Law Enforcement Expert Tells Fox News Ransom Deadline Might Be ‘Last Chance’ to Track Nancy Guthrie’s Kidnappers

A law enforcement expert warned Fox News Monday that time may well be running out for authorities hoping to apprehend Nancy Guthrie’s kidnappers and bring her home safely.

The 84-year-old mother of Today Show host Savannah Guthrie and two siblings is believed to have been taken from her Arizona home some nine days ago. The family has pleaded via video for their mother’s release, and signaled that they are willing to pay a $6 million ransom in exchange for the elder Guthrie ahead of Monday’s deadline.

“I’ll tell you there’s probably over a bit of nail-biting going on right now,” retired police commander Mike King told America Reports.

“But I can only assume is that there’s a whole lot of work going on, trying to gather and prepare for any kind of digital trail that might come forward as a result of whatever communication and the process of communication they have set up,” King said.

“This could be the last chance to dip in the well and find out locations and other kinds of things. This is a critical moment in time,” he said, adding, “We don’t know…how serious this deadline is.”

Tucson’s ABC affiliate KGUN9 reported the deadline for the Guthrie family to deposit the $6 million in bitcoin is Monday at 5 p.m. Mountain Time.

A TMZ report said the crypto wallet set to receive those funds “was still empty” at last check, according to Fox’s Sandra Smith.

TMZ originally received a ransom note outlining two deadlines, with the second to run out in just a few hours.

King said he examined the demographics of TMZ viewers to try to ascertain a motive for Guthrie’s kidnapping.

“I look at the demographic of TMZ and the age group of people that listen to TMZ on a regular basis, the nature of TMZ and the fact that it has kind of a celebrity status and a lot of things they talk about,” King said. “I find myself kind of waffling back and forth; Is it about money or is it about legacy?”

Watch the clip above via Fox News.

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