Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino outlined three troubling scenarios Monday night regarding the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie.
Speaking on “Hannity,” Bongino explained that investigators face mounting challenges as the case enters a critical phase with minimal concrete evidence.
Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Arizona residence earlier this month under what authorities have described as suspicious circumstances.
The case has attracted national attention, with multiple agencies including the FBI now involved in the search effort.
Bongino presented the first scenario as a traditional kidnapping situation.
He suggested this would involve an intended abduction with the goal of securing ransom payment from the victim’s family.
The second possibility outlined by Bongino centers on an unrelated crime that escalated unexpectedly.
He described a situation where individuals might have been at the residence for another purpose, such as burglary, when events took an unexpected turn.
“Someone was at the house, maybe it was a burglary, maybe something went bad, and you’ve got some bad actors committing another crime unrelated — in other words, requesting a ransom for something you didn’t do just to take advantage of a situation like this,” Bongino stated.
The third scenario presented what Bongino characterized as perhaps the most difficult possibility to consider. This theory suggests Guthrie’s disappearance might stem from a medical emergency or non-criminal incident that became misinterpreted as something more serious.
Bongino emphasized that investigators find themselves constrained by the absence of evidence rather than guided by concrete findings.
The former FBI official highlighted the missing digital and forensic indicators that typically emerge early in serious abduction cases.
He noted that extended periods without license plate readings, cellphone data, surveillance footage, or DNA evidence point to limited possibilities.
Such an evidence vacuum suggests either highly sophisticated perpetrators or indicates “the story you’ve been told, or you may have believed may not be the story,” according to Bongino.
While Bongino refrained from assigning probability rankings to the three scenarios, he confirmed all remain plausible given current investigative progress.
He referenced analysis from veteran FBI Special Agent Lance Leising, concurring that legitimate ransom kidnappings typically follow established patterns absent in this case.
These cases normally feature rapid communication, clear demands and early proof of life, Bongino explained.
“At this point, I think we have to consider everything outside the box, because whatever is inside the box is not really panning out right now,” Bongino said.
Savannah Guthrie issued an emotional public appeal as the investigation intensified.
She characterized the situation as an “hour of desperation” while requesting anyone with relevant information to contact authorities.
Law enforcement officials have been examining an alleged ransom note connected to the disappearance. Authorities have not publicly verified the authenticity of this note.
A deadline mentioned in the alleged ransom communication passed Monday night without any proof of life or case resolution, intensifying concerns surrounding Nancy Guthrie’s welfare.
Bongino indicated that investigators now navigate one of the most challenging periods in any missing-person case.
He warned that assumptions during this phase can prove as misleading as the lack of information itself.
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