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The sheriff leading the investigation into the alleged kidnapping of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother expressed frustration on Friday regarding the absence of usable surveillance footage from Nancy Guthrie’s residence on the day she disappeared. Despite the presence of a doorbell camera, it failed to capture any images due to it being disconnected before she went missing.
Detectives discovered that the camera was turned off early Sunday, shortly before software data indicated movement at the home. Unfortunately, without an active subscription, no footage could be retrieved, leaving investigators without crucial visual evidence.
“It’s quite disheartening,” remarked Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos during an interview at the department’s headquarters. “We were hopeful about the potential for images, only to realize that we don’t have them.” His comments underscore the challenges faced in the ongoing investigation.
As the search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie stretches into its sixth day, authorities have yet to identify any suspects or eliminate anyone from their inquiries, according to Nanos during a press briefing on Thursday. The situation remains tense and urgent as investigators continue to seek leads.
Authorities suspect Nancy Guthrie was forcibly taken from her home near Tucson over the weekend. Blood found on her front porch has been confirmed through DNA testing to belong to her, adding to the concern that she may have been abducted. The investigation is ongoing as officials work diligently to piece together what happened and bring her safely home.
The sheriff said he had no new information about purported ransom letters sent to some media outlets, saying that the FBI is handling that side of the investigation.
Tucson TV station KOLD said on Friday it received a new message, via email, tied to the Guthrie case. The station said it couldn’t disclose its contents. The FBI said it was aware of a new message and was reviewing its authenticity.
KOLD was one of the media outlets that received a ransom message earlier in the week.
The sheriff said Thursday that investigators have not given up on trying to retrieve footage from the home.
“I wish technology was as easy as we believe it is, that here’s a picture, here’s your bad guy. But it’s not,” Nanos told the AP. “There are pieces of information that come to us from these tech groups that say ‘this is what we have and we can’t get anymore.’”
Concern about Nancy Guthrie’s condition is growing because authorities say she needs daily medicine that’s vital to her health. She was said to have a pacemaker and dealt with high blood pressure and heart issues, according to sheriff’s dispatcher audio on broadcastify.com.
“Her conditions, I would imagine, are worsening day by day” Nanos said. “She requires medication. And I have no way of knowing whether they’re getting that medication to her.”
The sheriff acknowledged that investigators are not sharing everything they know about what happened.
“That’s not how we do police investigations. There has to be some control of your case,” Nanos said, noting that authorities have shared more as the case proceeded.
Savannah Guthrie, the longtime host of NBC’s morning show “Today,” and her two siblings released an emotional video message Wednesday to her mother’s kidnapper, saying they were ready to talk but wanted proof their mom was alive. Camron Guthrie repeated the family’s plea in a video posted Thursday.
“Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you. We haven’t heard anything directly,” he said.
It’s unclear if all of the ransom notes were identical. Heith Janke, the FBI chief in Phoenix, said details included a demand for money with a deadline that passed Thursday evening and a second deadline for Monday if the first one wasn’t met. At least one note mentioned a floodlight at Guthrie’s home and an Apple watch, Janke said.
The kidnapping captured the attention of Americans, including President Donald Trump, who said he was directing federal authorities to help with the investigation.
Attorney General Pam Bondi said Friday that federal authorities are assisting Arizona officials, but she declined to offer details.
“It breaks my heart for Savannah and for her family,” Bondi said. ___ Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. Associated Press writers Mike Catalini in Trenton, New Jersey, Julie Walker in New York and Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu contributed to this report.