Lead
An anonymous contribution to the Pima County Attorney’s Office raised the posted reward for information leading to the location of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie to more than $200,000 on Thursday. Guthrie, the mother of NBC “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie, was last seen at her Tucson home on Jan. 31, and investigators describe the case as a likely abduction. Authorities say genetic testing on items recovered near the property has not yet produced a match in the FBI’s CODIS database. Hundreds of investigators continue canvassing the area and reviewing tips as the search remains active.
Key Takeaways
- The reward for information in the Nancy Guthrie disappearance exceeded $200,000 after an anonymous donation to the Pima County Attorney’s Office on Feb. 19.
- Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen at her Tucson residence on Jan. 31; law enforcement believes she was abducted or kidnapped.
- Investigators recovered biological material at the home and a glove about two miles away; DNA has not matched Guthrie or close associates in CODIS.
- Federal and state personnel are involved; authorities report hundreds of investigators and tens of thousands of tips to date.
- Law enforcement requested doorbell camera footage from Jan. 1–Feb. 2, with particular interest in footage from Jan. 11 between 9 p.m. and midnight.
- Officials coordinated with Mexican authorities on a lead related to a purchase in Sonora, but that line has been ruled out.
- Forensic genetic genealogy is underway; experts say timelines for identifying unknown DNA can range from hours to years depending on sample quality.
- Family members have been fully cooperative and are not considered suspects, according to Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos.
Background
Nancy Guthrie, aged 84, is the mother of television journalist Savannah Guthrie. She was last observed at her Tucson, Arizona, home on Saturday, Jan. 31. The disappearance prompted an immediate multiagency response because of Guthrie’s age and the circumstances captured on residential surveillance footage that investigators say show a person of interest inside the home.
Tucson is within range of the U.S.-Mexico border, and standard investigative practice has included coordination with Mexican counterparts; authorities told news outlets they have found no evidence Guthrie was taken into Mexico. Local, state and federal authorities have emphasized public assistance—collecting doorbell and other surveillance footage, phone records and tips—to sustain an active investigation.
Main Event
On Feb. 19, the Pima County Attorney’s Office announced an anonymous donor had increased the reward pool to over $200,000 for information that helps locate Nancy Guthrie. The boost followed ongoing forensic work at Guthrie’s residence and the recovery of a glove approximately two miles from the home that matched the glove seen in surveillance video.
Laboratory analysis produced DNA profiles from items recovered at or near the property, but those profiles did not produce a match in CODIS, the FBI’s criminal DNA index. Investigators subsequently initiated investigative genetic genealogy searches using databases where users have opted in to law enforcement matching; that process is underway but can be protracted depending on sample clarity and available matches.
Authorities have canvassed neighbors and requested doorbell camera footage broadly from Jan. 1 through Feb. 2, highlighting Jan. 11 (9 p.m.–midnight) because of a related web search. Officials say they have received tens of thousands of tips and are continuing to follow leads across jurisdictions while treating the family as cooperative victims rather than suspects.
Analysis & Implications
The anonymous reward increase serves two immediate purposes: it incentivizes tipsters to come forward and signals continued public and private interest in resolving the case. In missing-person investigations, sizable rewards can generate new information but also produce false or low-quality tips that investigators must vet, consuming investigative resources.
The DNA results — no CODIS match and the need for genetic genealogy — illustrate both the capabilities and limits of modern forensics. CODIS identifies people already in law enforcement databases; when no match exists, genetic genealogy can broaden options but depends on the quality of the sample and the presence of relatives in opt-in databases.
Cross-border leads, even when ultimately ruled out, expand the investigation’s footprint and require international coordination. The Sonora lead that was discussed with Mexican officials demonstrates law enforcement’s caution in checking all plausible avenues while stressing that those inquiries may be closed as evidence narrows.
Comparison & Data
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Last seen | Jan. 31, Tucson, Arizona |
| Current reward | More than $200,000 (anonymous donation added) |
| Evidence recovered | Biological material at home; glove ~2 miles away |
The table above summarizes the case’s key chronological and evidentiary datapoints that authorities have released publicly. Investigators emphasize that while DNA evidence exists, it has not yet identified a suspect in the CODIS system; genetic genealogy searches are being used as a next step where appropriate.
Reactions & Quotes
Law enforcement has publicly urged the community to share any footage and tip information.
“We know where Mexico is in relationship to this, and it’s a possibility, but, no, we have nothing to indicate that.”
Chris Nanos, Pima County Sheriff (official statement)
The sheriff stressed the family’s cooperation and warned that tips drying up would increase the risk the case went cold.
“When these tips dry up, this case goes cold. We believe somebody out there knows who did this. We need that person to call.”
Chris Nanos, Pima County Sheriff (press comments)
Forensics experts described the technical limits investigators face when DNA samples are mixed or degraded.
“If the mixtures are actually combined… that’s difficult. That is unlikely to lead to a profile we can use for investigative genetic genealogy.”
Wendy Watson, forensic genetic genealogist (expert commentary)
Unconfirmed
- No public evidence has confirmed that Nancy Guthrie was taken across the U.S.–Mexico border; that line of inquiry has been reported as ruled out by investigators.
- The specific nature and details of the reported “purchase” in Sonora mentioned in news reporting remain unclear and were not publicly detailed by investigators.
- Connections between a Jan. 11 Google search for Guthrie’s address and the disappearance have not been proven.
Bottom Line
The anonymous donation raising the reward beyond $200,000 may prompt additional tips, but investigators caution that tips must be corroborated and vetted. Forensic work has produced DNA evidence, yet that evidence has not yielded an immediate match in national law enforcement databases, requiring extended genealogical analysis.
Authorities continue a broad canvass, review of surveillance footage from Jan. 1–Feb. 2 and cooperation with federal partners. The investigation remains active; public assistance with credible, specific information and short video clips from local doorbell or security cameras could be decisive.