More than 100 days after the mother of “Today” show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie disappeared from her Arizona home, investigators say the search for the missing 84-year-old remains active as local and federal authorities continue coordinating efforts in the case.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said communication with the Guthrie family is continuing through detectives assigned to the investigation and the FBI.
When asked whether he remains directly in touch with the Guthrie family, Nanos told People magazine, “I personally am not.” Referring to investigators handling the case, he added, “If they need the family for anything, they get in touch with them and the family. It works both ways.”
Nancy Guthrie was reported missing on Feb. 1, with authorities saying they believed she had been taken against her will from her Tucson-area residence. Investigators later described the property as a crime scene and confirmed they were examining ransom notes connected to the disappearance.
In the weeks following her disappearance, the FBI released surveillance footage showing a masked individual appearing to tamper with Guthrie’s doorbell camera during the overnight hours surrounding the incident. Authorities described the individual as a male with a medium build, standing between 5 feet, 9 inches and 5 feet, 10 inches tall, and carrying an Ozark Trail Hiker backpack.
No suspects or persons of interest have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been announced.
The investigation drew renewed public attention earlier this month after FBI Director Kash Patel said federal authorities were initially excluded from the early stages of the case.
“For four days we were kept out of the investigation,” Patel said during an appearance on Fox News host Sean Hannity’s podcast on May 5. “The first 48 hours of anyone’s disappearance are the most critical.”
Patel also questioned the handling of forensic evidence, saying DNA samples were sent to a private laboratory in Florida instead of the FBI’s laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.
“We have Quantico, best lab in the world,” Patel said, adding that FBI aircraft were standing by to transport evidence immediately.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department disputed Patel’s account in a public statement, saying federal coordination began shortly after authorities responded to the scene.
“A member of the FBI Task Force was also notified and present at that scene working alongside our personnel,” the department stated. “The FBI was promptly notified by both our department and the Guthrie family. While the FBI Director was not on scene, coordination with the Bureau began without delay.”
Authorities have said DNA evidence later processed through the FBI did not match anyone in the bureau’s database. Investigators also confirmed that blood recovered from the home belonged to Nancy Guthrie.
Meanwhile, the Guthrie family recently requested continued law enforcement presence at the residence.
“At the request of the Guthrie family, PCSD will maintain a presence at Nancy Guthrie’s residence for security,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement, adding that trespassing on the property would not be permitted.
