Latest developments in the Nancy Guthrie search and investigation
Investigation Status & Search Efforts
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Authorities believe Nancy Guthrie was taken against her will from her home in Catalina Foothills, north of Tucson, Arizona, after she was last seen on Jan. 31, 2026, and reported missing on Feb. 1.
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The Pima County Sheriff’s Office and FBI are actively searching, treating the area and evidence as part of a criminal investigation rather than a routine missing-persons case.
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Blood was found on her front porch, and investigators recovered surveillance footage showing a masked individual near her home the night she disappeared.
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Law enforcement has collected DNA evidence from items at the scene that does not match Guthrie or those close to her; that DNA is being analyzed in hopes of identifying a suspect.
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Multiple items of forensics interest — including gloves — have been submitted for lab analysis, and investigators have followed numerous leads and tips from the public.
Suspects & Ransom Claims
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No arrests or publicly named suspects have been made.
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Reports indicate purported ransom notes were sent to media outlets, though law enforcement has not confirmed whether these notes are authentic or connected to the disappearance.
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The FBI has increased the reward for information that leads to Guthrie’s recovery — reportedly up to $100,000.
Family & Public Appeals
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Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have made multiple public appeals for help, urging anyone with information to come forward and saying “it’s never too late to do the right thing.”
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Savannah Guthrie has been absent from Today as the search continues, and the case has drawn national attention and support.
Concerns for Her Well-Being
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Authorities have emphasized concern for Guthrie’s health: she has limited mobility and requires daily medication, including for heart conditions.
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Officials noted that, while she was considered to be of sound mind, her physical limitations make it unlikely she left voluntarily.
Community & Law Enforcement Response
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The search has involved hundreds of detectives and agents, drones, search dogs, and cooperation between local and federal law enforcement.
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Residents in the Tucson area and online have followed the case closely, and tips continue to be submitted.
In summary:
The investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance has shifted from a missing-person case to a serious criminal investigation. Significant evidence — including blood, surveillance footage of a masked person, and DNA — has been collected, but no suspects have been publicly identified. The family and authorities continue to seek information toward finding her and understanding what happened.
Investigators working on the disappearance of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother are consulting with Walmart management to develop leads because a backpack the suspect was wearing is sold exclusively at the stores, the Pima County, Arizona, sheriff said Monday.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen at her Arizona home on Jan. 31 and was reported missing the following day. Authorities say her blood was found on the front porch. Purported ransom notes were sent to news outlets, but two deadlines for paying have passed.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation released surveillance videos of a masked person wearing a handgun holster outside Guthrie’s front door in Tucson the night she vanished. A porch camera recorded video of a person with a backpack who was wearing a ski mask, long pants, a jacket and gloves.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said in a text message to The Associated Press on Monday that the 25-liter “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack” backpack was the only clothing item that has been “definitively identified.”
“This backpack is exclusive to Walmart and we are working with Walmart management to develop further leads,” Nanos said.
The suspect’s clothing “may have been purchased from Walmart but is not exclusively available at Walmart,” the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement Monday. “This remains a possibility only.”
Investigators on Sunday announced that a glove discovered near the Guthrie home has been sent for DNA testing. The FBI said that it received preliminary results Saturday and was awaiting official confirmation. The development comes as law enforcement gathers more potential evidence and as the search for Guthrie’s mother heads into its third week. Authorities previously said they had not identified a suspect.
Nanos said on Monday that members of Guthrie’s family, including siblings and spouses, are not suspects.
“The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case,” Nanos said in a statement.
Authorities have expressed concern about Nancy Guthrie’s health because she needs vital daily medicine. She is said to have a pacemaker and have dealt with high blood pressure and heart issues, according to sheriff’s dispatcher audio on broadcastify.com.
The FBI said the suspect in the surveillance footage is a man about 5 feet, 9 inches tall with a medium build.