What to know about the investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance and the search for clues

Law enforcement agents have been gathering more potential evidence as the search for “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother heads into its third week NewsWhat to know about the investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance and the search for cluesLaw enforcement agents have been gathering more potential evidence as the search for “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother heads into its third weekThe Associated Press Sunday 15 February 2026 13:24 GMTBookmarkBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoverWhat to know about the investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance and the search for cluesShow all 5Your support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read more Law enforcement agents have been gathering more potential evidence as the search for “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie 's mother heads into its third week. Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen at her Arizona home on Jan. 31 and was reported missing the following day. Authorities say her blood was found on the front porch. Purported ransom notes were sent to news outlets, but two deadlines for paying have passed.Authorities have expressed concern about Nancy Guthrie’s health because she needs vital daily medicine. She is said to have a pacemaker and have dealt with high blood pressure and heart issues, according to sheriff’s dispatcher audio on broadcastify.com.Here's what to know about her disappearance and the intense search to find her: Video of masked man The Federal Bureau of Investigation released surveillance videos of a masked person wearing a handgun holster outside Guthrie’s front door in Tucson the night she vanished. A porch camera recorded video of a person with a backpack who was wearing a ski mask, long pants, jacket and gloves. On Thursday, the FBI called the person a suspect. It described him as a man about 5 feet, 9 inches tall with a medium build. The agency said he was carrying a 25-liter “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack” backpack.Investigators initially said there was no surveillance video available since Guthrie didn’t have an active subscription to the doorbell camera company. But digital forensics experts kept working to find images in back-end software that might have been lost, corrupted or inaccessible. Studying DNA Investigators collected DNA from Guthrie’s property which doesn’t belong to Guthrie or those in close contact with her, the Pima County Sheriff's Department said. Investigators are working to identify who it belongs to.Evidence requiring forensic analysis is being sent to the same out-of-state lab that has been used since the beginning of the case, the department said. Investigators found several gloves, the nearest about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from Guthrie’s home, and submitted them for lab analysis, the sheriff’s department said. It did not specify what type of gloves.The sheriff stressed his department is working closely with the FBI. Sorting through tips The Pima County sheriff and the FBI announced phone numbers and a website to offer tips. Several hundred detectives and agents have been assigned to the case, the sheriff’s department said.The FBI said it has collected more than 13,000 tips since Feb. 1, the day Guthrie was reported missing. The sheriff’s department, meanwhile, said it has taken at least 18,000 calls. The sheriff’s department has not said whether any tips have advanced the investigation. Intensive searches Late Friday night, law enforcement sealed off a road about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from Guthrie’s home as part of their investigation. A parade of sheriff’s and FBI vehicles, including forensics vehicles, passed through the roadblock.The investigators also tagged and towed a Range Rover SUV from a nearby Culver's restaurant parking lot late Friday.The sheriff’s department said Saturday the activity was part of the Guthrie investigation but no arrests were made. On Tuesday, sheriff deputies detained a person for questioning during a traffic stop south of Tucson. Authorities didn’t say what led them to stop the man but confirmed he was released. The same day, deputies and FBI agents conducted a court-authorized search in Rio Rico, about an hour's drive south of the city. Family pleas Savannah Guthrie, her sister and her brother have shared on social medi