Nancy Guthrie case update: Expert suggests more than one person was involved in her disappearance

Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Savannah Guthrie, the NBC's "Today" show co-host, has been missing for over a month. She was last seen on 31 January and has been missing since 1 February from her home in Tucson, Arizona. An investigation was launched, which is still underway, with both the family and police urging people to come forward to assist by providing information, if they have any. However, there has been no breakthrough so far.

Reports suggested that the Guthrie family has possibly accepted that the 84-year-old is probably not alive anymore.

But new details keep surfacing. According to a Marca report, the investigating officials are now looking at the possibility that Guthrie was taken by more than one person.

Involvement of more than one person?

Kurt Dabb, a former homicide detective, told Parade that the situation might be bigger than it initially appeared, adding that crimes like these rarely come together without any help. Estimating that at least two to four people could have been responsible for Guthrie's disappearance, Dabb said, "The logistics of something of this magnitude is too much for one person."

His remarks are in line with how the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines an organised abduction. These cases, according to the FBI, require planning, surveillance, and clearly defined roles. In other words, they are never random.

The theory shifts the focus away from the notion of a botched burglary. Based on the details available so far, the incident appears to have been a targeted act.

Is Nancy Guthrie's case nearing its end?

The development comes at a time when the investigation appears to be nearing its end, with no clues for a breakthrough. Additionally, the Guthrie family increased the reward price to one million dollars, in addition to the reward announced by the FBI. Experts have also pointed out that offering rewards of this scale is used when investigators need a breakthrough from the public.

The only breakthrough in the case so far was when the authorities discovered the image of the suspect, a masked man, who was seen outside the 84-year-old's residence. Earlier this week, the Guthrie family was back in focus and was under intense scrutiny after a video of Tommaso Cioni, Guthrie's son-in-law, was circulated online, in which he was seen frustrated. The family also cleared their polygraph tests.

Additionally, the FBI was back in Nancy Guthrie's neighbourhood, questioning her neighbours, even those who had moved out before her disappearance.

The Daily Mail reported this week that Pima County Sheriff's chief Chris Nanos is likely to lose his job over his handling of the case. A pair of pyjamas was recently discovered near Guthrie's home in Tucson. A video was circulated online, with many speculating that it could possibly be of Nancy Guthrie; however, there has been no confirmation from the authorities so far.

The investigation has now entered its seventh week, but reports suggest that authorities are still following up on the case and expecting a breakthrough. But it remains to be seen if they will be able to trace Guthrie or the suspects.