The mysterious case of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance continues to leave everyone scratching their heads, and not in a good, thoughtful way. Former Assistant FBI Director Chris Swecker chimed in with a healthy dose of skepticism about a new note related to the investigation. He seems to doubt that the note is anything more than a bid to put the case back in the spotlight. And let’s be honest, who doesn’t want to shake things up a little in hopes of finding a lead, any lead at this point? While the intention is to remind the public about the reward and gather more tips, it’s hard not to feel a little wary of just how credible this new piece of the puzzle really is.

One could almost admire the creativity in some of the other theories swirling around. There’s talk of Nancy being kidnapped and then tragically perishing before being buried in the desert. A detective plotworthy in its dramatics, if nothing else. Among the few solid facts, it seems that Nancy might have left her home bleeding, although alive, if the spacing of blood drops is anything to go by. It’s grim, but suggests that something significant happened after she left her home. The general consensus is that Nancy is no longer with us, a heartbreaking conclusion the family appears to have accepted. Yet, the question looms: Who are the culprits, and what are they plotting next?

Then there’s the labyrinth of DNA testing, seemingly endless and, apparently, endless in its love for private labs and backlogged FBI processes. Samples have been collected but so far haven’t pointed fingers at any kidnappers. Swecker puts it down to the fact that the clever criminal was donning gloves, perhaps thinking they were in a crime drama. The occasional visitor DNA muddling the mix doesn’t help matters either. Let’s not hold our breaths, folks, since it might be a while before we unearth anything definitive from these samples.

Don’t get too excited about video evidence either. In the age of smart doorbells and ubiquitous cameras, one would think more progress had been made. Alas, the cameras around Nancy’s house have yet to drop any truth bombs on this mystifying case. Some footage has surfaced, but it appears about as productive as those who find joy in counting tumbleweeds rolling by.

So here we are, at a virtual dead end. Attempting to solve this mystery seems about as easy as untangling a headphone cord in the dark. It’s left to the public now, in hopes that someone out there knows something that can break things open. Meanwhile, life moves on, what with the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders and whatever Rosie O’Donnell is up to these days. For now, all we can do is keep an eye out and hope that someone, somewhere, holds the key to unraveling this perplexing disappearance.