Nancy Guthrie’s abduction is more likely connected to daughter Savannah Guthrie than motivated by money, according to an expert.
Despite the alleged ransom note demanding millions, former CIA member and FBI special agent Tracy Walder doesn’t believe the potential kidnappers are only after the “Today” show anchor’s money.
“I am not convinced it’s fully about money. Her salary is for the most part public, but there are other people who make more money than she does,” Walder tells Page Six.
Walder continued to theorize, “I, in my gut, feel like this is someone that either had some kind of obsession with Savannah because of how high profile she is, and this was a way to potentially get to her. Or this is a person that has some kind of beef with Savannah because of whatever story she covered or whoever she interviewed.
“I think you can kind of go two different ways. Someone who had a full obsession with her, or someone that was upset with her.”
“Savannah is such a public person,” Walder added. “I don’t think she would have ever thought something like this could happen, but I think it’s a reminder to us that we need to make sure [personal information] stays private.”
Authorities revealed during a press conference on Thursday that the ransom note allegedly had a 5 p.m. MT deadline for Feb. 5, with a second on Monday.
Walder said the family and authorities are now dealing with how to handle the alleged deadlines.
“Either the family has come to a decision, right, about what they’re going to do or they’re coming to that decision very, very soon,” she theorized. “I imagine the FBI is guiding them through that process.”
Walder previously told Page Six Nancy was likely “stalked for some time.”
“This is a person who is clearly suited up and gloved up, right? Even though they may have surprised [Nancy] in her sleep, I find it very hard to believe that she wouldn’t have fought back a little bit in some way,” she told us.
“I understand that she’s 84 and not of the best health, but human nature is to respond, which means DNA
could have gone places.”
During Thursday’s press conference, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos revealed Nancy’s doorbell camera disconnected around 1:47 a.m. on Sunday, the day of her disappearance.
Walder out points that based on the timeline, the perpetrator was there for around 45 minutes and knew where the security cameras were to remove them.
“That could mean it’s a stalker. … I think they probably stalked her for some time and got a pattern life … Her comings and goings and those kinds of things.”
Walder continued, “There’s no way this is a robbery gone wrong,” she added. “You’re not going to bring the person with you. There’s no way this is random.”
Nancy was reported missing on Sunday, Feb. 1, after she failed to show up to church.
In Thursday’s press conference, Nanos said authorities are “actively looking at everyone” as a suspect in Nancy’s kidnapping.
The Sheriff previously said that he and investigators believe Nancy was abducted in her sleep and “harmed” in the process.
A trail of blood was seen just outside her front door, which Nanos confirmed on Thursday belongs to Nancy.
Also during the press conference, FBI Phoenix’s special agent Heith Janke shared that the ransom note had a second deadline for Monday.
He also noted the ransom note mentioned “an Apple Watch” and a “flood light.”
TMZ’s Harvey Levin, whose outlet received the ransom note, shared that demand had details of Nancy’s potential location.
“There is a radius around Tucson, [Ariz.], that they kind of disclose in this demand letter,” Levin said. “There are real reasons, based on what’s written there, that I believe that this person is in the radius of the Tucson area. Authorities … have a radius, and that’s something.”
However, he clarified, “As far as we can tell, it’s impossible to trace the origin of this email.”
On Wednesday night, Savannah and her siblings, Annie and Camron, begged for the safe return of their mom via an emotional Instagram video.
Camron released his own Instagram video on Thursday evening, saying, “Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you. We haven’t heard anything directly.
“We need you to reach out and we need a way to communicate with you so we can move forward. But first we have to know you have our mom. We want to talk to you and we are waiting for contact.”