FBI Doubles Reward for Info on Nancy Guthrie’s Abduction, Reveals New Suspect Details
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Today, the Phoenix branch of the Federal Bureau of Investigation increased the reward for information leading to the recovery of Nancy Guthrie or the arrest of anyone involved in her abduction.
The branch most local to the 84-year-old’s residence, where she went missing from over the weekend of Feb. 1, doubled its reward from $50,000 to $100,000 after “new identifying details about the suspect [were] confirmed after a forensic analysis of the doorbell camera footage.”
Recovered Doorbell Footage Has Revealed ‘New Identifying Information’ About the Suspect
Investigators describe their suspect as an average build male between 5’9″ and 5’10” tall, wearing a black, 25-liter ‘Ozark Trail Hiker Pack’ backpack in the footage uncovered from Guthrie’s doorbell cam earlier this week. High-quality photos of the backpack’s model were included in the new update.
It’s the hope of the FBI that this updated description will help potential witnesses narrow down their tips, which have exceeded 13,000 since the start of the case. Well-meaning supporters have also clogged up law enforcement phone lines with condolences directed to the Guthrie family.
“Every tip is reviewed for credibility, relevance, and information that can be acted upon by law enforcement,” the Bureau explained. “Threat Intake Examiners at the National Threat Operations Center (NTOC) and FBI personnel are supporting a 24-hour command post in which dozens of agents and investigators are assigned leads and tips to action each shift.”
The Reward Money Has Steadily Increased in the Weeks Since Nancy Disappeared
The local Sheriff’s Department originally offered a $2,500 reward, which led to some public backlash over the number of 0’s being advertised. The FBI later issued a $50,000 reward to be paid out should information verifiably lead to Guthrie or her kidnapper. Guthrie requires daily medication for a variety of medical conditions, and the family expressed concern from the start that she may not be able to survive without them.
Updates Have Been Slow to Come
Late in the evening of Feb. 6, an SUV presumed to belong to Nancy was seen being towed from her garage. Earlier that day, FBI agents were seen taking something off of the woman’s roof in drone footage.
Since then, police have questioned at least one person of interest, been seen conducting additional searches of Nancy’s home, as well as her daughter Annie Guthrie’s, and revealed a vehicle of interest, but there have been no concrete updates from investigators, who haven’t held a press conference in several days.
They continue to comb through local camera footage, and today asked residents in a narrowed search area to submit anything showing “vehicles, traffic, pedestrians, or suspicious activity” from about a month prior to Nancy’s abduction to the immediate days after.
FBI Contacts Mexican Authorities in Nancy Guthrie Kidnapping, New Ransom Demand
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The FBI has reached out to authorities in Mexico, in the hunt for Nancy Guthrie and her kidnapper, TMZ has learned … and TMZ has received a new ransom note.
Law enforcement sources involved in the investigation tell us … the FBI has contacted Mexican federal law enforcement to spread the word to various police agencies. We’re told so far there have been no solid leads.
New Footage Released Showing Potential Suspect at Home of Missing Nancy Guthrie
Our sources say the FBI believes it’s possible Nancy was taken across the border, but it’s unlikely it happened directly after the kidnapping. Authorities have checked Border Patrol cameras and other electronic devices, and they came up dry. That said, our sources say it’s possible Nancy could have been taken across the border at some other time. Of course, there are ways to evade authorities when crossing the border.
TMZ has obtained another ransom note — this one a highly sophisticated demand involving a cryptocurrency other than bitcoin. The email demands a dollar amount similar to the $6 million ransom demand in the previous email we received, days after the kidnapping. This email graphically describes the consequences if the ransom isn’t paid.
The new ransom demand email includes a crypto account number different from the original. We have forwarded the email on to the FBI and will not be more specific.
