President Donald Trump believes those responsible in the Nancy Guthrie abduction face the “most severe” federal penalties if she is not released unharmed.
Trump made his declaration Monday to the New York Post.
Trump said he would want the Justice Department to seek the death penalty if Nancy Guthrie, 84-year-old mother of NBC “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, is killed.
Trump said the abductors would face “very, very severe — the most severe” federal consequences if Nancy Guthrie is found dead.
Nancy Guthrie was reported missing Feb. 1 from her home outside Tucson, Arizona.
Trump was asked if he meant the DOJ would request the death penalty and answered, “The most, yeah — that’s true.”
The president called Savannah Guthrie Feb. 4 to offer federal assistance in the case.
The FBI recovered images and video last week of a masked man standing at Mancy Guthrie’s front door.
Trump hasn’t said much publicly about the case; authorities believe may still be alive.
Over the weekend, authorities launched flights above the area carrying a high-tech Bluetooth device in hopes of locating a signal from Nancy Guthrie’s pacemaker.
