Nancy Guthrie Kidnapping May Be 'Revenge' — As Psychiatric Nurse Suspects 'Something Went Very Wrong' Inside Her Home
Nancy Guthrie, 84, disappeared from her Tucson home on February 1, with investigators still searching for answers.
April 13 2026, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
A forensic psychology expert is raising new questions about the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, suggesting her abduction may have been driven by a possible act of revenge, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The 84-year-old vanished from her Tucson, Arizona, home on February 1, and investigators have yet to determine what happened, where she is now or if she is even still alive.
'Something Went Very Wrong'
Forensic expert Ann Burgess suggests the case may involve a possible 'revenge' motive.
Forensic specialist Ann Burgess suggested the circumstances surrounding Nancy's disappearance could point to a deeply personal motive.
Speaking on Brian Entin's Brian Entin Investigates, she said she believes "something went very wrong inside the house," pointing to early evidence concerns.
Burgess expanded on the unclear evidence trail, highlighting how little forensic material appears to have been left behind.
"Where does it go?" she said, questioning the lack of a clear path in the investigation. "Does it go into a car? Does it follow a path?... It's just like it vanishes. She just vanishes."
Burgess claims 'something went very wrong inside the house,' pointing to limited physical evidence found at the scene.
Who Were the Kidnappers?
The expert questions how blood evidence appears to vanish without a clear forensic trail in the investigation.
The forensic expert also raised the possibility that someone within Nancy's personal circle could be connected to the disappearance.
"Who in her orbit — let's call it that, it could be family, it could be friends — would be hurt the most [by the kidnapping]?" she asked.
Burgess suggested the case could involve retaliation, adding that investigators often explore emotionally driven motives.
"Something could have come up there that we don't know about, and that’s up to people in her orbit to figure out. Because it's a very mean, angry, horrible thing to do," she said.
She continued: "And then if it goes wrong — which obviously it did, I think — it doesn't make sense that she would be a target to do more than abduct her."
'Is There Revenge?'
She raises the possibility that someone within Nancy's personal circle could be connected to the disappearance.
"Is there retaliation? Is there revenge?" she asked. "You want to go down that line of possible motives, and that this is some way of getting even or whatever. I'm just listing them. It's not that I think that it's any one of those, but those would be possible motives."
She added that such lines of inquiry are standard in profiling cases: "I mean, we usually do that anytime we're profiling and trying to go after motive."
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
A Former FBI Agent Weighs In
Burgess emphasizes that investigators typically explore motives like retaliation or 'getting even' in cases with unclear leads.
On the other hand, a former FBI agent recently argued the entire kidnapping was all because of money.
"Law enforcement said they know the motive for the abduction of Nancy, and they have known it from the beginning," Jennifer Coffindaffer wrote on social media. "Kidnapping for ransom."
Coffindaffer theorized, "Nancy sadly died. The kidnappers didn't care and tortured the family with two notes knowing the FBI would not recommend paying a ransom without proof of life."
She added: "Like most cases, this one is simple, but everyone wants to make it complex."
