More than 21 weeks have passed since the suspected abduction of Nancy Guthrie, with no definitive leads on her whereabouts. Despite the FBI and Google recovering Nest doorbell video, the detention and subsequent release of two individuals without charges, and the investigation of thousands of tips, Guthrie remains missing.
Herman Weisberg, a private investigator and former NYPD detective, believes that the public's engagement could ultimately break the case. "You've got to have a lot of patience when you're dealing with that because you might just be on your 7,000th call and your 15th cup of coffee that day, but the 7,001st call could be the one that's really got a piece of valuable information in this," Weisberg told Fox News Digital.
He pointed to other cases where public involvement proved crucial. The disappearance of Gabby Petito was aided by citizens reviewing their own dashcam footage, which led investigators to her remains. Similarly, the Boston Marathon bombing and the abduction of Elizabeth Smart were advanced by public tips identifying suspects.
"Crowdsourcing wins cases these days, you know, all the armchair sleuths and the true crime fans that are out there," Weisberg stated. He suggested that an observant individual might notice something unusual, such as a car with out-of-state plates that has been parked for an extended period, potentially leading to a breakthrough.
While Weisberg expressed surprise that technology hasn't yet resolved the case, citing the Kohberger case in Idaho as an example where technology was pivotal, he acknowledged that not all investigations rely solely on digital forensics. He speculated that if the crime was committed by a single perpetrator, it could limit certain investigative advantages, but also noted that investigators may be further along than publicly known.
Law enforcement continues to seek information from the public. Combined rewards for information leading to Guthrie's recovery exceed $1.2 million, with her daughter, "Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie, offering $1 million from the family for information that leads to her mother's recovery. Information can be submitted anonymously to 1-800-CALL-FBI or Tucson's Crime Stoppers at 1-520-882-7463.