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Nancy Guthrie case: Ex-SWAT officer explains why police searched septic tank at her home; 'Somebody may have flushed...'
The investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, 84, has escalated with authorities searching her septic tank. Ex-SWAT team member suggests why.
The law enforcement has intensified its investigation into the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, mother of NBC’s Savannah Guthrie. They were seen searching a septic tank behind her Arizona home on Sunday.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen in the early hours of January 31 at her Tucson residence after being dropped off by her daughter and son-in-law.
When she did not show up for church the following morning, her family reported her missing, triggering a search that has drawn national attention.
Read more: Savannah Guthrie provides update on Nancy Guthrie search in new video
Search into the septic tank
In the most recent development of the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case, FBI agents and Pima County Sheriff's Department detectives were seen probing the septic tank.
They gained entry to the backyard manhole and used long poles to examine the innards. At the time of writing, no evidence or findings from that search have been made public by the authorities.
However, Josh Schirard, a former captain of the SWAT squad, told the Daily Mail that the manhole check was crucial because a septic tank ensures that wastewater enters the tank rather than a city sewer.
He said, “So, somebody may have flushed something thinking that would get rid of it, but instead it would actually just be deposited in the septic tank.”
Schirard suggested that investigators were probably trying to find something that “could indicate any kind of guilt.”
Read more: Nancy Guthrie kidnapping ransom: Can bitcoin be traced? Details on $6M demand
Ransom deadline today
The active investigation into Nancy's disappearance is in its second week now.
Investigators say they think Nancy is still alive and are considering this as an abduction. Several purported ransom notes that were received by the Guthrie family through various media outlets have been considered the most revealing evidence so far.
Although the notes' complete contents have not yet been made public, it has been disclosed that they included two deadlines and required Bitcoin payments. The first deadline of 5 p.m. local time on Thursday has now passed. A second deadline of 5 p.m. on Monday
Savannah Guthrie, host of "Today," and her siblings said on social media that they would be willing to pay the ransom to ensure their mother's safe release.
