A former top FBI official has publicly challenged the central assumption driving the investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, raising the possibility that the case may not be a kidnapping at all. Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Savannah Guthrie, vanished from her Tucson, Arizona home earlier this month. While federal and local authorities have been treating the case as a possible abduction tied to a mysterious ransom note, former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker says the evidence does not add up. “I’m very skeptical of this,” Swecker said on Sunday (February 8). A former FBI official believes those demanding a ransom in exchange for Nancy Guthrie’s safety are scammers Image credits: savannahguthrie “Is this really a kidnapping? Does somebody really have her, and is she really alive?” he asked during his appearance on The Big Weekend Show, referring to the individuals claiming to be holding Nancy Guthrie. Swecker’s comments came days after Savannah Guthrie and her two siblings made emotional public pleas on social media, urging whoever has their mother to return her safely. The family also agreed to pay up to a reported $6 million ransom demanded by the alleged abductors. Image credits: Getty/Rebecca Noble According to Swecker, that figure alone raises serious questions. “Remember now, it was 1 million not too long ago. All of a sudden, it’s 6 million,” he said. “If this was a kidnapping, it would be a very simple matter to authenticate and provide proof of life.” He noted that no such proof has been “credibly authenticated at this point,” adding, “You have to allow for the possibility that this was something more or something other than a kidnapping.” Image credits: Fox News Swecker went further, suggesting that the messages may not even be coming from someone with direct involvement in Nancy’s disappearance. “I really think there’s a third party here that’s just playing with them, opportunists who think they can exploit this situation,” he said. At least two purported ransom messages have surfaced since Nancy Guthrie vanished from her home Image credits: Rebecca87709213 Image credits: savannahguthrie Federal investigators previously revealed new details about the ransom note during a press conference in Tucson on Thursday (February 5). Chris Nanos, the Pima County Sheriff, said the letter demanded money in cryptocurrency and warned of consequences if the demands were not met. “The clock is ticking,” Nanos told reporters, confirming the initial deadline was set for 5 pm Mountain Time. Image credits: PinkBeachGirl1 Image credits: NBC The letter was sent to TMZ and a local Arizona news outlet approximately 120 hours after Nancy Guthrie was last seen. What alarmed investigators was the level of detail it contained. According to Nanos, the writers referenced Nancy’s Apple Watch and a flood light at her $1 million Tucson home, information that would not be known to a casual observer. “It included insider information,” Nanos said. Image credits: PhilHollowayEsq Image credits: Getty/Rebecca Noble Despite those specifics, the note did not include proof of life and offered no way for investigators or the family to contact the sender. Authorities also confirmed that there has been no follow up communication, a deviation from what is typically seen in kidnapping cases. “There would normally be contact by now,” said Heith Janke, the FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge. “In a normal kidnapping case there would be contact trying to discuss that.” As the February 9 deadline passes, netizens believe the chances of Nancy returning alive are close to zero   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Savannah Guthrie (@savannahguthrie) Discussion around Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance has taken a darker turn. Across social media platforms, many netizens began openly questioning whether the 84-year-old is still alive at all, pointing to her medical condition and the tone of recent public statements from her daughter. @justice.uncovered97 Former FBI assistant director Chris Swecker analyzes the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. #Tiktok #fyp #crime #missing #Arizona ♬ original sound – Justice Uncovered (Matt) Investigators have already confirmed that Nancy’s critical medication was left behind inside the house. Authorities have also stressed that she did not suffer from dementia or cognitive decline, making it highly unlikely she would have left voluntarily without essentials she depended on daily. Image credits: 901Lulu Image credits: CBS “She would not have survived long without her medication,” one commenter wrote. “RIP Nancy,” another added. “Whatever happened that night caused her to be injured and she probably passed shortly after this break in occurred.” Image credits: jacksongosnell That belief has been reinforced, in the eyes of critics, by how Savannah Guthrie has framed her recent appeals. Several netizens noted that her last two public messages appeared to reference her mother in the past tense, something they interpreted as a sign that the family may have privately accepted the worst. Image credits: pamelajoy012 Image credits: savannahguthrie “The family knows she is not alive and is willing to pay for the return of her body so she may be buried properly,” a reader wrote. “The elder Mrs. Guthrie is no longer alive,” another claimed. “Savannah wasn’t asking for her mother to be returned as a person anymore, but for her mother’s body to be returned so they can celebrate her life with a proper burial.” “Definitely strange.” Netizens shared their theories on Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance Image credits: Dan34017970 Image credits: JenniferZenda Image credits: Speedster33 Image credits: Gmajo2010 Image credits: RonniP7 Image credits: BBCARKING Image credits: acks3max Image credits: kbcudney Image credits: Viennahh Image credits: LeftCalifornia Image credits: billirfhi Image credits: KathleenBehren5 Image credits: 3JoursDuHaxxor Image credits: guru_hvac Image credits: HollyMoos30759 FBI Official Just Changed Everything We Thought About Nancy Guthrie’s Disappearance Reviewed by New Viral Feed on 11:53 Rating: 5

Hi everyone, my name is Lua Lazarovic, and a few years ago I had a dream to make my way into the wonderful world of creative imaging and be able to express myself—all while doing a form of work that brings actual joy to my soul. I worked hard on building up an online portfolio, where I would post regularly (usually daily). After exploring many subjects, I found that food illustration brings a special kind of delight both to me and to my followers, so I started focusing more on this subject. However, the online world is a very competitive place, especially for growing artists. Although I have reached many people, I never got that one commission or collaboration everyone dreams of, the one that would allow me to demonstrate my skills and be seen by other people who might need my services. So here I am, showing some of my work to the BoredPanda community, in the hopes that—if you guys and gals like my drawings—I may reach the right people. Becoming involved in an illustration project would really be the best Christmas present I could wish for. Until now, I have explored a varied range of subjects (see the link to my portfolio below), but for now, I decided to show you my food illustrations. I hope they will bring you joy and inspire you to try something new. More info: deviantart.com | Instagram | Twitter Click here & follow us for more lists, facts, and stories. #1 Ramen Soup My name is Lua Lazarovic, and I am an architect and free-time illustrator with a young and growing family. I am one of those boring day-job people you would never dream hide anything more interesting than what is visible at first sight.  I currently live in Hilversum, The Netherlands, but my dream is to one day live in Scotland. I love reading (especially) fantasy and sci-fi novels, and watching Studio Ghibli animations, as they entice my imagination and inspire me. #2 Soy Glazed Chicken #3 Walnut Rum Cake I have always been drawn to drawing and writing, ever since childhood. These two ways of expressing myself came naturally and allowed me to think about things, reiterate daily events, add beauty and meaning to them and enrich them. There was no judge and jury to evaluate me for what I was doing, so I persevered with pleasure in these two endeavors. At some point, I realized I do not have the technical abilities to draw all the images in my head so I started practicing by drawing from reality. It started with plants and animals and I slowly graduated to food. It seemed to be a subject that people particularly enjoyed, so I persevered, but I don't consider myself as being exclusively focused on it. #4 Chocolate Cherry Cheese Cream Tarts #5 Goat Cheese Berries And Jam Food is a source of inspiration in as much as it looks pleasing to the eye, has interesting textures and colors, and allows me to learn new rendering techniques. It is an exercise in drawing, which grew into more than that due to it gathering an audience on social media platforms. When I really draw, I don't have a plan. A reference image will attract me, I will start making a study of it, and I will add a lot of fantasy to that study as I go along. It comes from somewhere within, where I don't overthink and I don't plan—it just flows out. And I think this is true freedom, as I understand the term. I draw a lot of things, from plants, animals to complex images with a high degree of symbolism. Practically, anything can become a subject with the right reference images. I draw a line at the scenery—for some reason I was never able (or patient enough) to draw landscapes. I have to admit that I am primarily fascinated by the human body and would like to improve my skills in drawing it, especially facial features. #6 Chocolate Cheesecake #7 Strawberry Tarts It will come as no surprise that I like food indiscriminately—there are very few things I dislike and I am generally curious to try out new things. I am not a great cook, and rarely have the time for anything too elaborate. I'm more on the side of 'enjoying' food than of making it. Favorite foods are numerous and differ with the season and mood. I would say that at the moment I am dreaming of a nice rotisserie chicken with a side of oven-baked potatoes and garlic sauce. #8 Dumpling Soup #9 Pancakes With Blueberry Jam It gives me a boost of self-confidence and brightens my day when my artworks make people happy and appreciative of my skills. It's not like I am contributing to a greater cause, but it does improve my mood—sometimes that is enough of a 'greater cause' for me.  #10 Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie #11 Feuillantine #12 Fruitcake #13 Pancakes With Baked Apples And Blackberry Jam #14 Loaf Cake #15 Bite Sized Desserts #16 Prawn Soup #17 Wonton Soup #18 Apple Pie With Vanilla Ice Cream #19 Dumplings #20 Marinated Olives And Mozarella With Toast #21 Blueberry Puff Tart #22 Cheesy Dessert #23 Cherry Pie #24 Healthy Appetizers #25 Pretzels With Butter #26 Baked Pineapple With Ice Cream #27 Cranberry White Chocolate Crispy Tart #28 Tortillas #29 Caramel Pecan Cake #30 Amaretto Poached Pear Cake You might also like: 45 Pics Proving That Some People Shouldn’t Be Legally Allowed To Cook I Illustrate Dishes That Will Probably Make You Hungry (30 Pics) Reviewed by New Viral Feed on 13:53 Rating: 5