Trump's warning to Nancy Guthrie's abductors as cops hunt down DNA
Donald Trump has threatened to execute the kidnappers of Nancy Guthrie if the missing 84-year-old is not returned safely.
Speaking to the New York Post on Monday, the president said her captors would face 'the most severe' consequences if Today Show star Savannah's mother is found dead.
When asked if he meant the death penalty, Trump said: 'The most, yeah - that's true.' Capital punishment is a legal penalty in Arizona.
Nancy vanished from her $1 million home in Tucson, Arizona, after enjoying dinner and a game night with her family on the night of January 31. Since then, the mysterious case has captivated America.
On Sunday, it was revealed that the FBI had found a glove matching one worn by a masked figure captured by Nancy's doorbell camera on the night of her kidnapping.
DNA testing is now being performed on the garment in the hopes of cracking the case.
Last week, a chilling video captured an unidentified man with a mask over his face and black nitrile gloves on his hands. He appeared to try to obscure the camera just hours before she was reported missing.
Savannah posted an emotional video to Instagram on Sunday evening, pleading with her mother's captors to 'do the right thing' and return her home.
Today Show star Savannah Guthrie is pictured with her missing mother Nancy, who was last seen on the evening of January 31
On Monday morning, President Trump threatened to execute Nancy's captors if she is not returned home safe
Last week, a chilling video captured on Nancy's doorbell camera showed an unidentified male with a mask over his face and black nitrile gloves on his hands
She said she and her two siblings, Camron and Annie, 'still have hope' that their mother is alive and 'still believe' she will be returned to them.
'And I wanted to say to whoever has her or knows where she is that it's never too late, and you're not lost or alone, and it is never too late to do the right thing,' the TV host said through tears.
'We are here and we believe, and we believe in the essential goodness of every human being, and it's never too late,' she concluded the video, which she captioned 'bring her home.'
A series of ransom notes have been sent to media outlets, including to local stations and TMZ.
Trump's comment came just as another letter was sent to TMZ from a man with a criminal history purporting to know the name of Nancy's abductor.
The outlet alleged that the anonymous sender, who has a burglary charge on his record from ten years ago, said: 'I know what I saw 5 days ago south of the border and I was told to shut up so I know who he is and that was definitely Nancy with them.'
It is the second time the man, who is demanding $50,000 in Bitcoin, has made reference to 'multiple' people who may have been involved in Nancy's abduction. The outlet continues to cooperate with law enforcement on the matter.
Investigators are currently taking a closer look at the clothing Nancy's alleged kidnapper wore in the video. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told CBS News that the clothing and face mask worn by the suspect were purchased at Walmart.
An aerial view of Nancy's home as the search for her enters its third week
Police have also said that they've started to 'lean away' from looking at any of her family members as suspects.
On Monday morning, it was revealed that investigators are searching for a possible getaway car in connection with her disappearance, Fox News reported.
Authorities have requested Ring doorbell footage from neighbors for January 11 between 9pm and midnight, as well as from January 31 between 9.30am and 11am.
Police have also been canvassing nearby homes, asking residents for surveillance video and inquiring about the types of vehicles they own.
One neighbor told NBC that 'detectives have come twice and asked us for our names and who we are and so on and what kind of cars we drive, and if we have a truck.'
Nanos has since said that he believes they are 'getting closer' to closing in on a suspect in the case.
'We think we're getting there. We think we're getting closer,' he told NBC.
With her mom still missing, Savannah has reportedly been contemplating leaving the Today Show for good.
Savannah is perhaps one of the most recognized faces in network news, having first appeared on NBC in 2007.
Sources have told NewsNation that the exhaustive and traumatic search for Nancy has forced Savannah to reconsider her position in the public eye.
'This absolutely came out of the blue, and I think she’s really concerned that it was because of her job,' NewsNation's Paula Froelich reported, citing sources.
Froelich added that Savannah was reportedly 'a mess' and was worried that past segments featuring her mother made Nancy vulnerable.
Just about three months ago, Savannah returned to her hometown of Tucson for a nostalgic tour, visiting the place that shaped her upbringing.
With her mom still missing, Savannah has reportedly been contemplating leaving the Today Show for good
Her mother made a rare on-air appearance during the segment, as the pair toasted to the 'gentle' desert town she had lived in since the 1970s.
But following her disappearance, there is growing concern behind the scenes at NB that the feature might have inadvertently placed Nancy in danger, the Daily Mail previously learned.
Her disappearance has cast the November Homecoming special in a stark new light.
'There's a lot of soul searching at NBC about whether their segment made Nancy a target,' a Today Show source told the Daily Mail.
