Authorities continue investigating the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Savannah Guthrie, who was allegedly kidnapped from her Arizona home on February 1.
Digital forensics expert Heather Barnhart, who previously worked on the University of Idaho murders case involving Bryan Kohberger, believes digital evidence could be key to solving the case.
Barnhart said investigators are likely analyzing emails, phone data, online searches, AI chat logs, and Bitcoin activity connected to ransom notes demanding $6 million in cryptocurrency. She explained that if the kidnappers used AI tools like ChatGPT to draft messages, law enforcement could potentially trace those interactions through server logs, IP addresses, or related digital footprints.
She also emphasized that criminals almost always leave behind evidence—whether DNA, surveillance footage, or digital traces—and said phone data often reveals planning, motives, and movements.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and local Arizona authorities continue treating the case as a suspected kidnapping. Surveillance footage reportedly shows a masked person outside Nancy Guthrie’s home the night she disappeared, and investigators have recovered gloves and DNA evidence nearby. However, current DNA samples reportedly do not match profiles in the FBI database.
Police say the investigation remains active, but public updates have become less frequent as forensic work continues behind the scenes.