Without any new leads, experts say the investigation has stalled while waiting for a DNA match through family genealogy.
PHOENIX – 84-year-old man missing Nancy Guthrie 100 days have passed since she was last seen and she remains a mystery.
Guthrie, the mother of “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie, was last seen on Jan. 31 returning to her home in Catalina Foothills, Arizona, after having dinner with her family.
The next morning, she didn’t show up at a friend’s house as expected and was reported missing. Guthrie’s family called 911, the back door was open, all of her belongings were left inside, and her blood was found on the front porch.
Investigators with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department believe she was taken against her will in the middle of the night.
More than a week later, chilling photos of an armed man tampering with a Guthrie doorbell camera have been discovered, raising hopes that someone will identify the possible suspect.
Investigators detained and released two men over the next few days, but no arrests have been made.
“It’s 100 days. They’re in trouble right now,” said Jeff Hynes, a retired Phoenix police commander.
Hines, who has been following the case along with the public from the beginning, told 12News investigators will likely review tens of thousands of tips they have received over the past 100 days and scrutinize possible leads.
“They no longer have new lines of evidence to follow, and unfortunately, unless you get more evidence, you’re in trouble,” Hines said.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos previously told 12News that his detectives found extensive DNA evidence at Guthrie’s home. At last check, evidence was still being analyzed and compared for genetic lineage matching.
FBI Director Kash Patel recently criticized Nanos’ decision to send DNA samples to a private lab in Florida instead of the FBI lab.
“We said we were going to get the DNA. Again, it’s a state and local thing, so they decide where to send the DNA. We have Quantico, the best lab in the world. I have a fixed-wing aircraft on the ground ready to move it,” Patel said on the Hang Out with Sean Hannity podcast.
Nanos issued a statement following Patel’s comments, which read in part:
“Decisions regarding evidence processing are made on-site based on operational needs. The laboratory used by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI’s Quantico laboratory have worked closely together from the beginning and will continue to collaborate on evidence analysis.”
The lingering tributes outside the Guthrie home echoed the family’s desperate pleas for the kidnapper to “do the right thing” and “bring Nancy home.”
Awards over $1 million are still available. Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
