FBI Expert Rob Chadwick to Newsmax: Guthrie Letters Likely a 'Red Herring'

Ransom demands that have been received in connection with the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, are likely a "red herring."

Rob Chadwick, a former FBI supervisory agent, told Newsmax on Sunday that the likely tactic is designed to throw law enforcement off in their investigation.

"This entire ransom demand, if that's what it is, is just not consistent with what we typically see as a true kidnapping for ransom," Chadwick, the former head of the FBI Academy's tactical training program, said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America Weekend."

"My belief for the last couple of days has been that most of this has been just a red herring, potentially trying to throw off or distract or waste law enforcement's time," as the ransom dynamics don't resemble what would come in a typical kidnapping-for-ransom case.

Chadwick and retired FBI Special Agent Michael Harrigan, appearing together in the interview, also agreed that the Guthrie family's public plea is likely being coordinated with investigators and could be aimed at prompting kidnappers to make direct contact and provide proof that Nancy Guthrie is alive.

"They really are likely being advised to have some proof of life," said Harrigan. "You just can't pay ransom to somebody without knowing that first, that those are the people that have been there, and number two, whether the victim is actually alive here."

Chadwick said the video would have been released with the investigators’ input.

"There's no question that the Guthrie family is coordinating with law enforcement, so they did not release this on their own," Chadwick said. "This would absolutely have been in coordination with the FBI, with the local sheriff's office."

Harrigan said limited public information is not unusual while investigators pursue leads and process evidence.

He said authorities have been back to the home "multiple times to collect additional evidence" and are "conducting hundreds of interviews" while working through "the forensic information that they've collected, evidence at the scene and other locations, including that vehicle that was seen."

"All this is coming together where investigators are being given these leads to go out and interview people," Harrigan said, noting that "most leads in these cases turn out to be dead ends," but investigators are searching for "that golden lead that will lead to where this woman is and her successful recovery."

Harrigan said the public should understand that with federal and local agencies involved, investigators are working urgently with the primary goal of bringing the missing woman home.

"With the bureau involved with the sheriff's department and other agencies, this is an all-hands-on-deck situation," he said. "They are working extremely hard around the clock to run down this information. It's secondary to apprehend these individuals. The primary goal is to get a victim back and reunite them with their family."

Asked about deadlines contained in messages described as ransom-related, Chadwick said he is "highly skeptical" of those details circulating publicly and suggested some could be driven by public attention around the case.

"I believe that at least some of this is the general public getting involved in what is clearly the highest-profile investigation in the world right now," Chadwick said.

Chadwick said the most urgent deadline is the missing woman's health, noting concerns raised on the program about her heart device and medication.

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