Sheriff Revealed If Nancy Guthrie’s Kidnap Was A Mistake Amid Peter Megaw Buzz: ‘…Had A Target’

It’s been 18 days since Nancy Guthrie, 84, the mother of Today Show co-anchor, Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her Tucson, Arizona, home under mysterious circumstances. The Pima County police and the FBI are looking at the case with priority, suspecting kidnapping. After weeks of investigation, they found blood trails, five ransom notes, gloves of a masked intruder of Nancy’s house and also a doorcam video of the same person. Amid that, theories surfaced that a case of mistaken identity might have led to Nancy Guthrie’s abduction. Recently, Pima County Sheriff, Chris Nanos, weighed in on the issue.

Was Nancy Guthrie kidnapped in place of someone else?

Some local residents and social media users have speculated that the intended target of abduction might not have been Nancy Guthrie. They predicted the actual target to be Nancy’s neighbour, Dr. Peter K.M. Megaw, a prominent figure in the Tucson gem and mineral community. This theory stems from the fact that Nancy was abducted around the same time as significant thefts connected to the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show. However, there is no official evidence to confirm that Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped in place of Peter.

What did Sheriff, Chris Nanos say about the intended target being someone else?

In recent interviews regarding the February 2026 abduction of Nancy Guthrie, Pima County Sheriff, Chris Nanos has specifically rejected theories that the intended target was anyone else. He stated that it was his firm belief that the suspect “had a target” and “knew who they were after.” According to him, the incident seemed too planned to be a mere mistake or something done on a whim. Previously, some forensic experts suggested the incident may have begun as a botched burglary or home invasion, where the intruder took Nancy after being discovered. However, the sheriff’s statement seemed to contradict the idea. Amid that, some experts weighed in on the possible motives behind the kidnapping.

Is revenge the motive behind Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapping? Former FBI agent predicts

Former FBI agents and experts have recently analysed the evidence to suggest some potential reasons why the abduction might have taken place. They suggested the motive may be linked to Nancy’s daughter, Savannah Guthrie, the co-anchor of NBC’s Today Show. Former FBI supervisor, James Gagliano, stated that kidnappings are typically for “profit or revenge”. Another former FBI special agent, Tracy Walder, issued similar sentiments regarding the revenge motive.

Tracy predicted that the kidnapper might have an obsession with Savannah or a beef related to a story the journalist covered, and thus, from a grudge motive, might have kidnapped her mother. Agent, Brad Garrett mentioned that Nancy may have been taken to target the 54-year-old, Savannah, specifically due to her high international profile.

What are the other expert-suggested possible motives behind Savannah’s abduction?

Besides the revenge angle, the most visible motive is profit. Several media outlets, including TMZ, received alleged ransom notes demanding millions in Bitcoin for Nancy Guthrie’s safe return to her home. Former FBI agent, Lance Leising noted that it is “very odd” for ransom notes to be sent to media outlets rather than the family if the primary goal is financial gain. Another former FBI agent, Andrew McCabe, emphasised that kidnappers typically provide “proof of life” to secure payment, which has not happened in the case of Savannah Guthrie’s mom.

Latest updates regarding the Nancy Guthrie missing case

On February 13, 2026 (ET), a SWAT raid took place in a house two miles away from Nancy’s, wherein the officials held three individuals for questioning and later released them. Another important development in the case was that the investigators deployed a specialised “signal sniffer” mounted on helicopters to detect the specific Bluetooth signal emitted by Nancy Guthrie’s pacemaker. Notably, the scanners must be very close, typically within a short range, to detect the signal. Amid the search efforts, the sheriff cleared Nancy Guthrie’s children and their spouses as suspects in her case, and TMZ confirmed that the kidnappers had sent a fifth ransom, with a USD 6 million demand.

What are your thoughts on the sheriff’s dismissal of theories of Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapping being a mistake? Let us know.

Also Read: Savannah Guthrie’s Cousin, Teri And Their ‘Kidnapping Game’ In Focus Amid Nancy Guthrie’s Abduction