ABC News commentator and activist Elizabeth Smart is sharing her thoughts on the case of Nancy Guthrie, Savannah Guthrie‘s 84-year-old mother, who was abducted from her Arizona home in February 2026. Drawing from her own experience as an abduction survivor, Smart remains hopeful that Nancy is still alive.
Elizabeth Smart Shares Her Thoughts About The Nancy Guthrie Case
On May 5, commentator Elizabeth Smart was on CNN’s “Erin Burnett OutFront” to discuss her foray into bodybuilding, and during the interview, Burnett asked the 38-year-old what she thinks about the Nancy Guthrie case.
Smart was kidnapped and held captive for months when she was a teenager, and personally, she thinks there’s a likelihood Nancy is still alive. “Absolutely. She could absolutely still be alive,” she said, pointing out that there are many cases that span years in which victims return home to their families alive.
“Of course, there is the alternative, but until we know, we have to keep looking,” Smart continued, saying that no matter what happened to Nancy, she “deserves to be brought home.”
Many Don’t Share Elizabeth Smart’s Opinion
Despite Smart’s sense of optimism, many online users disagreed with her opinion. One person pointed out that Nancy was an elderly woman who had a pacemaker, saying, “I believe she fought with all she had.” However, she wished Nancy had “found peace” early and wasn’t tormented by her abductor.
Another person agreed, saying that while Smart was young and healthy when she was taken, Guthrie relied on “life sustaining medication” at the time of her abduction. “I mean no disrespect to Elizabeth,” the commenter added.
One expert, former Nassau County lieutenant Michael Gould, who is closely following Nancy’s case, shared his take in February and thinks Nancy died within a few days after she was abducted. “Sadly, my assessment is that Nancy likely died within the first 72 hours and will ultimately be recovered,” he said, citing her age, health, and her need for daily medication to survive.
Elizabeth Smart Was Missing For Nine Months
In June 2002, 14-year-old Smart was taken from the bedroom that she shared with her 9-year-old sister, Mary Katherine. Mary Katherine woke up during the abduction and saw a stranger wielding a knife. Frozen in fear, she pretended to be asleep and later alerted her parents that her sister had been taken.
Smart’s abductors were street preacher Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Elaine Barzee. The teen was taken to a makeshift campsite a few miles from her Utah home, where she was bound to a tree, starved, and repeatedly sexually assaulted. Meanwhile, authorities were hard at work trying to locate Smart and working with her sister to create a sketch of Mitchell. The sketch was later shared on “America’s Most Wanted.”
Nine months after the abduction, members of the public recognized Mitchell from the police sketch. He and Barzee were arrested while walking on the street, and Smart was reunited with her family.
Elizabeth Smart’s Life Of Advocacy
Following her return from being kidnapped, Smart said she felt embarrassed. Logically, she knew what had happened was not her fault, but it took a while to let go of the shame. “I felt like it would be better to be dead than to continue living being a rape victim, being a rape survivor,” Smart said, sharing her thoughts at that time.
Smart finished her education and started her own family. ABC News brought her on as a commentator in 2011 to provide her unique perspective on missing-persons and abduction cases. She is also a victims’ rights advocate, launching the Elizabeth Smart Foundation in 2011 to educate communities and support survivors of sexual violence.
Smart has also penned books about her experiences, in addition to sharing the story of her kidnapping on the Netflix documentary, “Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart.”
Nancy Guthrie Case Updates
Nancy has been missing for more than 90 days, and authorities have not named a suspect in her abduction. Surveillance footage showed a masked individual lurking on her property on the night of her abduction, and according to a theory by forensic nurse, Dr. Ann Burgess, the man, who is suspected to be Nancy’s abductor, may already be dead.
Dr. Burgess’ take on the case will be shared on a special titled “NewsNation Presents: The Nancy Guthrie Mystery.” The preview shows journalist Brian Entin asking, “So, the person we see at the front door could be dead… killed by someone else…” to which Dr. Burgess replies, “By the boss. Right. It was well-planned. They got away with it.”
So far, authorities have not confirmed the number of suspects involved in Nancy’s case. The investigation and search for Nancy remains ongoing, with the focus heavily on the DNA evidence found in her home.