Nancy Guthrie 'Passed Away' During Ransom Negotiations, FBI Profiler Thinks So

Retired FBI criminal profiler Jim Clemente recently spoke with News Nation's Brian Entin about Savannah Guthrie's mother, Nancy Guthrie, and shared a sobering assessment of the case. Clemente is among those who believe Nancy did not survive the abduction.

He believed the 84-year-old died while the kidnapper was still negotiating with the Guthries for the ransom.

Jim Clemente Analyses the Silence Following the February Ransom Attempt

Clemente shared his professional assessment of Nancy Guthrie's current condition during an episode of 'Brian Entin Investigates'. Entin recounted a specific attempt at contact on 10 February from the kidnapper, in which money was sent to a Bitcoin account linked to the suspect and a message was sent informing the culprit that they were ready to talk and encouraging the abductor to contact them. However, there was no response. Entin asked Clemente's take on it.

Clemente offered a grim outlook. 'Unfortunately, Brian, I think that perhaps she passed away in that time frame,' the FBI profiler stated.

He explained that whoever sent the money, either the Guthries or the FBI, did it to get the kidnapper to communicate and potentially acquire a 'proof of life.' However, Clemente believed the lack of response was due to a heartbreaking turn of events.

'It's just a tragic set of circumstances that he never replied to that communication from the Guthrie, but like I said, I think it indicates that something really bad happened at that point,' Clemente added.

Nancy Had 'Gone to Be With God'

Clemente is not the first person to raise concerns about Nancy's fate. Broadcaster Megyn Kelly discussed the case on her podcast, citing a claim from X account @Nerdy_Addict that a second ransom note sent to the Guthrie family served as an apology letter, stating that Nancy had already 'gone to be with God.' Kelly said the account's reporting on the case had 'all proven to be sound,' but warned her audience to take the information with a grain of salt.

Weeks later, TMZ published a report claiming it received a tip from someone who claimed to have seen Guthrie after the kidnapping. The outlet received two letters from the tipster; in the first, the source reportedly said, 'She is dead.' In the second, the source stated, 'I saw her alive with them in the state of Sonora, Mexico.'

While these claims remain unconfirmed by the FBI, they align with the profiling observations regarding the suspect's sudden withdrawal from negotiations.

Clemente Predicts Impending Arrest Due to Errors

Despite the tragic outlook for the victim, Clemente remains confident that the perpetrator will eventually be apprehended. He pointed out that the offender has displayed several signs of being a novice, specifically by involving the media.

Involving television stations and public outlets is generally the opposite of what professional kidnappers desire. Secrecy is a vital component for those seeking to collect a ransom with an easy escape.

Clemente also mentioned the numerous mistakes the kidnapper made, like wearing a face mask instead of a surgical mask to keep the shedding of hair and DNA in the location. Additionally, the purchase of a backpack sold exclusively at Walmart, including the amateurish ransom notes.

'There are things that he did that he thought were sophisticated, but they were not criminally sophisticated,' the profiler said. 'He will be caught,' Clemente added.