interview, “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie’s first since her mother disappeared, in which she described signs of a possible struggle, early fears of kidnapping and her belief that ransom notes sent to the family were real.
Randy Sutton, a retired Las Vegas police lieutenant who has been on the ground in Tucson since the early days of the investigation, told Fox News Digital those details and how they were handled early on could have had a significant impact on the trajectory of the case.
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Guthrie says doors were propped open
Guthrie described a troubling scene inside her mother’s home, pointing to multiple factors she believes indicate foul play.
She said doors were open, including one that had been “propped open,” there was blood on the front doorstep and the home’s Ring camera had been yanked off.
Sutton said the “propped open” door is a critical detail.
“That’s an interesting piece of evidence that we had not heard before,” he said, noting there has been no public indication of forced entry.
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He emphasized that investigators are dealing with multiple areas within the home, including entry points, the bedroom and locations where blood was found, making it a complex case.
At the same time, Sutton pushed back on speculation that the scene itself may have been staged.
“The question is, was the scene staged? … I don’t believe there’s anything that points to the scene being staged,” he said.
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Guthrie vanished in her pajamas with no shoes or medicine
Savannah Guthrie said her mother disappeared in her pajamas with no shoes and without her medication.
“It’s how is it possible that we are having to make video speaking to a kidnapper who took an 84-year-old woman,” she said. “In the dead of night. In her pajamas, with no shoes, without her medicine. This little person. And to beg for mercy.”
Sutton downplayed speculation about Nancy Guthrie not taking her evening medication.
“People don’t take their medication all the time. … I don’t think that’s a big issue,” Sutton said.
Guthrie also emphasized her mother’s physical condition, saying Nancy Guthrie was in significant pain and had very limited mobility — able to walk to the mailbox on a good day but often unable to do even that.
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Family believes Guthrie was kidnapped for ransom
The family’s immediate reaction was to suspect a kidnapping for ransom.
“Even on the phone. When I called him, he knew. And he said, ‘I think she’s been kidnapped for ransom,’” Savannah Guthrie said.
From the outset, the family feared her disappearance was not random but a targeted abduction.
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Sutton said that reaction is understandable given the circumstances.
“It’s not something outside the realm of possibility,” he said, adding there is no single “typical” kidnapping scenario.
Guthrie described the emotional toll of what followed, including the family’s decision to record a video appeal directed at a possible abductor.
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Family believes ransom notes are real
Savannah Guthrie also said she believes ransom notes sent to the family may be legitimate.
“I believe the two notes that we received that we responded to — I tend to believe those are real,” she said.
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Sutton, however, said aspects of the reported communications raise significant concerns.
“Kidnappings for ransom are very, very rare,” he said.
He noted that, in this case, the messages did not follow typical patterns.
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“They didn’t go through the family. They went through media outlets. That is not the norm,” Sutton said.
He also pointed to a key missing element.
“The fact that there was no back-and-forth. … I question whether any of these ransom demands were real,” Sutton said.
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Family faces ‘cruel speculation’
As “irresponsible and cruel speculation” has circulated, Savannah Guthrie said, she strongly defended her family against any suggestion of involvement.
“And no one took better care of my mom than my sister and brother-in-law. And no one protected my mom more than my brother,” she said. “And we love her, and she is our shining light. She’s our matriarch. She’s all we have.”
Sutton said while those statements are understandable, investigators cannot rule anyone out prematurely.
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“In any crime of violence … there is no way you can eliminate the family from being suspects until there is a full investigation,” he said. “Law enforcement has to follow the evidence where it leads.”
Guthrie also signaled growing frustration with the investigation’s progress.
“But we need answers,” she said.
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Sutton said frustration is warranted, pointing to what he described as critical missteps early in the case.
“This should have been locked down immediately,” he said, referring to the initial handling of the scene.
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He added that those early decisions may have had lasting consequences.
“Now the damage has been done,” Sutton said. “They have to go back … and redo all of their investigative work to see if there are any stones left unturned.”
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Sutton said one of the most striking aspects of Guthrie’s interview was the emotional weight she is carrying, particularly moments where she appeared to blame herself.
“The absolute pain and agony … it was palpable,” he said.
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He noted that Guthrie expressing guilt stood out but emphasized that reaction is common in cases involving violent crime.
“When she was talking about whether she caused this … that reaction is more common than people think,” Sutton said.
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“She has absolutely nothing to feel guilty about.”
Still, he warned that those feelings can linger.
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“This is something she will live with forever,” he said, adding that one of the most difficult realities for the family is the possibility they may never fully know what happened.
Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance remains unsolved, and her family continues to push for answers.
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A reward of more than $1 million is being offered for information leading to her recovery.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip to law enforcement.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
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