Former FBI Agents Offer Theories on Guthrie Abduction

Experts suggest Nancy Guthrie may have been targeted and taken across the border to Mexico

Feb. 5, 2026 at 6:23pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Former FBI agents are offering new theories on the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of 'Today' host Savannah Guthrie. Experts believe the abduction was a targeted crime, with the perpetrator potentially taking Guthrie across the border to Mexico. Authorities are searching the border region and working with Mexican officials, while also analyzing cell phone data and other digital forensic evidence found at the crime scene.

Why it matters

The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie has garnered national attention, as she is the mother of a high-profile television personality. The case highlights the challenges law enforcement faces in investigating a potential kidnapping, especially with the possibility that the perpetrator may have taken the victim across state or international borders.

The details

Former FBI agent Tracy Walder believes the abduction was a targeted crime, with the perpetrator potentially having surveilled Guthrie's home and routine. Walder notes that Guthrie's home is set back on a large property, suggesting the crime was not a random opportunity. Fellow former FBI agent Michael Harrigan says the presence of a Cellebrite digital forensics device at the crime scene indicates authorities are analyzing cell phone data and other digital evidence to track the perpetrator's movements.

  • The search for the missing grandmother was in its fifth day on Thursday, February 5, 2026.
  • Authorities believe the perpetrator had at least 9 hours before Guthrie was reported missing to travel a significant distance, potentially across the border to Mexico.

The players

Tracy Walder

A former Special Agent at the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office who also previously served as Staff Operations Officer at the CIA's Counterterrorism Center.

Michael Harrigan

A former FBI agent who was previously the chief of the FBI's Firearms Training Program.

Nancy Guthrie

The 84-year-old mother of 'Today' host Savannah Guthrie, who has been missing since February 5, 2026.

Savannah Guthrie

The host of the 'Today' show, whose mother Nancy Guthrie has gone missing.

Pima County Sheriff's Department

The law enforcement agency leading the investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance in Tucson, Arizona.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I feel that this was targeted. Her house is set pretty far back… It's on almost an acre of land. This isn't a place where the houses are really close together and people are looking for whatever's an easy opportunity.”

— Tracy Walder, Former Special Agent, FBI Los Angeles Field Office (The Post)

“I definitely think that they would be expanding out the search, particularly all the way towards the border. Tucson's just about an hour's drive, 60 miles-ish to the border, because you have to remember if this is a kidnapping, the kidnapper had at least nine hours until she was reported missing. You can get really far in nine hours.”

— Tracy Walder, Former Special Agent, FBI Los Angeles Field Office (The Post)

“Normally, once you surrender a crime scene, you're saying, 'I'm done with it, see you later, we've got everything we need.' But the decision to return indicates that from the time they surrendered the crime scene, some information, either forensic information or testimonial information, pointed to something in the residence that they may have missed or didn't consider at the time.”

— Michael Harrigan, Former Chief, FBI Firearms Training Program (The Post)

What’s next

Authorities are continuing to search the border region and work with Mexican officials, while also analyzing cell phone data and other digital evidence collected from the crime scene. They are also hoping to establish communication with the perpetrators to confirm Nancy Guthrie's well-being.

The takeaway

This case highlights the challenges law enforcement faces in investigating a potential kidnapping, especially when the victim may have been taken across state or international borders. The involvement of high-profile figures like Savannah Guthrie has also drawn national attention to the case, putting pressure on authorities to find Nancy Guthrie and bring her captors to justice.