Nancy Guthrie's disappearance has left her family searching for answers and wondering whether enough is being done to find her. As the mystery deepens, one voice familiar with high-profile investigations is offering advice rooted in painful experience.
John Ramsey, whose daughter JonBenét Ramsey was murdered in 1996, is urging Nancy Guthrie’s family to closely monitor the police investigation into her disappearance. He said families should never assume investigators are doing everything possible, drawing comparisons between the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie and the investigation into the 1996 murder of JonBenét Ramsey.
For Ramsey, the case feels painfully familiar. Speaking during the May 20 episode of NewsNation’s “Brian Entin Investigates,” he reflected on the frustration his own family experienced during the investigation into JonBenét Ramsey’s death nearly three decades ago.
Why is John Ramsey speaking out now?
Ramsey said he sees similarities between the two investigations, especially when it comes to outside help allegedly being turned away.
“The sheriff should have recognized that he needed all the resources he could get his hands on, and said, ‘Come on in,’ but he didn’t,” Ramsey said. “It’s sad, but that happens a lot in our country, though, because of the way we’re structured.”
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He also recalled how assistance offered during the JonBenét investigation was allegedly refused.
“Denver police offered three experienced homicide detectives. Boulder had no homicide detective,” Ramsey said. “I got a feeling that may have been the case in the Guthrie case, too," as quoted in a report by NewsNation.
Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Arizona home on January 31 and was reported missing the following day. No suspects have been publicly identified in the case so far.
What concerns did Ramsey raise about police investigations?
Ramsey repeatedly stressed that families should not automatically assume authorities are handling every aspect of an investigation properly.
“Don’t assume the police are doing everything they can do,” he said. “They may be, but don’t assume that. Don’t assume they know what they’re doing. They may, but don’t assume that.”
He encouraged the Guthrie family to ask direct questions about investigative steps, including DNA testing and forensic evidence.
"Really scrutinize and ask questions, [such as] what’s the status of the DNA? Do you have DNA that doesn’t match anybody in the family? What are you doing with it?” Ramsey said, as per NewsNation.
According to Ramsey, bringing in outside experts can be critical because local agencies “can’t be good at everything.”
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How does Ramsey compare the two cases?
Ramsey said the emotional weight of public suspicion during the JonBenét case eventually became easier to process because his family knew the truth about themselves.
“Looking back on it now, you think, man, that was nuts. But it didn’t matter,” he said. “I mean, we knew who we were. Our friends supported us strongly.”
He also expressed surprise that Guthrie’s disappearance remains unsolved despite advances in technology since 1996.
“The police just originally thought, well, she probably just wandered off, being an 84-year-old person. Well, I’m 83, I don’t wander off in the middle of the night,” he said, as per NewsNation.
Ramsey ultimately advised the family to “have an advocate” and continue pressing investigators for answers and additional support.
As Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance stretches beyond 100 days, the search for clarity continues, with Ramsey warning the family not to stop asking difficult questions.
FAQs
What advice did John Ramsey give the Guthrie family?He urged them to carefully question investigators and push for outside resources if needed.
When was Nancy Guthrie last seen?
She was last seen at her Arizona home on January 31.
