President Donald Trump said he wants the Justice Department to pursue the “most severe” federal punishment, including the death penalty, for whoever kidnapped Nancy Guthrie if the 84-year-old is not returned alive.
In a brief phone interview with the New York Post on Monday, Trump said he would instruct the DOJ to seek the harshest penalties available if Guthrie is killed. When asked directly whether he meant capital punishment, Trump responded: “The most, yeah — that’s true.”
His remarks come as the investigation into Guthrie’s disappearance intensifies. Authorities believe she was taken from her Tucson home sometime between the night of Jan. 31 and the early morning hours of Feb. 1.
The FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department have released surveillance images showing a masked individual outside Guthrie’s front door around the time she vanished. Investigators previously said her doorbell camera went offline at 1:47 a.m., with motion detected at 2:12 a.m., and her pacemaker app disconnected at 2:28 a.m. Officials cautioned that the motion alert alone does not confirm a person triggered it.
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Detectives have confirmed blood drops at the home matching Guthrie’s DNA and have collected additional forensic evidence from inside the residence. Law enforcement agencies have executed search warrants, canvassed nearby neighborhoods for video footage and pursued leads tied to the surveillance images.
RELATED: NEW: Investigators Uncover Game-Changing Clue In Nancy Guthrie Disappearance
Authorities say tips have surged since the release of the footage. The FBI is now offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to Guthrie’s recovery.
The case has drawn national attention because Guthrie is the mother of “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie. In recent days, Savannah Guthrie has posted emotional public appeals urging anyone with information to come forward and help identify the individual seen in the footage.
Arizona law authorizes the death penalty for certain capital crimes. The state has carried out executions in recent years.
Trump’s warning underscores the stakes as the search enters another critical stretch. Investigators have not publicly identified a suspect, and Guthrie’s whereabouts remain unknown.
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