Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos warned that the suspect in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, 84, could “absolutely” strike again, signaling an ongoing public safety threat nearly six weeks after Guthrie vanished from her Tucson, Arizona home. The sheriff provided limited information on the motive but said investigators have an idea behind the kidnapping.
Investigation Remains Active Without Clear Motive
Guthrie, mother of NBC “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie, disappeared on the morning of February 1, 2026, from her home in the affluent Catalina Foothills area. Although investigators believe the abduction was targeted, Sheriff Nanos stressed they are not fully certain and cautioned the public not to assume they are safe. He declined to publicly disclose details of the suspected motive, citing investigative strategy.
Jason Pack, retired FBI supervisory agent, explained withholding the motive prevents giving the suspect clues. He also noted that the warning about a potential repeat offense raises public concern about who might be at risk and how to respond.
Evidence and Leads Under Review
Authorities have recovered partial footage showing a masked man armed with a gun near Guthrie’s home but have not identified the suspect. A mixed DNA sample sent to a private lab has yet to yield useful leads, and it did not match any profiles in the FBI’s CODIS database or investigative genetic genealogy resources.
Investigators also examined reports of a power or internet outage in the neighborhood on the night of the abduction but ruled out tampering with a nearby utility box. Guthrie’s pacemaker last synced via Bluetooth around 2:30 a.m. on the morning she disappeared. Security footage from other cameras at her residence has not been recovered.
The combined reward for information leading to a resolution in the case exceeds $1.2 million. Authorities urge anyone with tips to contact the FBI hotline at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
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