It’s been 12 days, and Nancy Guthrie is still missing. ‘Today’ show anchor Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mother was taken against her will from her home in Tucson, Arizona.
As the search intensifies, so many questions in this case center around digital evidence — Bitcoin ransom demands, blockchain transactions, backend surveillance camera footage, and the growing role of AI in this case, and so many others.
In this interview, investigative reporter Anne Emerson sits down with Ari Redbord, global head of policy at TRM Labs and a former federal prosecutor, to better understand how digital forensics actually works and how investigators analyze cryptocurrency and other tech-driven clues.
Ari breaks down, in clear and accessible terms, truths and misconceptions in digital forensics, such as how Bitcoin transactions are traceable on public blockchains, why cryptocurrency exchanges can become critical clues, and how blockchain intelligence fits into the much larger puzzle of investigations.
We discuss the challenges posed by deepfakes, fake identities, the sheer volume of tips pouring in, and why even the smallest piece of information matters to bring Nancy Guthrie home.
Be sure to subscribe for continued coverage as we follow this story and work to better understand the digital tools shaping modern investigations.
We encourage anyone with information about Nancy Guthrie’s case to contact the FBI tipline: 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at (520) 351-4900 or 911.
