Nancy Guthrie Update Today: Day 41 With No Arrest as Sheriff Warns Suspect Could Strike Again
The search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has entered its 41st day with no arrest made. Investigators say the case remains active and they are closer than ever to identifying a suspect — but the missing woman has still not been found.
Nancy Guthrie Update: Sheriff Issues Public Safety Warning
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said the suspect in Nancy Guthrie's disappearance could "absolutely" strike again. In an interview Thursday, Nanos said investigators believe the kidnapping was targeted but acknowledged they cannot be fully certain. "We can't — we're not 100 percent sure of that, so it would be silly to tell people: 'Yeah, don't worry about it. You're not his target,'" he said.
Nanos also said investigators remain hopeful that DNA evidence found inside Nancy Guthrie's home that did not belong to her or those in close contact with her could lead law enforcement to the suspect. Investigators are pursuing investigative genetic genealogy, though processing the mixed DNA sample has proven challenging.
Investigation Update: Cadaver Dogs Paused, FBI Task Force Active
The Pima County Sheriff's Department confirmed that cadaver dogs are no longer being used in the active search for Nancy Guthrie. Sheriff Nanos told reporters the dogs "are available if needed in the future," signaling a shift in search strategy rather than a shutdown of the investigation.
A dedicated Violent Crimes Task Force — consisting of FBI agents and Pima County Sheriff's Department officers — is now leading the investigation. Agents were seen going door-to-door in Nancy Guthrie's neighborhood on March 6, conducting more focused questioning of residents. Four detectives and a sergeant from the sheriff's office are now working directly alongside FBI personnel at FBI headquarters in Tucson.
Retired FBI special agent Maureen O'Connell described the task force's involvement as a meaningful positive signal, saying, "When you're focused, obviously you're not scattered. You have something to focus on. You're looking in a certain direction, and the evidence is leading you in that direction. So, that is a good sign."
Damaged Utility Box and Internet Outage Under Scrutiny
Federal investigators are examining whether internet service disruptions in Nancy Guthrie's Tucson neighborhood the night she vanished could be tied to the abduction. Nancy Guthrie's neighbors told investigators their home security camera footage from that night is missing or marked "not available," raising the possibility that surveillance systems were deliberately disabled.
Nanos confirmed investigators have been asking neighbors about potential internet issues on the night Nancy Guthrie disappeared and are looking into the possibility that a Wi-Fi jammer was used. A car was also spotted on a neighbor's doorbell camera speeding past a house roughly 2.5 miles from Nancy's home at 2:36 a.m. on February 1, just hours before she was reported missing.
Case Background: What We Know About Nancy Guthrie's Disappearance
Nancy Guthrie was last seen on the evening of January 31, 2026. She was reported missing on February 1 after failing to appear for her virtual church service. Bloodstains found at the scene were confirmed to be Nancy's, and authorities classified the case as an abduction from the earliest days of the investigation.
On February 10, the FBI released doorbell camera footage showing a masked man on Nancy Guthrie's porch the night she disappeared. The suspect is described as a male approximately 5-foot-9 or 5-foot-10 with an average build, carrying a 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack and a handgun holster. No arrest has been made.
$1 Million Reward and Savannah Guthrie's Plea
The Guthrie family — Savannah, Annie, and brother Camron — is offering a $1 million reward for details leading to Nancy's recovery, supplementing the FBI's separate $200,000 offer. "We still believe in a miracle," Savannah said in a recent message. "Every hour has been agony, but we hold onto hope."
Savannah returned briefly to the Today set on March 5 to thank colleagues, but has not resumed her regular hosting duties. She has expressed her desire to return when the time feels right. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Pima County Sheriff's Department or the FBI's Tucson field office immediately.
