In an Instagram video, Frankel reflected on what might have happened the night Nancy disappeared, wondering if someone close to Savannah might have been involved.
Nancy Guthrie has been missing for 12 days. Reports of his disappearance first hit the headlines on Sunday, February 1, 2026. Since then, shocking ransom demands have emerged; however, Arizona law enforcement officials continued to question the authenticity of the letters.
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To begin his video, Frankel mentioned that law enforcement officials discussed the details of the ransom letter, noting that some of them were sent to local Arizona news stations. Continuing, Frankel mentioned how Savannah worked in Arizona before wondering if a malicious ex-coworker might have had a hand in 84-year-old Nancy’s disappearance.
“So, is this a competitive reporter that Savannah won, got the job, had a blast and made a lot of money, and this person is resentful and wants to get the pay they deserve?” she asked. “I haven’t heard anything like that, and why does this kind of thing make sense to me?”
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Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped from her home, Arizona police say
Arizona law enforcement said Nancy Guthrie was “taken from her home against her will, possibly in the middle of the night,” according to Page Six.
A spokesperson for the Pima County Sheriff’s Department added that they believe Nancy’s disappearance could be a “possible abduction or abduction.” They seemed to preempt any theory suggesting the elderly woman left the area on her own. “This is a woman aged around 85 years old who suffers from illnesses… she could not walk 50 meters,” they added.
Additionally, PCSD’s Chris Nanos described Nancy as “sharp as a tack,” noting that she was not one to stray because of her “physical limitations.”
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Ransom letter from Nancy Guthrie demanding millions in Bitcoin
In the midst of the search for Nancy, her would-be captors sent at least three ransom letters to different media outlets, according to a previous report from The Blast.
JJ McKinnney of Tucson ABC affiliate KGUN9 reported earlier that ransom letters received by his studio demanded payment of $6 million by Monday, February 9 at 5 p.m. local time.
Despite the demands, some experts and law enforcement officials aren’t convinced the ransom letters are real, with one former FBI agent noting a detail that strikes him as odd.
In the ransom note, Nancy’s would-be kidnappers requested that the funds be sent in U.S. dollars, leading Michael Harrigan to question whether the letter’s authors were even in the United States.
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“If you are national, why would you put “USD?” “You put in 6 million,” Harrigan said. “Why would you use that if you’re a local person? This indicates someone who could potentially be outside the country.”
Their insistence on sending the funds in U.S. currency also leads Harrigan to believe it might be a “scam.”
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A man was arrested
According to NBC News, authorities have released security photos and videos of a possible suspect as part of the investigation. The subject was seen wearing a mask, gloves and a backpack. In the videos, they are seen playing with security footage of Nancy from the day she disappeared.
A man named Carlos Palazuelos was arrested earlier this week in connection with the case, but was later released. When speaking with the media, Palazuelos confirmed he was a delivery driver but could not remember if he delivered anything to Guthrie’s home.
In a public video, Savannah pleaded for help while revealing that her family was relying on their faith to get them through this storm. “We believe that somehow she feels these prayers and that God is lifting her up even in this moment and in this darkest place,” she said.
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A white tent goes up…
On Thursday, February 12, 2026, images of a white tent erected in front of Nancy Guthrie’s property went viral, sparking a flood of reactions.
It’s unclear why the tent was set up, but NewsNation explained that forensic tents are typically erected to “protect and preserve evidence or to conceal a body, weapon or other critical evidence.”
