TUCSON, Ariz. — A retired homicide detective has explained why investigators in the Nancy Guthrie disappearance case would still examine a wanted kidnapping suspect whose alleged crime occurred less than seven miles from the 84-year-old's home, even as authorities maintain the cases are unrelated.

Maureen O'Connell, a former FBI agent, highlighted the detail during an interview with NewsNation, noting that the family initially told first responders they had no access to or control over the security cameras around Guthrie's residence. Those cameras, installed primarily for wildlife observation, provided one of the few pieces of visual evidence in the case — footage of a masked individual attempting to disable the doorbell camera on the night of Feb. 1.

"The thing I found very, very interesting was that the family let the first responders know — this is based on the dispatch recordings — that they had no access or control over any of the cameras around that house," O'Connell said. She added that the general understanding appeared to be that the cameras were for observing wildlife. "I just found that strange."

O'Connell stressed that in any major missing person or abduction investigation, detectives cast a wide net. "In any major missing person or abduction-type of investigation, the investigators are going to cast a wide net," she explained. This includes examining nearby criminal activity for patterns or potential sources of information that could generate leads.

Case Background and Reclassification

Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Tucson-area home on Feb. 1 under suspicious circumstances. Security footage captured a masked man at the property, blood evidence was reportedly found at the scene, and she left behind critical heart medication. More than four months later, no remains have been recovered despite extensive searches.

The investigation has shifted to a "no-body" murder probe, with authorities believing forensic and circumstantial evidence points to a violent crime at the residence. The Pima County Sheriff's Department and FBI continue........

© International Business Times