The abductor of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie, might soon be caught—thanks to a crucial mistake involving their cellphone. Experts say this mistake mirrors key tactics used in the Bryan Kohberger case, offering a potential breakthrough in the investigation.
While criminals are aware of the importance of turning off their phones during a crime, they often fail to realize that turning them off can actually leave behind a trail for investigators.
Special agents from the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team (CAST) are currently combing through cell tower data from a wide radius around Nancy’s home in Tucson, Arizona. Their task is to map out “normal” phone activity in the area and spot any unusual patterns, such as phones that were turned off and then switched back on during the early hours of the morning on February 1, the night Nancy was abducted.
Today star Savannah Guthrie’s elderly mother, Nancy, was abducted from her home in Tucson, Arizona on February 1 and FBI special agents are painstakingly going through cell phone tower data to find her kidnapper
“You need to know what’s normal to identify what’s sinister,” says Heather Barnhart, a digital forensics expert who helped in the Kohberger investigation. “This person’s phone, once it was turned back on, would be considered the key clue.”
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was taken from her home between 1:47 AM, when her doorbell camera was disconnected, and 2:28 AM, when her pacemaker app dropped from her phone. Blood was found on the front porch, and chilling footage from her Nest camera shows an unidentified masked suspect standing at her door.
The rural nature of the area around Nancy’s home may help digital forensic investigators
Barnhart explains that investigators are now scrutinizing phone data to determine which devices entered the area that night and then tracking them to see where they went after. The FBI is especially focused on any phones that pinged as they left the area, particularly those that were not registered to locals.
Drawing parallels to the Bryan Kohberger case, Barnhart points out how Kohberger’s phone was turned off during key moments before his attack at 4 AM. “When he left the scene, he turned his phone back on,” she explains, “because most people rely on their phones for navigation. This could be a huge clue for Nancy’s case too.”
A ‘Reconnaissance’ Mistake?
It’s possible that Nancy’s abductor might have scoped out the house beforehand—a tactic that could also provide a digital trail. Police have urged neighbors to check their security footage dating back to January 1, a month before the kidnapping, in case the abductor was seen acting suspiciously.
“If the suspect was casing the house, we would see unusual phone pings,” Barnhart says. “Our phones typically ping the same towers repeatedly. So, when a phone from outside the area pings, that’s a red flag.”
Barnhart recalls a similar case where cell tower data revealed a thief’s repeated visits to the target area. “On the day of the crime, his phone pinged again, and then he returned for a third time to check the scene. That’s how we caught him.”
The expert suggests that investigators should widen their search to include all routes leading into and out of Nancy’s neighborhood. “If this person didn’t belong there, their phone pings will stand out,” she adds.
How Cellphone Data Is Changing the Game
Digital forensics is a slow and painstaking process, but it’s one that’s proving vital in solving this case. “We’re looking at so much data, and it’s easy to miss something small. But the FBI is being thorough, and that’s why it’s taking so long,” Barnhart explains.
Despite the challenges, the rural nature of Nancy’s neighborhood may work in favor of investigators. “In rural areas, there are fewer distractions, and fewer people using the same towers. This could help narrow things down.”
“Most criminals are still unaware that their phones are constantly pinging nearby towers, even if they’ve turned them to airplane mode,” says Barnhart. “Kohberger thought he could escape detection by powering down his phone completely. That mistake proved to be a key turning point in the investigation.”
For Nancy’s case, this type of digital evidence is proving invaluable. “Unless you’ve never used a phone before and you’re committing a crime completely off the grid, your phone will give you away,” Barnhart says. “There’s so much data out there. No one can truly hide forever.”
While Nancy’s family may feel as though they’re chasing an impossible lead, Barnhart is confident that technology will ultimately reveal the truth. “It may feel impossible now, but digital forensics is always one step ahead,” she concludes. “There’s always a trail.”
As the FBI continues its search, every ping, every data point, could bring them one step closer to uncovering the identity of Nancy Guthrie’s abductor.
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