The word “celebrate” used by Savannah Guthrie in her family’s latest public plea to whoever abducted her mother was deliberate and may prove pivotal in securing the safe return of the missing 84-year-old, a retired FBI special agent said.
Jason Pack told Fox News Digital on Monday that the language chosen in the video posted Saturday was calculated to de-escalate the situation and keep negotiations moving toward a peaceful outcome.
Savannah Guthrie delivered the appeal while seated between her siblings, Annie Guthrie and Camron Guthrie, in a somber but controlled message shared on Instagram.
“We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her,” Savannah Guthrie said.
“The word ‘celebrate’ stood out to me immediately,” Pack said. “Savannah didn’t say ‘surrender her’ or ‘give her back.’ She said return her so we can ‘celebrate.’ That’s the language of resolution, not confrontation. In any negotiation, you want to offer the other party a way to see this ending positively and peacefully for them too. That’s exactly what the family is doing.”
Pack, who spent years handling crisis negotiations during his FBI career, said the Guthrie family has demonstrated unusual restraint and strategic discipline while navigating the public phase of a high-stakes abduction case unfolding under national scrutiny.
He praised the family for showing what he called “extraordinary discipline under unimaginable grief and pressure” as they carefully escalated their messaging over several days.
“In four days, they moved from an emotional plea, to a proof-of-life demand, to a public offer to pay,” Pack said. “Every step was designed to keep the line of communication open and lower every possible barrier to Nancy’s safe return.”
The family’s decision to publicly say “we will pay,” Pack added, was not a sign of desperation but a calculated move meant to signal seriousness and eliminate uncertainty for whoever is holding Guthrie.
The latest video released by Savannah Guthrie. What exactly is she saying here? Is the mother alive? Or are they asking for her body? Look at their faces. pic.twitter.com/mrG3D1qfyJ
— Coco (@CocoReimagined) February 8, 2026
He said the statement conveys to potential abductors that the family is not stalling and that a clear path forward exists if communication continues.
Pack noted that while authorities have not confirmed direct contact between the family and the kidnappers, the appearance of messages sent through media outlets suggests there is still an active channel that can be leveraged.
He said that development alone keeps hope alive, even as the investigation enters what he described as a critical phase.
“Even though it’s coming through unconventional channels, local and national media outlets rather than direct contact, the fact that someone is engaging means there is a thread to follow,” Pack said. “If they’re communicating, that’s a welcomed development. The goal now is to keep that thread from breaking.”
Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Tucson home more than a week ago. Authorities have said there are signs of forced entry and have confirmed blood was found outside the residence. She requires daily medication, raising the urgency of the search.
While law enforcement continues to pursue physical and digital leads, Pack said the family’s measured public strategy could be just as important in bringing the ordeal to a peaceful end.
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