Elizabeth Smartfather of Ed Smarthe discusses his thoughts on the disappearance of Savannah Guthriemother of Nancy Guthrie.
Ed, 70, reflected on Elizabeth’s 2002 abduction as he explained the importance of Nancy’s family sharing public pleas for her safe return during an interview. Fox & Friends on Thursday, February 5.
“What are the chances that my mother will see this?” the reporter asked Ed, talking about the search for Nancy, 84, who was reported missing on Sunday, February 1.
“Well, Elizabeth heard about what happened to us [the efforts to find her] from [her abductor] Brian David Mitchell,” explained Ed. So his captors informed him that there was a search, which we kept calling him.”
Elizabeth, now 38, was 14 years old when Mitchell, 70, and his wife were kidnapped from their home in Utah, Wanda Barzee. He was imprisoned for nine months before he was found alive.
According to Ed, families of abductees often issue public statements to plead with their captors and inform their loved ones that they are wanted. Nancy’s children, Savannah54, Annie,56, and Cameron61, did just that in a video statement on Wednesday, February 4.
“Nancy is our mother, we are her children. She is our light,” Annie said in the video. “She clings to happiness and all situations of life. She chooses happiness every day even though she has gone through great trials of pain and sorrow. We will always be just people. Just ordinary people who need our mother. Mom, if you are listening, we need you to come home. We miss you.
There is mention of a ransom note allegedly sent to him TMZ and local media earlier this week, Savannah added, “We’ve also heard reports about the ransom note in the media. As a family, we’re doing everything we can. We’re ready to talk. However, we live in a world where words and images are easily changed. We need to know without a doubt that you’re alive and that you’re with him. We want to hear from you and we’re ready to listen. Please, we’re ready to listen.”
Savannah Guthrie and mom Nancy
Courtesy of NBC NewsEd said that talking to the kidnappers directly is “very important.”
“They know that they are trying to comply with everything that is being said, they want to solve this matter and bring their mother home,” he added.
Additionally, Ed said that even if Nancy can’t see or hear messages from her children directly, it’s still important for her to know that there is an ongoing search.
“It’s hard to know if Nancy is listening or not, but it’s important to make that effort,” he continued. “To bring her hope through a very difficult time and to keep her hopeful that this will be resolved, and she will be back with her family, nothing could be more important.”
New details are emerging about the alleged ransom discovered in the case of missing Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie. During an appearance on CNN on Wednesday, February 4, Mary Coleman, anchor of KOLD 13 News in Arizona, described the emailed note, saying it was “clear after a few sentences” that […]
Nancy was last seen in Tucson, Arizona, on Saturday, January 31. Her family reported her missing the next day after a church friend noticed that Nancy was not attending the morning service. When Nancy’s family checked her home, they realized she was gone.
Police believe Nancy was abducted due to mobility issues that left her unable to walk on her own, and signs of “danger” in her home.
“It has to do with what we were told at the scene,” Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said privately. Us Weekly. I have been doing this for 50 years. If something doesn’t fit, it doesn’t fit. Something strange happened in that house that made us say, ‘Wow … something is wrong here. Something is wrong.’
Police have yet to find a motive for the kidnapping or a suspect in the case.
