Nancy Guthrie's Kidnappers Crave the 'Spotlight': Ex-FBI Agent Delivers Brutal Verdict on 84-Year-Old's Disappearance and What May Trigger Devastating Development
An ex-FBI agent claims Nancy Guthrie's kidnappers want 'attention' and yearn for the 'limelight' as search goes on for missing 84-year-old.
Feb. 9 2026, Published 11:04 a.m. ET
Nancy Guthrie's kidnappers want "attention" and yearn to be in the "spotlight," according to an ex-FBI agent.
RadarOnline.com can reveal Daniel Brunner, a 20-year veteran of the bureau, described the taking of 84-year-old Nancy, the mother of Today host Savannah, as not being a "traditional kidnapping."
Deadline Looming For Guthrie Family
Savannah Guthrie and her family have been given a Monday, February 9 deadline to pay $6million in bitcoin.
The frantic search for Nancy has entered its second week, and authorities have not identified any suspects or ruled anyone out, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said at a news conference Thursday.
The kidnappers have demanded the Guthrie family pay $6million in bitcoin by the deadline of Monday, February 9, at 5 p.m. MT.
Authorities believe she was taken against her will from her home just outside Tucson, and DNA tests showed blood on Guthrie’s front porch was a match to her.
But according to former agent Brunner, the case is unusual for several reasons.
'The More Attention This Gets, The More Dangerous' For Nancy
Ex-FBI agent Daniel Brunner fears kidnappers may do something 'rash' if the case get more coverage.
"They want attention, they want the spotlight to be put on this incident," Brunner said.
The former special agent said that he found it irregular that the alleged ransom notes were being sent to media outlets, rather than directly to the family.
"The more attention this gets, the more dangerous it is for (Nancy Guthrie)."
"Because if it gets more attention, the kidnappers may do something rash because they're getting so nervous about the circle closing in on them," he added.
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.
Son's Desperate Pleas To Kidnappers
Camron Guthrie was the latest family member to reach out to the kidnappers.
KOLD was one of the media outlets that received a ransom message earlier in the week.
Savannah, 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 the details included a demand for money with a deadline that passed Thursday evening and a second deadline for Monday if the first wasn’t met.
At least one note mentioned a floodlight at Guthrie’s home and an Apple Watch, Janke said.
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Donald Trump gave an optimistic update to missing persons case on Air Force One.
Brunner also said that if the Guthrie family decided to pay a ransom for their beloved mother, it would be their choice, but he stressed it would be done with the coordination of the FBI.
Another law enforcement officer turned media personality, former homicide detective Ted Williams, revealed in an interview that he believes the original investigators on the case may have "contaminated" the crime scene
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, speaking on Air Force One, said the investigation into Guthrie’s disappearance was going "very well."
"We have some clues that I think are very strong," Trump said while en route to his Florida estate. "We have some things that may be coming out reasonably soon."
