A sheriff in Arizona says his detectives are closing in on answers in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie, even as the case reaches its 100th day without a named suspect or any public indication that the elderly woman is still alive.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos delivered the terse assessment Saturday when approached by FOX News Digital outside his department headquarters. Asked whether investigators were nearing a breakthrough, Nanos responded with just two words: “We are.” He offered nothing more, but the brevity carried weight in a case that has largely gone silent in recent weeks despite a mountain of forensic evidence and digital clues still being analyzed.
Nanos has previously indicated he believes he knows the motive behind the abduction but has declined to share that theory publicly. No suspect has been identified.
Mother’s Day Without Answers
On Sunday, Mother’s Day, Savannah Guthrie shared a montage of photos and videos of her mother on Instagram, accompanied by an emotional message that doubled as a public plea. “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. She urged anyone with information to contact federal authorities at 1-800-CALL-FBI and reminded followers that tips can be submitted anonymously.
Nancy Guthrie’s three children — Savannah, retired military colonel Camron Guthrie, and poet Annie Guthrie — have stayed united throughout the ordeal. Annie is married to AP biology teacher Tommaso Cioni. Savannah is married to Mark Feldman. Together, the family has sustained a public campaign that has reached from living rooms in Tucson to national morning television.
What Investigators Found That Night
Nancy Guthrie was last seen on the evening of January 31, 2026, at her Catalina Foothills home near East Skyline Drive and North Campbell Avenue. She had shared dinner that night with her daughter Annie. When she did not show up for a virtual church service the next morning, February 1, friends raised alarms. She was reported missing that day.
What detectives discovered inside the residence pointed to violence: drops of blood, her cellphone, and the heart medication she depends on daily. Blood was also found on the front steps. DNA from an unknown individual was recovered inside the home. Authorities concluded she had been taken against her will.
Security footage from the home 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.
One unusual piece of evidence has helped frame the timeline: Nancy Guthrie’s pacemaker, which lost its connection to her smartphone, gave investigators a narrow window for when she was likely seized.
DNA, Cell Towers, and a Stalled Public Trail
Despite an abundance of digital evidence — including cell tower data, roadside surveillance, security camera footage, and forensic material still being processed by labs — the investigation has produced no public updates in several weeks. Volunteer search groups have shut down their operations.
In a statement issued this week, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department acknowledged public frustration. “As we reach the 100-day mark in this investigation, scientific evidence processing and digital media analysis remain ongoing,” the office said, adding that detectives continue to pursue fresh leads and tips alongside the established evidence.
A reward of more than $1.2 million is on the table for information that leads to a resolution — one of the largest sums ever assembled in an Arizona missing-persons case.
A Sheriff Under Fire
The investigation has played out as Nanos himself has faced political turmoil. A recent move to oust the sheriff failed, though Pima County supervisors voted to refer perjury allegations against him to the state attorney general’s office. Nanos has continued to lead the Guthrie investigation through the controversy, insisting his focus remains on bringing Nancy Guthrie home.
For now, the case rests in a fragile balance — a sheriff who says he is closing in, a family that refuses to stop asking, and a masked man on a doorstep whose identity remains, 100 days later, unknown.