The Megyn Kelly Show | Ep. 1247 (Feb. 6, 2026)

Episode Overview

Main Theme:
Megyn Kelly and her guests analyze the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of NBC host Savannah Guthrie, focusing on new developments from law enforcement and media, inconsistencies in the official timeline, the ransom notes, and controversial elements of both the investigation and media coverage. Special attention is given to exclusive reporting by Ashleigh Banfield, a shifting narrative from the sheriff's office, and the emotional appeals from the Guthrie family.
Featured Guests: Ashleigh Banfield (crime reporter & podcast host), Jim Fitzgerald (former Supervisory FBI Agent), Jonathan Gilliam (ex-Navy SEAL & FBI Agent), Chad Ayers (former SWAT team leader).

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Guthrie Family’s Messaging: Odd Phrasing and Movie References

• Family's Video Appeal: The Guthrie siblings released an Instagram video appealing for their mother’s return. Observers noted an uncanny similarity to a line in "Silence of the Lambs," where a senator pleads to her daughter's kidnapper:

  • Savannah Guthrie: "She is full of kindness and knowledge. Talk to her and you'll see." (07:45)
  • “Talk to her and you’ll see” is directly lifted from the film’s ransom scene.

• Speculation Over Law Enforcement Guidance:

  • Ashleigh Banfield suggests the FBI playbook may have influenced the phrasing, as similar scripts have been used in training and media. FBI agents were on hand to help the Guthrie family craft and record their statement (09:27).
  • Jim Fitzgerald: “Jonathan Demme...did confer with the FBI...So it’s entirely possible that there is an age-old playbook...” (09:27)

• Unusual Social Media Behavior:

  • The family’s Instagram post was written entirely in lowercase, which is atypical for Savannah. Law enforcement may have advised specific language and formatting to humanize the victim and possibly for coded communication.
  • Megyn Kelly: “…the most important post of her life…this is the one that came out the night before the video…all without caps…” (11:00)

2. Ransom Notes: Authentic or Exploitation?

• Overview of Ransom Correspondence:

  • Multiple ransom notes/emails were sent to TMZ and Arizona outlets demanding Bitcoin in exchange for Nancy’s return.
  • A “Monday deadline” with dire consequences was set in the messages. Media and law enforcement are questioning their authenticity.

• Fraudulent Ransom Attempts:

  • A separate individual (identified as Derek Kalea) was arrested for contacting the family and demanding ransom via text and phone. He was unaffiliated with the abduction (14:23).

• Content and Details from the Ransom Notes:

  • The notes reference specific details: Nancy’s Apple Watch and a broken floodlight (88:29).
  • Harvey Levin (TMZ) reported the ransom note gave information about the location of the Apple Watch that only someone in the home could know, suggesting legitimacy (89:36).
  • “There is a demand of millions in Bitcoin...and a time frame for how long it would take Nancy to be returned to Tucson after getting the money.” (94:36)

• Panel’s Analysis of Ransom Notes:

  • The experts express skepticism. They suggest the notes could be opportunistic fraud, possibly by international criminals (Nigerians, Eastern Europeans) or a domestic prank.
  • Jim Fitzgerald: “It’s either a hoax or it’s real...If it’s a hoax, it could be for three separate reasons: opportunistic money-making, harassment, or deliberate misdirection by the actual perpetrator.” (95:26)
  • No proof of life has been provided. The family desperately demands direct communication and evidence their mother is alive (19:00; 97:58).

3. Inconsistencies & Shifting Timelines from Law Enforcement

• Discrepancy Over Time of Discovery:

  • The sheriff’s public timeline changed. Originally, 11:00am Sunday was given as the time the family was alerted to Nancy’s absence by a church friend, with about an hour before they called 911 due to searching.
  • This was changed to the family discovering her missing at 11:57am and calling 911 at 12:03pm, drastically shortening the delay (39:55; 41:45).
  • Complicating matters: It was reported Nancy hadn't attended church in person for years, calling into question how someone would have noticed her absence and notified family (66:52).

• Who Last Saw Nancy?:

  • The sheriff alternated between saying Annie (Savannah’s sister), Annie & her husband Tommaso, and just Tommaso dropped Nancy off at home. Eventually, he fell back to simply saying “family” (36:25).
  • NY Times quoted the sheriff as confirming it was Tommaso, further muddying official statements (38:04).

• Handling of Key Evidence:

  • Ashleigh Banfield maintains, via law enforcement sources, that Annie's car was towed and is being processed as evidence. The sheriff speaks vaguely and never denies it (23:10; 44:28).
  • Footage from Nancy’s home revealed Nancy’s own car remained in her garage, supporting Banfield’s report that another family member’s car was seized (50:28).

• Surveillance Cameras:

  • Reporting has indicated multiple Nest cameras (not Ring) were forcibly removed or smashed. The sheriff’s office would only confirm they were “disconnected” and “not in their possession” (45:39).

4. Crime Scene, Timeline, and The Missing 41 Minutes

• Key Timeline (per police):

  • 9:48pm: Nancy’s garage door opens (believed to be drop-off)
  • 9:50pm: Garage door closes (Nancy enters)
  • 1:47am: Doorbell (Nest) camera disconnected
  • 2:12am: Motion detected on another camera
  • 2:28am: Pacemaker app disconnects from her iPhone, presumed to indicate Nancy left the house with her phone at this time.

• Panel’s Theories on the 41 Minutes:

  • Jonathan Gilliam: “You don't spend 41 minutes as a kidnapper...That's why I'm leaning away somewhat...Was there an argument? ...If it's someone known to the woman…they better take that body and put it somewhere else.” (61:32)
  • Chad Ayers: Suggests delay could be due to searching for something (papers, valuables) or potential attempt at cleaning evidence. Raises the possibility of sexual assault, referencing similar cases (60:41).
  • Megyn Kelly: “Why does it take 41 minutes to get an 84 year old out of the house?” (53:34; 84:25)

• Significance of Pacemaker Data:

  • Consensus that as long as the pacemaker transmitted data to the phone, Nancy was alive in the house. If her heart had stopped, the app would reflect it and doctors/family would be notified (75:29; 119:42).
  • Therefore, the abduction/removal likely took place at or after 2:28am.

5. Law Enforcement & Media Tension

• Sheriff’s Veiled Rebuke:

  • Sheriff Chris Nanos criticized media reporting that named suspects or drew premature conclusions, calling for caution and fairness (21:52).
  • Used careful language, never fully clearing or naming family members but stating, “...everybody’s still a suspect in our eyes…” (33:53)

• Ashleigh Banfield Under Fire:

  • Her exclusive reporting—naming Tommaso (Annie’s husband) as a "possible prime suspect"—has been validated by sources but dismissed by elements of the media and the sheriff without being specifically denied.
  • Banfield defends her standards, noting reliance on high-caliber law enforcement sources and pushes back on personal attacks against her reporting (22:50; 31:31).

6. Alternate Theories & Analytical Takeaways

• Family Involvement:

  • Panel reiterates that family is always included in the initial suspect pool; it’s “Crime Solving 101” and not suggestive of character (69:34).
  • Savannah Guthrie is living with Annie and Tommaso, suggesting complete trust in them (70:47).
  • If the ransom notes are an elaborate ruse and not tied to the actual abduction, the investigation shifts back to personal motives, inheritance, or emotional conflict (118:31).

• Random Crime/External Actors:

  • A neighbor saw a white, unmarked van in the vicinity, but area is remote and placing the precise timing is difficult (128:15).
  • No typical signs of robbery, drug involvement, or sexual assault yet. Crackheads or random criminals are less likely given the sophistication (e.g., disabling cameras, timing, Bitcoin demand) (126:38).

• Sophisticated Fraudsters?:

  • If the note is a sophisticated third-party fraud, the “real” perpetrator may have nothing to do with ransom at all.
  • Megyn: “They really are sophisticated…they operate like serious frauds…If they think there’s a deep pocket and they could get a couple million bucks quickly, they’d absolutely do it.” (114:38)

7. Family Dynamics & Media Strategy

• Cameron Guthrie’s Recent Video:
  • Cameron (the brother) gave a solo statement, possibly out of frustration or due to strategy, contrasting with the prior group statement (136:37, 137:06).
  • Notable he wore the same “Saguaro National Park” baseball cap as previously, possibly for significance or continuity (137:55).
  • Panel suggests the shift may be to present a more masculine, firm appeal to the kidnapper, or to cycle through different “faces” to elicit a response (139:04).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Law Enforcement and Media:

  • Megyn Kelly: "No, my standards haven’t changed. I don’t think I’d throw my entire four decades away for one story." (25:32)
  • Ashleigh Banfield: “If they're taking shots at you, you're standing on the target.” (24:40)

• On the Ransom Messages:

  • Harvey Levin (via Ashleigh): “They began the letter by saying Nancy is okay, but scared. So they say she is okay. And also that she’s aware of the letter and the demands.” (88:29)
  • Jim Fitzgerald: “It’s either a hoax or it’s real...(the hoax could be) opportunistic money-making, harassment, or deliberate misdirection by the actual perpetrator.” (95:26)

• On Frustration with Law Enforcement:

  • Megyn Kelly: "You're just sort of eliding around it. It was like, yeah, car, standard search warrant, court orders, crime scene, not which house. Wait, wait." (44:28)
  • Jim Fitzgerald: "...sometimes the media is used as well, and sourcing is dropped to get stuff out there that may agitate or make suspects nervous. That's also a tactic... you're allowed to do that in law enforcement." (32:04)

• On 41 Minutes & Scene Analysis:

  • Jonathan Gilliam: “A successful abduction, but a poorly run kidnapping at this point…you don't spend 41 minutes as a kidnapper in the place…” (61:32)
  • Chad Ayers: “Was there a sexual assault? …Is that a possibility? 100% that's still a possibility.” (60:41)

• On Investigative Priorities:

  • Ashleigh Banfield: "I think these are all things that lead to an even bigger mystery and a little confusion. I always give law enforcement grace when there's so much going on and there's an exigent circumstance..." (42:45)
  • Megyn Kelly: “Somebody in that room needed to say, you've adjusted the timeline dramatically, Sheriff. Why?” (43:50)

• Cultural Reference Noticed by Community:

  • Savannah Guthrie’s line: “Talk to her and you'll see.”
  • Senator Martin in Silence of the Lambs: "Catherine is very gentle and kind. Talk to her and you'll see." (06:23)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:59 — Megyn Kelly sets up the show and outlines the key unusual elements: family messaging, timeline changes, and new evidence
• 05:39–09:27 — “Silence of the Lambs” line lifted in the Guthrie family’s plea; discussion of FBI/hostage negotiation scripting
• 13:26–16:11 — Examining oddities in Savannah’s Instagram post and possible coded communication
• 16:19–21:52 — Ransom notes: their provenance, authenticity, and a separate scammer’s arrest
• 32:04–35:09 — Law enforcement strategy: why police mislead the public and what the media’s role is
• 36:25–38:04 — Sheriff’s shifting timeline of who last saw Nancy Guthrie
• 39:55–44:28 — The hour-long versus 7-minute delay in reporting Nancy missing and contradictions in the official story
• 45:39–47:49 — Surveillance (Nest) cameras: "smashed" vs "disconnected," plural vs singular, who removed them and why
• 53:34–84:25 — Detailed timeline analysis, pacemaker data, absence of proof of life, and panel’s breakdown of motivations, possible scenarios, and investigative criticism
• 87:30–97:58 — Harvey Levin’s insights: ransom note specifics, timeline, FBI considerations, localization of suspect(s)
• 119:42–123:14 — What the pacemaker data can reveal about Nancy’s status
• 126:38–128:15 — Probability of random home invasion or professional crime ring, role of technical skill, and possibility of white van involvement
• 132:47–135:04 — Panel’s reactions to “Silence of the Lambs” script overlap
• 136:37–140:49 — Analysis of the change in Guthrie family public appeals and discussion of possible motives

Conclusion

This episode offers a deep-dive into the confusing, evolving disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. Key takeaways include the unreliability of the official narrative, the possibility that ransom notes are an opportunistic fraud (possibly by sophisticated foreign actors), and a consensus that law enforcement may be concealing more than they’re revealing—for good investigative reasons. Numerous oddities—a shifting timeline, the lifted movie quote, 41 unexplained minutes at the scene, and the seizure of a family member’s car—leave significant unresolved questions. The panel repeatedly emphasizes that despite public scrutiny, investigating family first is standard procedure, though there remains no clear suspect or motive.

Most haunting question (Megyn Kelly, 84:25):
"Why does it take 41 minutes to get an 84 year old out of the house?"

Outlook: While the panel is clearly sympathetic to the Guthrie family, their professional skepticism leaves the case mired in doubt, with law enforcement and the media at odds over the best path to the truth.

For further updates, panelists and guests promise to continue following this story as it develops, stressing both the need for transparency and empathy for those involved.