Former FBI agent reveals probably the most chilling element of the Nancy Guthrie investigation as police roll out missing-person billboards nationwide: Live updates

Retired FBI supervisory special agent James Gagliano said the terrain around Nancy Guthrie’s house is likely hindering the investigation.

Gagliano said he was shocked on Tuesday morning to arrive at the scene and find the area so dark and desolate.

‘I was stunned, literally stunned, this morning as we arrived on location to see what this looked like,’ he told Fox & Friends.

‘What I was immediately struck by was this: the darkness. Even with a full moon, the light pollution out here is negligible. There is none. It is so dark.’

He added, ‘And the type of cacti, the flora and fauna that are native here in Arizona, for somebody to be able to sneak up in the dark, not to be seen, or to bring a car in with no lights on the road right behind my shoulder.’

Gagliano said he believes the terrain is a contributing factor in why police are having difficulty finding witnesses to the crime.

‘This really took my breath away about how difficult this is going to be, and it made a lot more sense to me why somebody that night might not have seen anything,’ he said.

The probe into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie was at a pivotal crossroads Tuesday as another ransom deadline passed without a resolution and the sheriff’s department ceded negotiations to the FBI.

More than a week later, investigators admitted they still have not identified any suspects or persons of interest.

The FBI has released a disheartening message saying it has not yet identified a suspect of person of interest in the case after more than a week, as it takes over the investigation into the ransom notes.

The FBI released a statement as the second payment deadline passed.

‘For more than a week, FBI agents, analysts and professional staff have worked around the clock to reunite Nancy Guthrie with her family,’ a spokesperson said.

‘The FBI is not aware of any continued communication between the Guthrie family and suspected kidnappers, nor have we identified a suspect or person of interest in this case at this time.’

The spokesperson then went on to provide an update on the investigation, noting that ‘additional personnel from FBI field offices across the nation continue to deploy to Tucson.

‘We are currently operating a 24-hour command post that includes crisis management experts, analytic support and investigative teams,’ the spokesperson added.

‘But we still need the public’s help.

‘Someone has that one piece of information that can help us bring Nancy home. We need that person to share what they know.

‘Please call us at 1-800-CALL-FBI.’

Savannah Guthrie said she believes her mother, Nancy, is still alive and asked the nation for help in her ‘hour of desperation.’

‘We believe that somehow, someway she is feeling these prayers and that God is lifting her even in this moment,’ she said in an Instagram video posted Monday.

‘We believe our mom is still out there.’

She then asked her 1.6 million followers to help with the search by reporting anything they think might be suspicious.

‘We need your help. Law enforcement is working tirelessly around the clock to bring her home, trying to find her. She was taken, and we don’t know where,’ she said.

‘I’m coming on, just ask you not just for your prayers but, no matter where you are, even if you’re far from Tucson, if you see anything, if you hear anything, if there is anything at all that seems strange to you, that you report to law enforcement.’

She concluded, ‘We are at an hour of desperation, and we need your help.’

The Pima County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday night it still has not identified any suspects or persons of interests in Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapping.

‘Investigators have not identified any suspects, persons of interest, or vehicles connected to Nancy Guthrie,’ the sheriff’s department posted on X.

‘Anyone who believes they have information that may assist investigators is asked to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or the PCSD non-emergency line at 520-351-4900, or 88-CRIME.’

As the Monday deadline for payment of the ransom demanded for the return of Nancy Guthrie passes without proof of life, or consequence, her family and investigators must face the cruel potential reality that this entire line of enquiry has been a hoax.

Former SWAT team captain Josh Schirard told the Daily Mail: ‘The deadline passing just tells law enforcement we need to close this particular path of investigation and continue putting efforts and resources and assets into the ones that might be more viable.’

Digital billboards asking for information in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie have popped up across United States as authorities continue searching for her.

The signs, which feature a photo of Nancy, along with her age, height, and weight, have appeared in major cities, including El Paso, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Houston, and San Antonio.

FBI Phoenix Public Affairs Officer Brooke A Brennan confirmed to CNN that the billboards will also be posted in Albuquerque, San Diego, and Los Angeles.

The FBI launched the digital billboard initiative in 2007 as a resource for law enforcement officials to rapidly put up information while bypassing the traditional processes of erecting large-scale signs.

The digital billboards also display an FBI tip line for individuals to report potentially relevant information to the case.

The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for any information that leads to Nancy’s return or an arrest in the case.