A potential suspect's apparent failure to account for a doorbell camera could be pivotal in the investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance, as authorities entered the 11th day of the high-profile case, retired New York City Police Department Chief of Department John Chell said Wednesday on Newsmax.
Chell suggested on "Wake Up America" that the individual seen in the surveillance may have made critical errors as the former NYPD chief pointed to newly released FBI photos and video — including footage captured on a Nest camera the night Guthrie vanished.
"If you're going to do a crime like this, you better account for that camera quickly. And obviously this person didn't," Chell said.
Guthrie, the daughter of "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie, was reported missing from her home just outside Tucson on Feb. 1. Her disappearance has garnered attention across the United States, with many Americans expressing support for the family.
President Donald Trump spoke with Savannah Guthrie about the case and encouraged the public to come forward with any information.
Chell emphasized that the next major break may depend less on technology and more on the public.
"This person lives somewhere, he sleeps somewhere, he drives a car. He goes to his local store somewhere," Chell said. "Somebody knows this person and what he looks like."
"Time is of the essence. These investigators are working hard 24 hours, and they've got to run what they've got quickly," he said.
While acknowledging frustration as the search stretches into its second week, Chell said the release of surveillance images could generate new leads and potentially shift the trajectory of the probe.
With thousands of tips already submitted, Chell said investigators are likely holding back certain details to match incoming information against evidence not yet made public.
"That picture is going to generate many more leads," he said. "They've just got to keep being methodical and work it out. ... They can't miss anything here."
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Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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