Law enforcement investigating the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, sealed off a road near her Arizona home late Friday night. Sheriff's and FBI vehicles, including forensics units, passed through a roadblock set up about two miles from the house. The two agencies also tagged and towed a Range Rover SUV from a nearby restaurant parking lot.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department confirmed the activity was part of the Guthrie case but said the FBI requested no further information be released. On Saturday morning, the department stated that a federal court-ordered search warrant was executed at a residence in connection with the investigation, but no arrests were made. Roads were later reopened.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported missing on 1 February. Authorities found her blood on the front porch of her Tucson-area home. Purported ransom notes were sent to news outlets, but two deadlines for payment have passed. She requires daily medication and has a pacemaker, with a history of high blood pressure and heart issues.
Investigators have reviewed surveillance video, examined thousands of tips, and submitted DNA and other evidence for analysis. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos expressed frustration with the pace of the investigation, telling the New York Times: 'It’s exhausting, these ups and downs. But we will keep moving forward... We’re going to find Nancy.'
Critics have pointed to an initial misstep when Guthrie's home was cleared as a crime scene a day after her disappearance, leaving it unguarded before being closed off again for FBI search. Nanos acknowledged the decision could have been handled differently. The FBI has collected over 13,000 tips, while the sheriff's department has taken at least 18,000 calls.
