Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case: Legal expert warns one ‘piece of evidence’ could mislead investigators

Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapping case is nowhere near resolved after four-months of investigatory efforts since the mother of USA Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie has disappeared from her home in Arizona.

Since her kidnapping, several shocking theories have emerged related to her mysterious kidnapping, evidence collected at the crime scenes, and potential suspects involved in the kidnapping.

Recently, a legal expert, former prosecutor-turned-criminal defense attorney RJ Dreiling, has come up with another chilling theory.

Speaking to Hello magazine, Dreiling emphasized that someone familiar to the family could be possibly involved in the kidnapping who carried out this abduction very “methodically.”

He also warned that one crucial act was enough to distract the investigators from the case successfully.

"The lack of follow-through on any ransom demand makes it look like it was a distraction meant to throw off investigators," he said.

"This is someone intelligent enough to completely hide their tracks, including DNA, fingerprints, and electronic data, but also deranged enough to kidnap this woman out of her home and hold her hostage."

He drew a comparison to the case of John Hinckley Jr. and Jodie Foster, citing that the perpetrator was methodical in his preparations, yet driven by an entirely irrational motive.

Besides uttering a theory, the attorney also remained hopeful in finding Nancy. He said, apparently it seems difficult for Nancy to return home safely, but it still can happen.

In this regard technology can play the most important part. "The best possible outcome here would be a DNA profile from the scene or another location that matches someone with a clear motive, whether through prior contact, a personal grievance, or even a digital footprint on social media,” Dreiling added.

"It's important to remember that even though it has been a substantial amount of time since she went missing, hope is not lost,” he said while offering hope to Savannah’s family.

At the heart of this hopeful prediction lies the most famous kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart whose case was solved several months later. Even Elizabeth Smart last month commented that "There are cases that span many more years than mine does, and they came back alive. We are talking years and years, so she could absolutely still be alive."

Nancy Guthrie, 84, has been missing from her Arizona home since February 1, 2026.