Cool ‘stop’ clue that shows Nancy Guthrie was alive at the time of her abduction: retired FBI agent
TUCSON, Ariz. – Blood splatters on Nancy Guthrie’s front porch show she was still alive when she was taken from her home by a lone kidnapper in Tucson’s Catalina Foothills, according to a retired FBI profiler – who believes the masked suspect made enough mistakes to eventually show up.
“We know that at least he was alive then,” said Jim Clemente, who spent 22 years at the facility.
That’s based on his blood test on his front porch. There was a flurry of round drops near the front door, then a narrow trail leading to his driveway.
“He must have gasped and coughed up blood with his face very close to the ground, and I don’t believe that would have happened if two people were carrying him at that time,” he told Fox News Digital.
Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Savannah Guthrie, host of the “Today” show, is believed to have been kidnapped from her home around 2:30 a.m. on February 1. For several days, there were few clues as to who was responsible, until the FBI and Google found a photo on her Nest doorbell camera showing a man wearing a mask wearing night-time gloves.
He is described as above average height and build. He was wearing a black Ozark Trail backpack, long sleeves, gloves and a ski mask. And he remains anonymous nearly 100 days later.
Still, the video is full of clues, Clemente told Fox News Digital.
Although the suspect is believed to have scouted the area ahead of time, he used leaves to block the lens of the Nest camera and was able to remove facial hair with his mask, Clemente said.
“When we did that, I believe that he revealed what looks like a tattoo on his wrist, which would not have been revealed if he had prepared enough for that camera,” he said.
“So that tells me he’s not a sophisticated criminal. He was trying to screw you up this time, and he made some mistakes, and I believe those mistakes will lead to his arrest.”
Although the investigators kept the information inside the house, some leaked, and painted the story, said Clemente.
“I believe that means he threatened her with his gun while she was at his bedside,” he told Fox News Digital. “He dropped him off, and at the front door that’s when he realized he was going to take me and this is very dangerous and I have to fight.
The doorbell video does not show Guthrie being removed from his home, although blood was clearly visible on his cobblestone walkway. The camera itself was missing when deputies arrived the next morning. However, the fact that the FBI was able to recover the video may have alarmed the kidnapper, Clemente said, and someone on his trail should have been able to pick up the signs.
“Because of all the mistakes made by this boy, because of his misbehavior and unprofessional behavior in this case, I believe he showed a lot of stress when the pictures were first released,” said Clemente. “Anyone around him should have seen that change in behavior and been able to identify him as a result.”
There was also an unidentified hair sample found in the home. The sheriff’s department initially sent it to a private lab in Florida. After 11 weeks, the lab there sent it to the FBI for more advanced analysis.
“If it is the hair of the person who committed the crime, that will lead to his identification,” said Clemente. “They will have his name.”
There is a combined reward of more than $1.2 million for information leading to the case.
To remain anonymous, contact Tucson’s 88-Crime tip line at (520) 882-7463.
The family is also asking anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
