Sheriff: We Think We Know Motive in Guthrie Case

Chris Nanos is staying mum for now, but he says it's 'absolutely' possible the suspect could strike again
Posted Mar 13, 2026 1:10 PM CDT
Sheriff: Suspect in Guthrie Case May Strike Again
A banner for Nancy Guthrie, the missing mother of "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie, is posted outside the KVOA newsroom in Tucson, Arizona, on March 6.   (AP Photo/Rebecca Noble)

The Arizona sheriff leading the search for Savannah Guthrie's mom is warning that the person who took her may not be done. Forty days after 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Tucson home, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told NBC that he believes investigators understand the motive and think Guthrie was likely singled out—but he wouldn't share the theory publicly and said others could still be at risk, per Fox News. "Criminal minds are criminal minds," he said, adding that it would be wrong to assure residents they're not potential targets and that the perp could "absolutely" strike again.

The case remains stubbornly short on answers. Guthrie's phone and Apple Watch remained at her home after she vanished, but her doorbell camera is gone; recovered tech data revealed only partial footage of a masked man with a gun and an incomplete DNA profile that doesn't match anyone in federal databases. Investigators are also probing a possible power or internet disruption around the time she disappeared, though they've ruled out a nearby utility box that may have been tampered with.

Guthrie family members, like others who've been in similar situations, are likely going through what's called ambiguous loss, which happens when a loved one vanishes without much of a trace, leaving things "maddeningly mysterious and possibly permanent," per the AP. The outlet adds that while abductions often fit this bill, "runaways, certain natural disasters, and war" can also apply, as can dementia, "when family members become strangers." A reward for Guthrie exceeding $1.2 million is on offer, and her family is urging anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).

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