A disturbing new theory has emerged in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of TODAY anchor Savannah Guthrie, as investigators continue searching for answers in a case that has already rattled Arizona and drawn national attention.
Former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer says the case may fit the pattern of a brutal cryptocurrency-related crime known as a “wrench attack,” a violent tactic in which criminals use threats, beatings, torture, or kidnapping to force victims to hand over access to digital money.
Nancy Guthrie vanished from her home near Tucson in the early morning hours of February 1. Authorities have said they believe she was taken against her will, but they have not publicly named a suspect or announced any arrests.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has said investigators believe they know the motive. So far, however, officials have not revealed what that motive is.
That silence has only fueled more speculation, especially after Coffindaffer pointed to another frightening case in Arizona that unfolded just one day before Guthrie disappeared.
Coffindaffer has suggested there may be a link between Guthrie’s disappearance and an alleged home invasion in Scottsdale, Arizona, roughly 90 minutes north of Nancy’s home.
That Scottsdale case was reportedly tied to a scheme to steal millions of dollars in cryptocurrency.
“I have been speaking about a wrench attack that took place literally about 90 minutes North of Nancy’s house the day before Nancy was attacked since early March,” Coffindaffer wrote Tuesday on X.
“A wrench attack checks a lot of boxes in terms of Nancy’s case. I have been concerned that this is a likely possibility for months.”
In another post, Coffindaffer explained that the targets in these crimes are often people who have major cryptocurrency holdings, or people connected to someone who does.
The theory has not been confirmed by law enforcement. But the details are unsettling.
Guthrie was last seen at her home in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood of Tucson on January 31. She was reported missing the next day. Investigators later said drops of her blood were found on the front porch.
In February, the FBI released doorbell camera footage showing a masked man outside Guthrie’s front door on the night she disappeared. Officials described him as a suspect.
Since then, the case has remained painfully quiet in public.
A “wrench attack” is a crypto-related crime where criminals use physical violence or intimidation to make someone surrender access to their cryptocurrency.
The name comes from a grim hypothetical: instead of trying to hack someone’s crypto wallet online, a criminal simply threatens them with a wrench until they give up their private keys or passwords.
In other words, it is old-school violence aimed at new-school money.
Crypto tracing firm TRM Labs says these attacks involve physical force or threats to force victims to unlock their digital assets.
And the problem appears to be growing.
Crypto security firm CertiK recorded 34 verified incidents around the world in just the first four months of 2026. That is a 41 percent increase from the same period last year. The losses during that four-month span reportedly reached about $101 million.
CertiK has warned that 2026 could end with roughly 130 such incidents, which would mark a record high.
That makes the Guthrie theory especially alarming. If Coffindaffer’s suspicion is right, this would place the disappearance of an elderly woman inside a rising wave of violent crimes linked to digital wealth.
The threat is no longer limited to online scams or stolen passwords.
Last year, two American crypto investors were arrested and charged after a man told police he had been kidnapped and tortured for weeks by people trying to force him to reveal his Bitcoin password.
In France, wealthy crypto holders and their relatives have also been targeted in ransom plots.
One especially horrifying case involved David Balland, the co-founder of French crypto-wallet company Ledger, and his wife. The couple was kidnapped from their home, and attackers reportedly cut off one of Balland’s fingers while demanding a €10 million ransom, equal to about $11.2 million. Both were later rescued, and several suspects were arrested.
The pattern is clear and terrifying: criminals are no longer just hunting crypto wallets. They are hunting people.
Experts say wrench attacks are increasing for several reasons.
Some criminals believe crypto theft is easier to hide because digital transactions can be difficult to trace. Others are drawn to people who publicly flaunt cryptocurrency wealth on social media, at conferences, or in online communities.
There is also the problem of personal information being easy to find online. Addresses, family connections, routines, photos, and financial bragging can all become dangerous clues in the wrong hands.
That means family members can become targets, even if they are not the ones holding the money.
That possibility is what makes Coffindaffer’s theory so chilling in Nancy Guthrie’s case.
Still, investigators have not publicly confirmed that cryptocurrency played any role in her disappearance.
Nancy Guthrie has been missing since February 1, and the investigation remains active.
Local law enforcement and the FBI have been involved in the search, but no major public breakthrough has been announced. The masked man seen on doorbell footage has not been publicly identified, and authorities have released few details about what they believe happened inside or outside the home.
For now, the case remains a haunting mystery.
Was Nancy Guthrie targeted because of a crypto-related motive? Was the Scottsdale home invasion connected? Or is the wrench attack theory just one possible explanation in a case where investigators are still holding key details close?
Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI, 520-351-4900, 88-CRIME, or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov.
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