A ‘signal sniffer’ is now hunting Nancy Guthrie’s pacemaker signal from the sky as a bitcoin ransom note makes the case much darker

The search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie, has received a major high-tech upgrade. Investigators are now using a specialized tracking tool called a “signal sniffer” mounted on a helicopter to try and locate her. The device is designed to pick up low-power electronic signals, like the ones given off by a pacemaker.

Ms. Guthrie has limited mobility and needs daily medication. According to CBS News, law enforcement sources confirmed that detecting the signal from her pacemaker is a primary focus for this new tool. The helicopter carrying this equipment is flying slowly and at a low altitude over the search area in Tucson, Arizona.

Ms. Guthrie vanished from her home in what appears to be an abduction. She was reported missing on February 1 after she did not show up for church. Savannah Guthrie has spoken publicly about her mother’s condition, saying her health and heart are “fragile” and that she “lives in constant pain.”

The suspect’s DNA and a specific backpack are among the strongest leads so far

Detectives have been building a profile of the suspect using footage from Ms. Guthrie’s Nest doorbell camera. Federal authorities described a male suspect who is roughly 5 feet 9 inches or 5 feet 10 inches tall with an average build. He was seen on camera wearing a face mask, gloves, and a black 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack. The term “suspect” has raised some confusion in media coverage, and how the word “suspect” is being used in this case has even caught the attention of news anchors.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos called that specific backpack one of the most promising leads yet, pointing out that it is sold exclusively at Walmart. Investigators believe the suspect’s clothing and face mask were also purchased there, and they are working to identify every brand of clothing seen in the video.

A black glove found near the home, which appears to match the gloves worn by the suspect in the footage, has undergone DNA testing. Federal authorities received the preliminary results on Saturday, and those findings will be entered into the FBI’s national database. Sheriff Nanos confirmed the forensic evidence has not yet led them to a suspect, despite collecting other DNA samples from the property.

The FBI has doubled its reward to $100,000 for information leading to Ms. Guthrie’s location or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved. Authorities are also taking two specific emails seriously, including one that appeared to be a ransom note demanding payment in Bitcoin. Missing persons cases have been making headlines across the country, with a 21-year-old Texas student who went missing after cutting off all contact between classes drawing widespread concern.

Investigators also have a clearer timeline of the abduction. Ms. Guthrie was last seen on the night of January 31, when her son-in-law dropped her off at her home around 9:48 PM, and her garage door closed two minutes later. The doorbell camera was disconnected at 1:47 AM on February 1, software detected activity on a camera about 25 minutes later, and Ms. Guthrie’s pacemaker was disconnected from its monitoring app on her cellphone at 2:28 AM.