The disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s mom could also be linked to a violent type of a cryptocurrency-related crime generally known as a “wrench assault,” in keeping with former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, disappeared from her residence close to Tucson, Arizona, within the early hours of February 1. Coffindaffer mentioned the circumstances resemble a rising prison tactic wherein victims are bodily threatened or kidnapped for entry to cryptocurrency property.
Authorities have mentioned they consider Guthrie was taken towards her will, although investigators haven’t publicly recognized a suspect or introduced any arrests.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has mentioned investigators believe they know the motive, however haven’t disclosed additional particulars.
Hyperlink Between Scottsdale House Invasion
Coffindaffer has beforehand advised a hyperlink between Guthrie’s case and an alleged home invasion that took place in Scottsdale, Arizona, the day earlier than Guthrie disappeared that was reportedly tied to a plot to steal hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in cryptocurrency.
“I’ve been talking a couple of wrench assault that befell actually about 90 minutes North of Nancy’s home the day earlier than Nancy was attacked since early March,” Coffindaffer wrote on X on Tuesday.
“A wrench assault checks quite a lot of packing containers when it comes to Nancy’s case. I’ve been involved that it is a doubtless risk for months.”
In an one other publish, she defined that the targets of such assaults are both people with cryptocurrency wealth or associated to somebody with such wealth.
What Is a ‘Wrench Assault’?
So-called “wrench assaults” refers to a scenario the place bodily drive or intimidation is used to drive a sufferer to give up entry to their cryptocurrency holdings, in keeping with crypto tracing agency TRM Labs.
They are named after the hypothetical state of affairs the place an assailant makes use of a wrench to coerce somebody into revealing their crypto keys.
Such assaults have elevated all around the world lately.
Crypto safety agency CertiK recorded 34 verified incidents befell globally within the first 4 months of 2026, a 41 % enhance from the identical interval final 12 months.
The estimated losses over the four-month interval reached roughly $101 million.
The corporate projected the 12 months may finish with about 130 incidents—a report excessive—and several other hundred million {dollars} in losses.
Final 12 months, two American crypto investors were arrested and charged in reference to the kidnapping of a person who instructed police they tortured him for weeks to get his Bitcoin password.
In France, there have been a number of kidnappings of rich cryptocurrency holders and their family members in ransom plots.
In a single notable case, David Balland, the co-founder of French crypto-wallet agency Ledger, and his spouse had been kidnapped from their residence. The attackers minimize off considered one of Balland’s fingers whereas demanding a €10 million ($11.2 million) ransom. Each had been later rescued and several other suspects had been arrested.
Why Are ‘Wrench Assaults’ on the Rise?
In line with TRM Labs, such assaults are on the rise for a number of causes, together with that perpetrators consider they will get away with cryptocurrency theft as a result of transactions are exhausting to hint.
Those that flaunt their cryptocurrency wealth on social media or in public additionally draw consideration to themselves as targets, and the benefit with which private info could be gathered on-line has made it simpler for attackers to determine and observe potential victims.
How Lengthy Has Nancy Guthrie Been Lacking?
Nancy Guthrie was final seen at her residence within the Catalina Foothills neighborhood of Tucson, Arizona, on January 31 and reported lacking the next day. Authorities consider she was kidnapped and mentioned drops of her blood had been discovered on the entrance porch.
Her disappearance has prompted a multiagency search involving native legislation enforcement and the FBI. In February, the FBI released surveillance footage from a doorbell digital camera, displaying a masked man, whom they known as a suspect, exterior Nancy Guthrie’s entrance door on the evening she disappeared.
Since then, investigators have neither recognized a suspect nor supplied particulars of any important breakthroughs within the case.
What Occurs Subsequent
The investigation into Guthrie’s disappearance stays ongoing. Anybody with info is urged to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), 520-351-4900 or 88-CRIME or go to tips.fbi.gov.
