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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees
Investigators Examine New Message In Guthrie Case, Officials Investigating Authenticity Of New Message On Nancy Guthrie Case As Search Enters Sixth Day; Resume Search At Home; Trump Won't Apologize For Racist Video, Says He Didn't Watch It To The End; Trump Won't Apologize For Sharing Since-Deleted Racist Video Depicting Obamas As Apes On Social Media; Investigators Examine New Message In Guthrie Case, Resume Search At Home. Aired 8-9p ET
Aired February 06, 2026 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: You know, during that podcast back in 2024, Guthrie talked about, you know, working in the news business and how reporting on so many terrible things can weigh on a person.
And she said she never sugarcoat. She said what she does is look for the light. That is what faith has taught her. And in all likelihood, that's probably what she's doing now.
ERIN BURNETT, CNN HOST: Jason, thank you very much. And on that powerful note, we will leave it there for this Friday. Thank you for joining us, AC360 starts now.
[20:00:32]
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST, "ANDERSON COOPER: 360": Tonight on 360, breaking news, on two fronts in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, investigators looking to a new message sent to one of the same news outlets that got the purported ransom letter.
Also, fresh law enforcement activity at and around the Guthrie home. We'll have live reporting from the scene.
Also tonight, the President weighing in on the racist post he sent depicting the Obamas as apes. The White House now doing damage control.
Good evening. We begin tonight with breaking news on two fronts in the Nancy Guthrie case. First, a new message about her disappearance has been sent to a media organization. Second, a lot of new law enforcement activity is happening around her home.
On the message late today, both the FBI and local authorities posted this statement online, "The FBI and Pima County Sheriff's Department are aware of a new message regarding Nancy Guthrie. Investigators are actively inspecting the information provided in the message for its authenticity."
"While this is one new piece of information, the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department are still asking anyone with tips to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. The FBI continues to offer a reward up to $50,000.00 for information leading to the recovery of Nancy Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance".
Now, we don't yet know the contents of the message. We do know that CNN affiliate, KOLD reported that they, "received a new message regarding the Nancy Guthrie disappearance."
The station says that they forwarded that message to law enforcement Friday afternoon local time, and that soon thereafter, the FBI and Sheriff's Department released their statement.
Now, I should mention this is the second time that KOLD has received a message about Nancy Guthrie. The station, while not wanting to go into detail, reports that this new note contains something that the sender seems to think will prove to investigators that they are the same person or people that sent the first note.
As far as law enforcement activity, about an hour after the statement from the FBI and the Sheriff's Office, authorities said they were resuming the search in her neighborhood, posting on social media that, "... investigators are conducting follow up at the Guthrie home and in the surrounding areas."
They released this map showing the roadway around her house cordoned off to provide investigators space. CNN has added the arrow, pointing out Nancy Guthrie home. Just in the last hour, President Trump was asked about the case.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD TRUMP (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: The statement I think we're doing very well on that regard. You're probably surprised to hear that.
I think we're doing very well. Very well, meaning we have some clues, I think, that are very strong. And I think we could have some answers coming up fairly soon.
REPORTER: This is a nationwide search. Is this a search going to Mexico?
TRUMP: I am not talking about a search. I'm talking about a solution. We have some things I think that will maybe come out reasonably soon from DOJ or FBI or whoever. That could be --
REPORTER: Suspect --
TRUMP: Well, it could be definitive.
REPORTER: Sir, what do you expect us to hear?
TRUMP: A lot that's taken place in the last couple of hours, a lot of things have happened with regard to that horrible situation in the last couple of hours.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Well, he said that within the last hour on Air Force One on his way to Florida. Meantime, this billboard will soon go up in El Paso, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Houston and San Antonio with the goal of raising awareness about Nancy Guthrie's disappearance. And as her daughter, Savannah remains in the Tucson area as the search for her mom continues, her longtime "Today" show co-host, Hoda Kotb, who left the program in January of last year, returned to the anchor desk this morning to help fill in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HODA KOTB, FORMER "TODAY" SHOW CO-HOST: Everybody is hoping and praying for Nancy's safe return. There's been a massive show of support, from vigils, to people offering positive thoughts online and just a lot of hope. The nation's rallying around our dear friend Savannah and her family, believing their beloved mom, Nancy, will be back soon in their loving arms.
You know, they, they say, like love is patient. Like love is kind. Like we will be patient and put prayers up and all we can, you know --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's all we can do of the helplessness.
KOTB: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And we're not helpless because, it's a prayer, it's hope.
KOTB: Yes, we've got that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Prayer and hope.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Ed Lavandera joins us now from Tucson with the latest on the ground. Ed, what are you learning?
ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, this afternoon here in Tucson, investigators have been back in the home of Nancy Guthrie. They've blocked off the street in front of her home. We have seen agents putting down evidence markers across the property.
They've even been on the rooftop of Nancy Guthrie home. And neighbors tell us they've actually been searching areas around the home, knocking on doors, re-interviewing neighbors, asking for any kind of evidence or video. All of this for what has been an incredibly dramatic week for this neighborhood.
[20:05:29]
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE
LAVANDERA (voice over): For nearly a week, the desert neighborhood where Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her home has felt frozen in sorrow. LAURA GARGANO, NANCY GUTHRIE'S NEIGHBOR: See that there? That's called
a pack rat nest.
LAVANDERA (voice over): Laura Gargano, has lived around the corner from Guthrie for 11 years. She's tried to help investigators searching her home security cameras, hoping to find the clue that could identify the culprit who abducted her 84-year-old neighbor. But she says it doesn't feel like enough.
LAVANDERA (on camera): It's also like a helpless feeling, like there's not much you can do. Or do you feel, do you feel that?
GARGANO: Yes, I think that there are some people who feel that way for sure. I definitely feel that way. I wish there was something more I can do, and it almost feels like time is standing still right now, that it almost feels inappropriate to go on and continue with our lives.
LAVANDERA (voice over): Investigators keep scouring the neighborhood, returning day after day, looking for any evidence that will bring them closer to bringing Nancy home.
LAVANDERA (on camera): There are no videos or photographs that you guys have been able to release. Does that mean you're not getting anything that is of true value?
CHRIS NANOS, PIMA COUNTY, ARIZONA, SHERIFF: We're still in the process, right? So far, we've gotten some things back, but there's nothing that that you would say "Aha, this is it". So, we're just working. It's a, you know, these things are done in an hour on, you know, "Law and Order." But this is real world and it just takes some time.
LAVANDERA (voice over): This is not a television show and it's time that stretching longer as each day goes by with no word of Nancy's whereabouts. And for neighbors like Shirley Harvey, it's hard to make sense of a tragedy that hit's so close to home.
LAVANDERA (on camera): What has this week been like for those of you who live around Nancy Guthrie?
SHIRLEY HARVEY, NANCY GUTHRIE'S NEIGHBOR: But there's still no news, so, I think the general consensus is people are in shock. Because we still don't know where she is.
LAVANDERA (voice over): She says they're haunted by what's happened to their neighbor, taken from her home in the middle of the night, while those around her slept.
HARVEY: And I can't even imagine how she would cope with something like that. What she would even do, and how it would affect her if, you know, if that happened to her in the middle of the night. It's just a very unnerving thing to happen to somebody, especially an elderly woman. LAVANDERA (voice over): Another day passes, investigators keep
returning to the rolling hills in this neighborhood, searching for a clue that might be hiding in the desert brush while everyone desperately waits for this dreadful moment to end.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Ed, what more do you know about the increased law enforcement activity around the house?
LAVANDERA: Well, the officials here have been saying that they're coming back out to the area and bringing out FBI investigators.
As we mentioned, they've been out here for a couple of hours now. This is very different from what we've seen in recent days. You know, we've been able to get -- move through this street, but this is the first time that the area has been cordoned off in this way.
But they're clearly coming back. And what is different tonight is the extent of -- we haven't seen evidence markers being put down around the property like we're seeing tonight and actually watching agents on top of the roof. We don't know why. But this clearly, the amount of law enforcement presence out here today is much, much heavier than it has been in recent nights. And, and they've actually extended not just on the street, but in homes and on streets around the area as well.
COOPER: All right, Ed, thanks very much in Tucson.
Joining me now is CNN chief law enforcement intelligence analyst John Miller; former Secret Service agent, Jonathan Wackrow and retired FBI profiler. Mary Ellen O'Toole.
Just broad strokes, John, what stands out to you right now?
JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: Well, more questions than answers. But question number one, is the letter that came into KOLD from the same source as the original ransom demand. Number two, if it is, is that source a letter writer trying to demand money, or are they the real kidnapers?
COOPER: And what KOLD has said is the I.P. address is not the same I.P. address, but it appears the sender used the same type of secure server to hide their I.P. address. The new note contains information the sender seemed to think will provide proof to investigators, they're the same people who sent the first note.
MILLER: Right, and what that means is they used Tor or Onion or Proton, one of those services that takes everybody's I.P. addresses, scrambles them, and whatever you send, it still comes from the same source, but it never uses the same I.P. address twice. It's like a lottery selection system. It's what people use to hide their identities in some cases, particularly like this.
But the presence of sensitive information in that e-mail also suggests that the person is providing something to verify, I'm the same guy, and I know special things. Question again, is the sensitive information about Nancy Guthrie, her
current condition, something she said, something specific? Or to stretch that point is the sensitive information something about the crime scene that sent investigators back there tonight not suggesting that's the case. It's just there are two things going on at once that are the focus of a lot of attention. And the question is whether or not they're connected.
[20:10:40]
COOPER: Jonathan.
JONATHAN WACKROW, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Yes, I mean, just because you see action doesn't mean that it, by law enforcement doesn't mean that it's a reaction to this letter.
Typically, when you have time-sensitive investigations, which this is, we know that you will see parallel activity. But the fact that this investigation as of, you know, the midday today seemed stale. We didn't see a lot of reporting of activity. We didn't see a tremendous --
COOPER: Is it weird that they're going back to the house? I mean, that going back to the same road that they gave up the crime scene a long time ago?
WACKROW: So, I don't want to say it's weird. I'm going to say it's a good sign. It means that there's some item of investigative tip, a lead, potentially an item of evidentiary value that's there that they want to find, right. So, I'd rather see that than no activity at all.
COOPER: Mary Ellen, I mean, given the length of time given, you know, the demand of money, the reach out to both local and TMZ, do you have a sense or do you have any kind of working hypothesis of a profile of this person?
MARY ELLEN O'TOOLE, RETIRED FBI SPECIAL AGENT-PROFILER: Well, a little bit more than I did earlier today. But the one thing that is really striking to me and John and Jonathan, I think hit on it as well, is what's the purpose of today's communication? What was the reason for it? Because the reporter said there was no mention in that in terms of the note today of deadlines or information about how to make this ransom, effected, messages to the family, if that's true, what the heck was the purpose of this of this letter? Was it to provide leads for the Police Department? Was it to hurt the family? Was it to taunt the police?
So, if this is an impostor who wrote both notes but did not kidnap Nancy, then why is he, he's almost guaranteeing himself years in in federal prison for what he's doing without any financial benefit. So, that almost makes no sense at all. And why the third-party intermediary? Why send these, the notes to the media? Because they immediately turn it over to law enforcement anyway. So, there is a focus on the media here, which may give us some background about what this person is obsessed with the local media here, it's not necessary.
COOPER: What does that tell you about?
O'TOOLE: Well, that tells me that obsession or that interest in the local media station probably preexisted this kidnaping. In other words, he didn't just sit and I say he because we know that, most kidnapers are males. He didn't just sit in his living room last week and decide I'm going to, if he's the kidnaper, I'm going to do this and I'm going to really make this very complex, and I'm going to include, local and national media in my -- you know, in my letters and in my demand notes. That interest in the media, especially the local media, I think there's a good chance it preexisted this kidnaping.
COOPER: John, the Sheriff has said that, the sheriff told NBC News, saying that I think there was a landscaper, a pool maintenance crew, maybe a housekeeper. They've all been cooperative. They've spoken to people who have worked in the house. They provided, according to him, they've provided certain information that was helpful. Obviously, anybody who has a history in that house or has done work in that house would be somebody they would want to talk to.
MILLER: Right, and the Sheriff said definitively in yesterday's press conference, when pressed about what were they looking at, this person or that person? He said, everyone is a suspect and not to cast any aspersions against the workers that they spoke to. But what he's saying is, when you don't know who's behind it, you approach every person who had access or had knowledge that could have been helpful in a crime like this. And you start off from the standpoint of, let's prove this person had nothing to do with it, okay? Now let's prove that person had nothing to do with it. You want to go through and eliminate people, and when you run into something that says, I can't eliminate this guy, well, then you put more focus on him or her.
[20:15:10]
COOPER: The I mean, in your experience, how sophisticated do you think this is?
WACKROW: Well, right now it's hard to tell, right? Because I think if you look at it from a technology standpoint, there is a level of sophistication by sending encrypted messages and targeting but, you know, as John just said, you know, everybody is a suspect, but not everybody had the opportunity to have access to Nancy Guthrie. And I think that's really what investigators need to focus on right now. We heard that they spoke to the landscaper and those first-degree contacts, but I'm sure that the FBI is going back now and re- interviewing and then going to second- and third-degree contacts.
Because we just know that to get this crime done, to execute it as it was, there had to be a greater working knowledge. You either did one of two things. Either you had the inside information about what the property looks like, had the opportunity to know when she was vulnerable, when no one else would be around, have some working knowledge to execute the abduction, or you have to go through and conduct pre pre-attack surveillance on the property and collect all of that information.
The latter is more difficult. You're telegraphing, you potentially can get caught in that, that that that activity that surveillance activity. The closer contacts is where I would be if I was investigating this. That's where I would be looking because it's the group that has the opportunity to cause harm to her as opposed to a stranger coming in and trying to execute on this abduction.
COOPER: Jonathan Wackrow, John Miller, thanks very much. Mary Ellen O'Toole as well. We'll have more on this throughout the program.
But up next, the President just weighed in on the racist meme posted on his social media page of the Obamas as apes. The criticism, including from Republicans and the excuses The White House made before taking it down. The President has just spoken out about this as well and says he didn't make a mistake. We'll have the details of what he said.
We'll return to the Guthrie story as well, with more on the role the public can play in solving the case and ending the family ordeal. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:21:29]
COOPER: Keeping them honest tonight and just in time to round out the first week of Black History Month, the President's social media post depicting the nation's first Black President and First Lady as apes. He has just talked about it aboard Air Force One, but first, it needs some context of how we got here.
The post went up on his social media feed at 11:44 last night. This is the frame grab from it. The image in question appears in the last few seconds of a minute long election conspiracy video full of lies. Here's some of it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
VOICE OVER: When reporting and counting resumed, there was a massive spike occurred that -- that favored Joe Biden.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: That was from just one of more than five dozen items that went up on the President's timeline in the 11:00 P.M. and midnight hour. So, this is just as a case in point, how the President of the United States does -- this is what he does late into the night, amplifying tired old false election conspiracies and attacking immigrants in this country and others. A couple of his late night posts attacked New York's new Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, and mixed into all of this, of course was this, the America's first Black President and First Lady shown in this way.
An expression of what's been called America's original sin, racism, in one of its original forms, depicting Black Americans as animals in a post from a man who once said this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) TRUMP: Nobody has done more for the Black community than Donald Trump.
And if you look, with the exception of Abraham Lincoln, possible exception, but the exception of Abraham Lincoln, nobody has done what I've done. I am the least racist person. I'm the least racist person in this room.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Well, the least racist person is blatantly racist post went up at 11:44 last night. By this morning, at least some Republican lawmakers were saying familiar things about the President's Truth Social postings.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. MIKE HARIDOPOLOS (R-FL): Well, I've not seen that video, you just showed it to me. But what I've tried to do and I tried to do it on your show today, the number one thing that we need to do is elevate the conversation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Well, he promised to watch the video when he got off the air. As it happens, a lot of his fellow Republicans must have or seen that frame grab from it because several joined Democrats and publicly criticizing the President for posting it. Most notably, Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, who said this online, "Praying it was fake because it's the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House. The President should remove it."
Now, keeping them honest, the wording that Senator Scott chose alone is fascinating. Calling something, "the most racist thing I've seen out of this White House" suggests that he's seen plenty of other racist things from this White House, which is not something he has ever talked about before.
The administration's initial response this morning was not to take down the post, and not to apologize for posting it. Instead, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, and I quote, "This is from an internet meme video depicting President Trump as the king of the jungle and Democrats as characters from the 'Lion King.'" She continued, "Please stop the fake outrage and report on something today that actually matters to the American public.
Now, keeping them honest, she seems to be saying that it does not matter to the public whether the President of the United States is up at odd hours of the morning posting racist internet memes, and she seems to be saying that it's okay when someone else created it first, which is one of Mr. Trump's oldest excuses. You know, it was just a retweet. As for this being a video based on characters from the "Lion King", as a dad of a three and five-year-old, I haven't spent a lot of time watching the "Lion King" these days a lot of time, and just want to point out there's no gorillas or apes in "Lion King".
There are lions and meerkats or hornbill bird, hyenas, wildebeest, a warthog and rafiki who's a mandrill. A few hours after Karoline Leavitt's not so clever "Lion King" excuse, someone in the White House decided they needed to come up with another story and just after lunchtime, a senior official told CNN it wasn't the President who made the post at all. They said, quote, "a White House staffer erroneously made the post. It has been taken down".
No apology, no acknowledgment. It was racist and apparently not quite accurate because just a short time ago, the President himself said this.
[20:25:45]
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REPORTER: The social media post that you took down earlier today, The White House says that a staffer sent it. Who sent it? And are you going to fire them?
TRUMP: No. I looked at it, I saw it, and I just looked at the first part. It was about voter fraud in some place Georgia. There was a lot of voter fraud, 2020 voter fraud. And I didn't see the whole thing.
I guess during the end of it, there was, some kind of a people don't like. I wouldn't like it either, but I didn't see it. I just -- I looked at the first part and it was really about voter fraud. And, and the machines, how crooked it is, how disgusting it is. Then I gave it to the people. Generally, they look at the whole thing, but I guess somebody didn't. And they posted it and we took it down and we did it, you know. But that was a voter fraud that nobody talks about. They don't like to talk about that post. We took it down as soon as we found out about it.
REPORTER: Mr. President, a number of Republicans are calling on you to apologize for that post. Is that something you're going to do?
TRUMP: No, I didn't make a mistake. I mean, if you give, I look at a lot of thousands of things. And, I looked at the beginning of it. It was fine. They had that one post, and I guess it was a takeoff, by the way. A lot of people covered. If you look at where it came from, a lot of I guess it was a takeoff on the "Lion King".
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Joining me now is Harvard University professor and former NAACP President Cornell William Brooks. Professor, the President is saying in furtherance of a lie about voter fraud in Georgia, of which there was not, which is just something he endlessly repeats, like a guy in a bar late at night. He posted or approved the posting of this, this meme. What do you make of his explanation and how The White House has kind of come up with various explanations throughout the day?
CORNELL WILLIAM BROOKS, FORMER PRESIDENT AND CEO, NAACP: Well, first of all, thank you for having me. What I make of the President's explanation is that it is not an explanation or an excuse. We have seen from this White House shifting narratives. The President taking responsibility for posting that which The White House denied and that it subsequently attributed to a young staffer. So, in other words, we have shifting narratives, apparent lies. And
the President taking -- not taking responsibility for his actions and the consequences of it.
Anderson, we need to really be clear here. The President was drawing from a deep, toxic, well of racist tropes going back to at least the 1850s with scientific racism. This notion that black people are most closely related to apes and gorillas and simians such that they are subhuman and sub citizens.
And since this President has called into question President Obama's, birthplace and his legitimacy, credibility as a citizen, this is true to form. So, in other words, this is incredibly offensive. It is not entirely new.
COOPER: Well, it's interesting. You are right. It is also interesting that he doesn't say, you know, had I seen this, I never would have done this. This is, you know, terrible. These images are sickening. You know, and I would never post something like that. And it's interesting to me that I guess he views it as a sign of strength, his refusal to ever apologize, his refusal to admit that he made a mistake. It seems to me, to me, the ultimate sign of weakness, that he's so afraid of being seen as making a mistake that he can't admit it when he does.
BROOKS: Well, you know, the thing is, it's a sign of weakness in two respects. There's a weakness with respect to admitting a wrong and taking responsibility. But there's also weakness with respect to his inability to resist this racist impulse to demean, to degrade, to belittle Black people generally and the country specifically. And what I mean by that is this President seems to think that he is merely insulting the Obamas and Black people when he, in fact, is also insulting his supporters.
What do we mean by that? He seems to believe that his base and White Americans can be so rage baited and race baited that they will forget high grocery prices or unaffordable homes or a White House that is in absolute chaos. So, in other words, he calls into question the humanity, the intelligence and character of Black people. But he also calls into question the intelligence and conscience of White people.
[20:30:37]
And so he is so small on so many levels. This is, you know, character, caricature, I should say, character in miniature, microscopic character.
COOPER: Colonel William Brooks, I appreciate your time tonight. Thank you. Take care.
Up next, we're going to return to the Nancy Guthrie case and dive into how crowdsourcing help from the public may be crucial in bringing her home. Also with investigators back at her home, canvassing her neighborhood, two former FBI special agents weigh in on the case.
Plus, the father of kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart joined me. She was abducted, held for almost a year and Smart knows how difficult this is.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:35:30]
COOPER: Welcome back. You're looking at a new video just in from Tucson, Arizona where investigators remain at the home of Nancy Guthrie who authorities say was abducted from that house nearly a week ago. You can see agents using flashlights on the property and lights are visible inside the home. As we mentioned earlier, officials are also reviewing the authenticity of a new message sent to a local TV station purportedly from whomever has Mrs. Guthrie.
CNN's Brian Todd has more on that and the plea from authorities for the public's help in this case.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A new message regarding the search for Nancy Guthrie, a message sent via email to CNN Affiliate KOLD. According to a reporter there, a message that the station is not sharing the specifics of, but which adds new urgency to the case.
STEVE MOORE, RETIRED FBI SUPERVISORY SPECIAL AGENT: The biggest concern going forward now is time. We have a person out there who's missing, who needs her medications, who is a person very much at risk and time is not on our side on that.
TODD (voice-over): Criminologist Dawn Cecil believes the Nancy Guthrie case has crossed into the crowdsourcing realm where law enforcement not only asks the public for tips, but also solicits the public for things like surveillance video.
SHERIFF CHRIS NANOS, PIMA COUNTY, ARIZONA: We take the leads from everywhere and where those leads take us, we'll get there. Crowdsourcing for leads, Cecil says, can backfire with an avalanche of information that can distract investigators.
DAWN CECIL, PROFESSOR OF CRIMINOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA: There's going to be a lot more of the junk, for lack of a better term, than there's going to be those actionable pieces of information.
TODD (voice-over): Cecil says that was the case in the investigation of the 2022 Idaho University student murders when police cast a wide net for help and amateur internet sleuths got out of control.
CECIL: You had especially the true crime TikTokers inundate that area and they tried to make content in the guise of trying to solve this case. And what you ended up seeing were false accusations, false leads.
TODD (voice-over): The Guthrie case has already drawn its share of TikTok detectives weighing in.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I'm a forensic scientist and a former CSI. Let's talk about the evidence.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because it's a high-profile case, the name of this game is CYA.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So I just have questions as to who ordered the Uber? Why did she Uber?
TODD (voice-over): But Cecil says crowdsourcing can also help investigators as it did in the 2021 Gabby Petito murder case when bloggers helped authorities locate Petito's van.
CECIL: A family who had seen information about where Gabby had been, they looked at their own dash cam video and they were able to locate the van. They were able to work and find where Gabby's body was.
TODD (voice-over): Former FBI Special Agent Steve Moore says all that information has to be cross-referenced.
MOORE: What they're going to be looking for in all these tips are parallels between different tips, similar names, similar locations, people with similar backgrounds as possible suspects.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TODD (on-camera): Steve Moore says when investigators ask for that kind of data and information from the public, about 90 percent of what they get back is not useful. He says the crazy information from people on the fringe is pretty easy to handle because you can toss that out quickly. It's the information that seems plausible, Moore says, that's more difficult because often, he says, investigators spend a lot of time chasing down that information before determining it's a dead end.
Anderson?
COOPER: Brian Todd, Brian, thanks.
I want to bring in two retired FBI Special Agents, Richard Kolko worked as a crisis negotiator and Michael Easter worked for more than a decade with the Bureau's Cellular Analysis Survey Team. Richard, what are your thoughts on this second purported message delivered like the first one to a media outlet?
RICHARD KOLKO, RETIRED FBI SPECIAL AGENT: I think it's a good thing. Let's go on the assumption that we've heard that it may be a valid message because what we heard in the first one was they did not want to negotiate. There was a line in that first letter that said there will be no negotiation.
What they -- has happened now is they've heard the pleas from the family, they realize how important this was, they've heard the pleas from law enforcement, and they probably came to the realization that if they are in this for the money, they are not going to get the money unless they can provide that proof of life and proof of possession. And that's why this note, this electronic communication could be helpful once law enforcement determines if it did come from the same person. COOPER: Michael, we know the FBI has been putting assets, a lot of assets into the region, I assume including members of your former team. What kind of -- obviously I don't want to reveal anything that would be damaging in any way, but what stands out to you about where this is now and what kind of help can the FBI be?
[20:40:15]
MICHAEL EASTER, RETIRED FBI SPECIAL AGENT: Yes. Of course, we're going to be sending, or the FBI will be sending the CAST (ph) national assets and field assets to that area. And of course, they're going to bring in the ability to not only collect that digital evidence, but then interpret and analyze it in a meaningful and robust way to create new targets that may not have been identified yet and even help eliminate some people that may have been on the persons of interest list and hopefully even identify new target locations that might be viable to collect evidence.
So, yes, they're definitely there and doing those things. And any work that had been done previously, they would go back over to make sure it was done consistent with the best practice.
COOPER: Richard, the fact -- the idea that this person or whoever did it, the person or persons is communicating through, you know, a local news station, in this case now, I guess, with -- assuming it is legitimate, this most recent communication, and not directly with the family as the family has requested. What does that say to you?
KOLKO: It says that that's the path that they've chosen. But let me make it clear, as a negotiator, you want to make it as easy as possible for the hostage takers to be able to communicate with you, whatever that takes. If they want to go through the TV station, that's fine. As long as you get this line of communication established and then you can determine that the hostage takers are the real people involved, we'll do whatever we can to communicate with them.
And this is the people you want to talk to. I know a lot of people want to talk to the mother, talk to Nancy. You want to talk to the people in control. That's the hostage takers right now, unfortunately. But whatever you can do to get them to continue to communicate.
And we talked about deadlines, Anderson, we talked about that yesterday when we spoke. FBI routinely talks through deadlines. I know it's a lot of stress on the families, a lot of stress on law enforcement, but this could be extended because if they're in it for the business deal, they're going to do everything they can to keep her alive so that they can complete their part of the deal.
COOPER: Michael, in terms of cellular communication, things like that, I mean, how much can one do without knowing, you know, an exact location on somebody or, you know, from a technological standpoint, what can the FBI do?
EASTER: Right. When we're attempting to identify an unidentified subject or even develop a device from a location or even an area, the FBI and law enforcement have a couple options for them. And that first one, a lot of us have maybe heard of, is that idea of a geofence. And it's more commonly being transitioned into the idea of an area search.
And that area search allows law enforcement to collect signaling information from mobile devices and to include vehicles that were signaling within the area of interest and then collect it as a business record by your major service providers. Then a second option is still going through that with the service providers, but then asking them for billable usage.
There, you'd be thinking of mobile devices that were making or receiving calls, texts, or having data sessions. So that, I guarantee you, has been done because I know that CAST (ph) is going to be there and those are the immediate actions that CAST (ph) would bring to the table.
COOPER: Michael Easter, Richard Kolko, I appreciate your expertise in this. Thank you.
Just ahead, what Savannah Guthrie has said over the years with such pride and love about her mom, the father she lost, and the family now bracing for whatever comes next.
Also, Ed Smart joins us. He knows some of what the Guthries must be going through his 14-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, was taken and held for the better part of a year. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:48:11]
COOPER: More now in the breaking news and the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. As law enforcement once again are searching her home, the surrounding area, her family, no doubt, is following every development. On Wednesday night, they released a video speaking directly to their mom.
Here's just part of that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE, DAUGHTER OF NANCY GUTHRIE: Mommy, if you are hearing this, you are a strong woman. You are God's precious daughter, Nancy. We believe and know that even in this valley, he is with you.
Everyone is looking for you, mommy, everywhere. We will not rest. Your children will not rest until we are together again.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: My next guest knows the anguish of family desperate for answers. Ed Smart is the father of Elizabeth Smart, who was abducted in 2002, finally reunited with her family more than nine months later.
Ed, thanks for -- it's good to see you. Thanks for being with us. What is it like for a family trying to navigate, particularly these first days in something like this with law enforcement and all the unknowns? ED SMART, FATHER OF KIDNAPPING SURVIVOR ELIZABETH SMART: You know, I think the first issue, of course, is to clear the family. You know, a lot of interests came my way, came my brother's, Tom's way. And as long as they're looking at the family, they can't focus on what's needed to. But, you know, it's so surreal that, you know, something like this could happen to you.
You're really in a state of trauma. And, you know, I hope that Savannah and her family are taking care of themselves, getting the rest they need to be able to survive through this.
[20:50:06]
I mean, your mind is just going night and day. You know, what has happened to her? How can we help? What -- how is she? So, you know, all of those things just continue and just turn and turn and turn in your head. I think that, you know, when you look at what can be brought together and is being brought together in this, you know, you've got law enforcement, you've got the media, and I believe that one of the biggest assets is the public.
And, you know, that person that may have seen something that they didn't pay any attention to but, you know, could be very consequential in the case. So I'm hoping that those people come forward, of course, you know, as it's been said, you know, the number of tips that come in are incredible, but I believe that there is so much that can help. I think social media is a huge source of help and certainly was in Elizabeth's case.
COOPER: You dealt with fictitious ransom, which is just kind of unthinkable that somebody would try to manipulate a family in crisis like this. You dealt with that when Elizabeth was missing. How much did you lean on law enforcement during that time to try to figure your way through this?
SMART: You know, we leaned completely on them. You know, they were investigating, trying to follow up with the potential perpetrator. And in the end they arrested him, put him in jail. And, you know, the Guthries have already experienced that once and I think substantiating what is happening and whether these emails are correct or, you know, is crucial.
So I think, you know, it's great to see the law enforcement agencies coming together, that there isn't this territorial battle that sometimes exists and it did at some point during our investigation and trying to find Elizabeth.
COOPER: It's interesting you talk about sleep. I mean, just the logistics and the grueling nature of this, I assume you really do have to focus on some very basic things of like eating, sleeping, because this can be a long journey.
SMART: It can be. And, you know, without getting sleep, whether you have to get some help to sleep, it's critically important so that you can survive through this. You know, I think of my brother, Tom, who didn't sleep for five hours or for five days. And, you know, it really became very incoherent when on the air and it's very difficult. So I think taking care of yourself is really important and I would highly recommend that, the Guthries.
COOPER: Well, Ed Smart, it's good to talk to you. Thank you very much. I appreciate it.
Coming up next, more on the Guthrie family and the kind of mom Nancy is through the eyes of her daughter, Savannah.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[20:57:25]
COOPER: With the search for Nancy Guthrie going into its second weekend, the next few days will be very tough on her family. A family we've come to know through her daughter Savannah.
More now from Randi Kaye.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
S. GUTHRIE: Mama, great job. Love you. Thank you.
NANCY GUTHRIE, MOTHER OF SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Love you, honey.
RANDI KAYE, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Long before she arrived at Studio 1A in NBC's Today show, Savannah Guthrie called Tucson, Arizona home. That's where she was raised by her parents, Charles and Nancy Guthrie. Savannah's father, Charles, worked in Australia in mining. Then he and his wife brought their family to Arizona when Savannah was just two years old.
In 1988, tragedy struck. Savannah's father died suddenly of a heart attack.
S. GUTHRIE: When my dad died, our whole family just hung on to each other for dear life because it was such a shock. We were just trying to figure out how to become a family of four when we'd always been a family of five.
KAYE (voice-over): In June 2014, Savannah wrote this essay for Today to honor her father on Father's Day. "He was a 5,000-watt bulb who could turn a mundane trip to the post office into a rip-roaring tale."
S. GUTHRIE: I miss my dad all the time. I wonder what it would be like to know him as an adult.
KAYE (voice-over): After the loss, the Guthrie family leaned on each other. Savannah says she grew so close to her mother, Nancy. She didn't want to move away from home.
S. GUTHRIE: I had never lived away from home, and it was really hard for me to leave her. And that's when she said, if you can't leave me, then I didn't do my job right. Well, I would just say about my mom, and I love this about her, she's so no-nonsense. And so if she would say to you, you can do it. I believe you can. Now get out there and go for your dreams. I believed her, and I think that's the beginning of confidence.
KAYE (voice-over): In 2015, they returned to Australia together, sharing their trip with viewers.
N. GUTHRIE: When you got older, this is where you played.
S. GUTHRIE: Hi! We used to live here!
N. GUTHRIE: You know that picture of you and Dad?
S. GUTHRIE: Yes.
N. GUTHRIE: That would have been right around here.
S. GUTHRIE: Yes.
N. GUTHRIE: Taking (INAUDIBLE).
KAYA (voice-over): Nancy Guthrie had become somewhat of a regular on the Today show.
S. GUTHRIE: I am thrilled to welcome a very talented cook to our kitchen.
N. GUTHRIE: Yes.
S. GUTHRIE: One I know well, my mom, Nancy Guthrie.
KAYE (voice-over): Today, viewers got to know Savannah's siblings, too.
S. GUTHRIE: I am so proud of my family, and I have a sibling that I think our country can be proud of, too.
KAYE (voice-over): In July 2012, Savannah flew with her brother Cameron in an F-16 fighter jet. He was a pilot at the time with the Air National Guard.
CHARLES GUTHRIE, BROTHER OF SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: I'm Lieutenant Colonel Charles Guthrie, and I'm Savannah's big brother.
We got you a name tag and your own call sign, ready.
KAYE (voice-over): Savannah did regular features with her sister Annie, too, who was a writer and jeweler.
S. GUTHRIE: Annie and I would be in a fight as little kids, and my mom would separate us and say, go to your room. And then about five minutes later, one of us would send a note under the door.
ANNIE GUTHRIE, SISTER OF SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Yes, I forgot about that.
S. GUTHRIE: Yes, like, we're going to be friends again, or what are you doing?
KAYE (voice-over): Savannah, true to her faith, has said they believe God is the sixth member of their family. Now they are counting on him to bring their mother home.
Randi Kaye, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: We wish them well.
That's it for us. The Source with Kaitlan Collins starts now.
