Sheriff Warns Officials Must be 'Careful' in Nancy Guthrie Case

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos says they must balance building a criminal case with the search to save Nancy Guthrie's life.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said officials have to be 'careful' as they continue the search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie, while also building a criminal case. Nanos said they are working with prosecutors to build a solid case, but they must also balance that with the effort to save Nancy's life, as she requires daily medication and her disappearance could be fatal if she does not take it.

Why it matters

The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie has garnered national attention, as she is the mother of a high-profile TV personality. Law enforcement must navigate the delicate balance of preserving evidence for a potential criminal case while also urgently searching for the missing 84-year-old, who requires daily medication.

The details

Nanos said that at the ground level, investigators are constantly moving and picking up on clues, but at his level, working with prosecutors, they have to be 'careful' in how they proceed due to the parameters of the criminal case. Alleged ransom notes were sent to multiple news outlets after Nancy's disappearance, and Nanos has said there were clues at the crime scene indicating she 'did not leave on her own.' The sheriff believes Nancy was the victim of a targeted kidnapping.

  • Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her home in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood of Tucson, Arizona, on January 31, 2026.
  • Nancy has been missing for nearly three weeks.

The players

Chris Nanos

The Pima County Sheriff who is working with prosecutors to build a criminal case in Nancy Guthrie's disappearance.

Savannah Guthrie

The co-host of the Today show and Nancy Guthrie's daughter.

Nancy Guthrie

The 84-year-old mother of Savannah Guthrie who has been missing for nearly three weeks and is believed to be the victim of a targeted kidnapping.

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What they’re saying

“At the ground level, they're constantly moving, and they're picking up on stuff. But at my level, working with the county attorney, the U.S. Attorneys, the FBI here, the S.A.C.s, we have to kind of be careful as to how we step that because we are still involved in a criminal case and there are certain parameters that you have to take safeguards to make that case a solid case. But you have to balance that with we're trying to save someone's life.”

— Chris Nanos, Pima County Sheriff (13 News)

“It's been two weeks since our mom was taken, and I just wanted to come on and say that we still have hope and we still believe.”

— Savannah Guthrie (Instagram)

“We're not giving up. If Nancy's out there, we're going to find her. We're not giving up.”

— Chris Nanos, Pima County Sheriff (ABC News)

What’s next

Anyone with information is asked to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI, 520-351-4900, 88-CRIME or visit tips.fbi.gov. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to the recovery of Nancy and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance. A reward of $102,500 is being offered by 88-CRIME for the arrest of the person or persons involved in the disappearance.

The takeaway

This case highlights the delicate balance law enforcement must strike between preserving a potential criminal case and urgently searching for a missing person whose life may be in danger. Mistakes in the investigation could jeopardize the credibility of the criminal case, but the priority remains finding Nancy Guthrie alive.