Sheriff Chris Nanos stood outside his department offices Saturday and offered just two words when asked whether investigators were close to solving the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie: “We are.” The brief response, delivered to FOX News Digital, marked the strongest public indication yet that the Pima County Sheriff’s Department believes it is making headway in the case of the 84-year-old woman who vanished from her Tucson-area home more than three months ago in what authorities believe was a violent abduction.
Nancy Guthrie is the mother of NBC’s Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie, and her disappearance has captured national attention. Despite the sheriff’s confident assertion, no suspect has been identified, and there is still no evidence indicating whether Nancy Guthrie is alive. Nanos has acknowledged he has a theory about the motive but has not shared it publicly.
A Quiet Saturday Night, Then Silence
The evening of January 31, 2026, was the last time anyone saw Nancy Guthrie. She had dinner that night with her daughter Annie Guthrie at her home near East Skyline Drive and North Campbell Avenue. When she did not appear for a virtual church service the next morning, February 1, friends became alarmed. She was reported missing that day.
Investigators discovered a troubling scene inside: drops of blood, her phone, and the heart medication she takes daily. Blood was also found on the front steps. DNA from an unknown individual was recovered inside the residence. Authorities determined she had been taken against her will.
Home security footage provided critical clues. A Ring Doorbell camera captured video of a male intruder. A Nest camera recorded a masked man on the doorstep who appeared to be carrying a stuffed backpack and a holstered handgun. The FBI later released footage of an armed suspect tampering with the front doorbell camera. Investigators describe the man as between 5 feet 9 and 5 feet 10 inches tall, of average build, and carrying a 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack.
An unusual detail has helped establish the timeline: Nancy Guthrie’s pacemaker lost its connection to her smartphone, providing investigators with a narrow window for when she was likely seized.
The 100-Day Mark and a Reward That Keeps Growing
One hundred days have now passed since Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Catalina Foothills residence, and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department has issued a statement this week addressing public frustration over the lack of recent updates. “As we reach the 100-day mark in this investigation, scientific evidence processing and digital media analysis remain ongoing,” the office said, noting that detectives continue to pursue fresh leads and tips alongside established evidence. The case has generated substantial digital evidence, including cell tower data, roadside surveillance, and security camera footage, with forensic material still under analysis by labs.
Volunteer search groups have closed down their operations. A reward exceeding $1.2 million remains available for information leading to a resolution — among the largest sums ever assembled in an Arizona missing-persons case.
A Family’s Mother’s Day Plea
On Mother’s Day, Savannah Guthrie shared a collection of photographs and videos of her mother on Instagram along with an emotional message. “Mother, daughter, sister, Nonie — we miss you with every breath. We will never stop looking for you. We will not be at peace until we find you,” she wrote, encouraging anyone with information to contact federal authorities at 1-800-CALL-FBI and noting that tips can be submitted anonymously.
Nancy Guthrie’s three children — Savannah, Annie, and retired military colonel Camron Guthrie — have maintained a united public front throughout the ordeal. Annie, a poet, is married to AP biology teacher Tommaso Cioni. Savannah is married to Mark Feldman. The family has led a campaign spanning from local efforts in Tucson to appearances on national morning television.
Political Turbulence Around the Sheriff
The high-profile investigation has proceeded amid political turmoil for Nanos. A recent attempt to remove him from office was unsuccessful, though Pima County supervisors did vote to forward perjury allegations against him to the state attorney general’s office. The sheriff has continued to oversee the Guthrie case throughout the controversy, maintaining that his priority is finding Nancy Guthrie.
For now, the case remains in limbo — a sheriff claiming progress, a family refusing to give up, and a masked intruder whose identity is still, after 100 days, a mystery.
