The search for Nancy Guthrie has entered a high-stakes phase as federal investigators and local law enforcement pivot toward new physical evidence and a significantly larger financial reward.
On Friday, the FBI announced it has doubled the reward to $100,000 for information leading to an arrest or conviction in the disappearance of the mother of “TODAY” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie. The 77-year-old was last seen on February 1 at her Tucson, Arizona, home, and authorities are now sifting through a massive influx of thousands of public tips.
Pima County Sheriff’s Department officials confirmed a major forensic development, stating that DNA not belonging to Nancy Guthrie or anyone in her inner circle was collected at her property. While authorities are currently testing the material to identify its source, they have declined to specify exactly where the sample was found.
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This discovery follows the FBI’s analysis of home security footage, which captured a masked and armed man, estimated to be between 5’9” and 5’10”, tampering with Guthrie’s doorbell camera on the morning she vanished. The suspect was reportedly carrying a black, 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack.
The investigation saw a surge of activity late Friday night when FBI and SWAT units executed a court-authorized search warrant at a residence near East Orange Grove Road and North First Avenue, roughly two miles from Guthrie’s home.
Despite the tactical presence and a related traffic stop where one individual was questioned, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department reported that no arrests were made. Sheriff Chris Nanos has since pushed back against rumors of friction between his department and federal agents, insisting that the teams are working in sync to pursue “good leads.”
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The urgency of the case is compounded by Nancy Guthrie’s fragile health.
According to the sheriff, while Guthrie is “sharp as a tack” cognitively, she has severely limited mobility and relies on daily medication.
“She is mobile. It’s a challenge for her to get, as the family says, she couldn’t walk 50 yards by herself,” the sheriff noted, adding that missing her medication “could be fatal.” Her condition is monitored by a pacemaker that disconnected from its tracking app early on the day she disappeared.
In a social media tribute featuring home movies, Savannah Guthrie expressed the family’s resolve to find her mother.
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“Our lovely mom. We will never give up on her. Thank you for your prayers and hope,” she wrote. In a separate, emotional video, Savannah emphasized the physical toll the disappearance is taking on her mother, stating, “She lives in constant pain. She is without any medicine. She needs it to survive, and she needs it not to suffer.”
Law enforcement continues to operate around the clock, though no further press briefings are currently scheduled.
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