Nancy Guthrie’s Disappearance Sparks ‘Mom Detective’ Movement

A growing network of self-proclaimed ‘mom detectives’ is taking matters into their own hands, scouring social media and sharing tips in a bid to find missing mom Nancy Guthrie. These women, with no formal training, are dissecting timelines, analyzing Ring footage, and organizing online files to piece together what happened.

‘Wake-Up-At-2am’ Obsessed

Health and fitness coach Melinda Long is one such ‘mom detective’. She’s crazy about Nancy Guthrie, she admits, and has been doing wake-up-at-2am, what-is-the-truth kind of obsessed deep dives into the case. Long’s not alone – her Instagram post asking if others were equally invested sparked a flood of comments from women echoing her sentiment.

It’s not just Long’s online community that’s mobilized. Across Facebook groups, Instagram threads, and neighborhood camera apps, women are gathering to discuss the case, share information, and offer support. The phenomenon extends beyond the Guthrie case, with mothers and online communities having mobilized around high-profile investigations like the University of Idaho murders and the disappearance of Gabby Petito.

A New Breed of Detective

The idea of mothers stepping into investigative roles isn’t new. A group of suburban moms helped revive a 15-year-old double homicide cold case, as detailed in Chuck Hogan’s book The Carpool Detectives. But the rise of social media has given this grassroots movement a boost, allowing women to connect, share information, and take action like never before.

For Long, it’s about hope. There has to be more, she says. There has to be more information that we don’t know. As the case continues to unfold, one thing’s certain – these ‘mom detectives’ won’t be giving up anytime soon.