Nancy Guthrie Update Today: Day 24 — Family Offers $1 Million Reward, DNA Snag, Suspect May Have Visited Home Before Abduction

Mo. Basuony

Published: February 24, 2026 12:48 PM ET

Nancy Guthrie Update Today

February 24, 2026 (ET) — Tucson, Arizona. The search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie has entered its fourth week with no suspect publicly identified and no confirmed location of the missing mother of NBC TODAY co-anchor Savannah Guthrie. Today brings a major new reward announcement, a DNA setback at a Florida lab, and a significant new development in the surveillance footage that investigators believe may show the masked suspect visited Nancy Guthrie's home before the night of her abduction.

Breaking Today: Savannah Guthrie Announces $1 Million Family Reward

In an emotional Instagram video posted Tuesday, Savannah Guthrie announced that her family is offering up to $1 million for any information leading to the recovery — not arrest — of her mother. The reward can be split among multiple valid claimants and does not require a prosecution to be paid out. The announcement came after the family consulted carefully with law enforcement, who initially advised against a public reward for fear it would overwhelm the tip infrastructure.

In the video, a tearful Savannah spoke directly to the public: "It is Day 24 since our mom was taken in the dark of night from her bed, and every hour and minute and second and every long night has been agony since then — worrying for her, fearing for her, aching for her, and most of all just missing her." She acknowledged for the first time publicly that her mother may no longer be alive. "We also know that she may be lost. She may already be gone. She may have already gone home to the Lord that she loves," Savannah said. "And if this is what is to be, then we will accept it. But we need to know where she is. We need her to come home." She added that the family is also donating $500,000 to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in recognition of the millions of families enduring similar anguish.

Total Reward Pool as of February 24, 2026

Source	Amount
Guthrie Family Reward	Up to $1,000,000
FBI Reward	$100,000
88-CRIME / Tucson Crime Stoppers	$102,500
Total Combined Reward	Over $1.2 million

New Development: Suspect May Have Surveilled Nancy's Home Before Abduction

One of the most significant Nancy Guthrie updates today centers on the FBI doorbell camera images released February 10. Multiple law enforcement sources now confirm to NBC News and CNN that at least one of the images shows the masked suspect at Nancy Guthrie's doorstep on a different day than February 1 — the night she is believed to have been abducted. The suspect appears in some images wearing a backpack and holstered weapon, but in one image appears without the backpack, suggesting a prior visit to conduct surveillance on the property. ABC News first reported the suspect appeared at the door before February 1.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos is pushing back, telling NBC News: "It is all speculative for someone to suggest that that photo is from a different day. We follow the rules of evidence." The sheriff's department stated there are no date or time stamps associated with the images, and any conclusion about multiple days is speculative. The conflict between law enforcement sources and the sheriff's official position is adding new uncertainty to an already complex investigation.

DNA Snag at Florida Lab — No Suspects Identified

Sheriff Nanos confirmed today there is a snag at a private lab in Florida processing the mixed DNA samples recovered from Nancy Guthrie's home. The DNA is described as "mixed," meaning it contains genetic material from at least two people, making separation and analysis significantly more difficult. The sheriff told NBC News his department currently has no names under investigation in connection with the disappearance. Law enforcement has turned to forensic genetic genealogy — the same technique used to identify the Golden State Killer — in hopes of building a suspect family tree from the partial DNA, but experts caution the process could take weeks, months, or longer given the complexity of the mixed sample.

Where the Investigation Stands — Day 24

Element	Status
Suspect identified	No public suspect or person of interest
DNA from home	Mixed sample — lab snag in Florida
Glove DNA (found 2 miles away)	No CODIS match
Doorbell camera footage	FBI released Feb. 10 — new questions about timing
Suspect description	Male, ~5'9"–5'10", average build, Ozark Trail backpack
Ransom notes	Under FBI investigation — authenticity unconfirmed
Two detained persons	Both released without charges
Tips received	Tens of thousands — 911 calls up 50% vs. same period last year
Active investigators	Several hundred law enforcement personnel
All Guthrie family members	Cleared as suspects

Savannah Guthrie's Plea to Whoever Has Her Mother

Savannah closed her Tuesday video with a direct message: "Someone out there knows something that can bring her home. Somebody knows. And we are begging you to please come forward now. We still believe in a miracle. We still believe that she can come home. Hope against hope — we are blowing on the embers of hope."