Nancy Guthrie Update: Sheriff Says Waiting on ‘Lab Results’ Has ‘Prolonged’ ‘Sensitive’ Case

Four months after Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Catalina Foothills home in Tucson, Arizona, investigators still have no suspect — but Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos says the case is far from cold.

Guthrie, 84, disappeared on February 1, 2026, in what authorities believe was an abduction. She is the mother of Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, 54, who stepped away from the NBC morning show following her mother’s disappearance.

As In Touch previously reported, the FBI is exploring cutting-edge technology that investigators hope could help crack the case.

However, “These cases are difficult,” Nanos told 13 News. “It’s not just this case — a number of these cases come to us where it requires a lot of work from other people.”

“It’s not just [that] the detective goes out there, talks to somebody, and we can make an arrest,” he explained. “This is a very sensitive case but what really makes it prolonged is we do rely on lab results for the digital part of this case which is very critical, labs for our DNA, which is also very critical.”

Nanos also addressed the importance of getting the process right. “Nobody wants to arrest the wrong person,” he said. “We want to make sure that DNA doesn’t just identify a suspect — it also exonerates those that are innocent, so it’s a tedious process, we get that.”

The sheriff had offered similar context at the 100-day mark of the investigation. “It moves at a snail’s pace, I guess for some,” he said in May. “But for my investigative team, and for me, we look at this as, no, this is doing exactly what we need it to do.”

The emotional toll on the Guthrie family has been visible in a series of social media videos, including pleas directed at whoever took Nancy asking for proof of life. The family has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to her return.

Anyone with information is urged to call 520-359-4900 for Pima County Sheriff’s Detectives, or contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). You may also contact the nearest American Embassy or Consulate, or you can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.