Savannah Guthrie’s latest plea for her missing mom Nancy’s return points to cops still not having a suspect over a week into her disappearance, according to an expert.
The “Today” anchor appeared solo in a social media video Monday, sharing that the family still believes Nancy, 84, “is out there” and that they need the public’s help to find her. Savannah acknowledged that they were “at an hour of desperation.”
Former CIA member and FBI special agent Tracy Walder tells Page Six that unlike the previous social media video Savannah and her siblings, Annie and Camron, posted, the video on Monday didn’t appear to be scripted with the FBI.
“She doesn’t appear to be reading from a script,” Walder says. “At least in my opinion. It is truly an off-the-cuff video.”
“I think interestingly it points to the fact that they really and truly may not have a suspect,” she adds.
Walder says the video increases the validity of the ransom notes the family has received. Tucson, Ariz.’s ABC affiliate KGUN9 reported the potential captors demanded the Guthrie family pay $6 million in bitcoin by the deadline of Monday, Feb. 9 at 5 p.m. MT.
“She’s appealing to it. She knows there is a deadline and she’s desperate,” Walder says. “She does say she’s desperate. Whether this ransom is real or not, why would she say that? I don’t think the ransom is not true.”
“Her doing it alone, I think she is desperate and was like, ‘OK, the FBI is not here. I’m going to go ahead and make a video and use my own platform and appeal to America,’” she continued. “What seems to be the most logical is she decided, ‘I just need to say something now. I can’t keep waiting.’”
An alleged ransom account set up for Nancy’s return is reportedly still empty as a second deadline looms.
A bitcoin account was set up to accept funds in exchange for Nancy, but the balance stands at $0 with no transactions recorded, TMZ reported Monday.
On Saturday, Savannah and her siblings offered to pay their mom’s ransom in an emotional plea to her alleged captors.
“We received your message and we understand,” Savannah said.
“We beg you now to return our mother to us, so that we can celebrate with her,” she added. “This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”
Nancy was last seen on Jan. 31 by Annie’s husband, Tommaso Cioni, who dropped her off after dinner with him and his wife.
Authorities were spotted conducting a late-night search of Annie and Cioni’s home in Tucson on Saturday, reportedly taking photographs until around 10:30 p.m. MT.
Pima Country Sheriff’s Department told Page Six in a statement Sunday, “This remains an active and ongoing investigation. Detectives and agents continue to conduct follow-up at multiple locations.
“Details of that follow-up are not being released at this time. Investigators have not identified any suspects, persons of interest, or vehicles connected to this case.”
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