Major clue in Nancy Guthrie kidnapping investigation after Bitcoin wallet is flagged
Kidnappers demanded Bitcoin for her release in a ransom note
There has been a major new update in the case involving the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie, mother to 'Today' show host Savannah Guthrie, as officials have identified a key hint within an associated Bitcoin wallet.
Law enforcement believe that Nancy Guthrie was abducted by an unknown individual on February 1 while she was sleeping, as security cameras at her home detected an individual at around 2 a.m., although the doorbell camera's feed was disconnected around the time of her kidnapping.
Investigations led by the Pima County Sheriff's Department alongside the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) have conducted significant forensic evidence analysis alongside neighborhood canvassing, but have yet to find any concrete leads.
One individual was arrested, with a 36-year-old identified only by the name of Carlos taken into custody on Tuesday, but he was shortly released, indicating that he had no idea who Guthrie was and hoped that she will be found soon.
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While police have received no concrete evidence that she is still alive, individuals suspected to be the perpetrators have sent two separate ransom notes to news organization TMZ, demanding a payment of Bitcoin in exchange for Nancy Guthrie's release.
Unlike traditional ransoms which could connect the recipient to the crime, Bitcoin and similar cryptocurrency exchanges aren't clearly tied to individuals, which is why so many criminals favor them, especially within ransom scenarios.
As reported by Fortune, investigators have now used this to notice a major detail that could lead to the recovery of the kidnapped 84-year-old, as activity has been spotted within the cryptocurrency wallet.
Within the ransom note demanding Bitcoin, the alleged criminals listed a wallet address that the currency was to be sent to.
If you're aware of how cryptocurrency works you'll know that this doesn't give officials any clear means of identifying the owner of the wallet as everything remains anonymous when exchanging the unregulated currency, yet experts believe that they could use activity to piece together information that could aid law enforcement in their activities.
For example, transactions could contain information that might point towards the location of the individual using the wallet, and exchanges are typically tied to third parties which could also contain key details about the owner's identity.
Authorities have not released details regarding the specific wallet that is being used for the hypothetical transaction, nor have they given any official confirmation that it is tied to the kidnappers, with investigations ongoing.