Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has acknowledged a recent report indicating that Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance might be linked to a wrench attack — a method where assailants employ kidnapping or violence to force a victim into surrendering cryptocurrency.
In a report released last month, the Web3 security firm CertiK identified the Nancy Guthrie case as an instance of a proxy target, referring to a vulnerable family member of the extortion target in a wrench attack.
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Nancy Guthrie update: Here’s what Pima County Sheriff said
Additionally, in a post on X this week, Fox News Digital’s Michael Ruiz reported that although Nanos refrained from commenting on the CertiK report, he confirmed that he had brought it to the attention of the team investigating the Nancy Guthrie case.
Ruiz noted, however, that there is no official evidence suggesting that Nancy, the mother of Today’s Savannah Guthrie, was involved in a wrench attack.
The CertiK report referenced previous claims of ransom notes related to the Nancy Guthrie case. Just days following Nancy’s disappearance from her residence in Arizona, TMZ obtained an alleged ransom note that requested millions of dollars in Bitcoin for Nancy’s release.
Simultaneously, Tucson news affiliate KGUN received a ransom note demanding $6 million.
On February 7, Savannah and her siblings publicly expressed their willingness to pay for their mother’s return in an Instagram video. “We received your message, and we understand,” Savannah stated. “We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way that we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”
Nancy Guthrie update: Retired detective reacts to wrench attacks
In light of a reported increase in wrench attacks, Lisa J. Miller, a retired detective and former law enforcement executive at the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, provided advice on how to remain safe.
Speaking to Fox News, Miller said, “Protecting ourselves requires the usual things we have all been told about before — restrict your social media profiles, never post photos of your home, know who the audience is when you post pictures of your children, family, visible signs of financial security.”
“Monitor your online presence when it comes to what data is available about you online,” Miller continued.
“It’s all easier said than done because we live in an ever-increasing digital world, where more people know and have the skills to mine open source information to get data about you.”
