Who was Vi Ripken? Why the mother of a MLB legend's unsolved kidnapping is being compared to Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance

Years before the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie from her Tucson home triggered a nationwide search and uninterrupted public scrutiny, another elderly mother of a famous American figure, who became the victim of a mysterious home abduction, is being brought back. There are some freakish similarities, and they may be connected, as per a retired FBI officer.

That case involved Vi Ripken, the mother of Major League Baseball legend Cal Ripken Jr. More than a decade later, her bizarre kidnapping is being revisited because of similarities investigators and observers have noticed with the disappearance of Guthrie, the mother of TODAY Show co-host Savannah Guthrie, who remains missing to date.

Vi Ripken lived a quiet life away from the spotlight despite being the mother of one of baseball’s most recognizable names. She died in 2021 at the age of 82. The Associated Press described her as someone who was “once the victim of a bizarre kidnapping.” As per his obituary on tarringcargo, she was an active member of the Harford County Boys and Girls Club, serving on their board for over 21 years.


Retired FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer drew attention to the similarities between the two cases in a post on X. “You won’t believe this. Cal Ripkin’s mother was kidnapped similarly to Nancy,” she wrote. She did not claim the cases were connected, but suggested that past investigations can offer lessons for unusual cases.

“Could Nancy’s Case be a similar scenario? Some cases are outside the norm. They don’t involve anyone known by the victim. That’s what makes them so hard to solve. We learn from past cases which teaches us about future cases,” Coffindaffer wrote.

The mysterious kidnapping of Vi Ripken

Vi Ripken’s kidnapping happened in 2012 at her home in Aberdeen, Maryland. According to the Associated Press, “In 2012, police said she was kidnapped at gunpoint at her home in Aberdeen and driven around blindfolded by her abductor.” She was later found alive, bound but unharmed, approximately 24 hours after she disappeared.

“She was found bound and unharmed about 24 hours later in her car near her home. The case was never solved,” AP reported. Details from the investigation revealed a strange crime with no clear motive. According to another AP report from 2012, “The gunman forced Ripken into her silver Lincoln Continental between 7 and 8 a.m.”

Investigators “do not know the kidnapper’s motive and there was no ransom demand for Vi Ripken’s release,” the news agency reported, citing a police press release.

The attacker reportedly covered Ripken’s eyes during the abduction. The kidnapper “put some type of mask or blinders on her, and she could see somewhat out the side,” referring to Ripken.

Despite her son’s fame, Ripken later told a neighbor that the attacker did not appear to know who she was related to. She believed he was primarily interested in getting money and a vehicle.

Why the two cases are being compared

While the circumstances are not identical, there are several similarities between the Ripken and Guthrie cases. Both women were elderly mothers of famous public figures. Both were taken from their homes, and both cases involved armed attackers believed to be men.

Investigators also obtained images of suspects in both cases, but neither suspect has been captured. However, there are also major differences between the cases.

Unlike Ripken’s case, Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance has involved ransom demands, including bitcoins. Ripken was eventually returned home, while Nancy Guthrie remains missing. Other than that, blood was discovered on Nancy Guthrie’s doorstep. The Pima County sheriff later confirmed it belonged to her.

Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance remains unresolved

Nancy Guthrie was reported missing on February 1 after friends noticed she did not attend her scheduled church service. She was last seen the previous night during a family dinner hosted by her daughter, Annie Guthrie.

As investigators continued searching, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI’s Phoenix Division recovered previously unavailable footage from Guthrie’s front door camera. Authorities said the images showed that Guthrie was taken from her Tucson home against her will.

There is no indication from authorities that the two incidents are connected. Instead, Coffindaffer referenced Vi Ripken's case to illustrate the rarity of kidnappings involving older adults in the United States.