Sheriff Believes He Knows 'Why' in Nancy Guthrie Disappearance, but 'Who' Remains Unclear

Retired detective Phil Ramos explains why understanding the motive doesn't necessarily solve the case.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 5:07pm

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Nancy Guthrie remains missing, and new comments from Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos have left the investigation with more questions than answers. Nanos said they believe they know why Guthrie was 'targeted,' but they are not 100% sure. Retired homicide detective Phil Ramos explains that knowing the motive can be important, but it doesn't automatically reveal the person responsible or how the crime was carried out. The detective's perspective highlights the challenges investigators face as they work to piece together the full picture and bring clarity to the case.

Why it matters

The Nancy Guthrie disappearance case has captured national attention, and the sheriff's latest comments suggest progress in the investigation, but also highlight the complexities of solving a high-profile missing persons case. Understanding the motive can be a key factor, but it doesn't necessarily lead directly to the identity of the perpetrator.

The details

Sheriff Chris Nanos told NBC News that they 'believe we know why he did this, and we believe that it was targeted, but we can't—we're not 100% sure of that.' Retired detective Phil Ramos explained that knowing the motive can be important, but it depends on how serious the motive was to the perpetrators. Ramos said that by Nanos saying Guthrie was 'targeted,' it implies the suspect had some degree of connection to her, though not necessarily someone close to her. However, Ramos said the 'who' and 'what' are still missing, and that authorities may have figured out the 'why' but the identity of the suspect remains unclear.

  • On March 12, 2026, Sheriff Chris Nanos spoke with NBC News and provided an update on the Nancy Guthrie investigation.
  • On February 16, 2026, Nanos cleared Guthrie's immediate family and their spouses.

The players

Sheriff Chris Nanos

The Pima County Sheriff who believes they know the motive behind Nancy Guthrie's disappearance, but are not 100% sure.

Phil Ramos

A retired homicide detective and three-decade veteran of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, known for his work on some of the most notorious criminal cases in Southern Nevada.

Nancy Guthrie

The woman who remains missing, at the center of this ongoing investigation.

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What they’re saying

“We believe we know why he did this, and we believe that it was targeted, but we can't—we're not 100% sure of that.”

— Sheriff Chris Nanos (NBC News)

“Knowing the motive can be very important IF you couple that with knowing the means and opportunity, I suspect those two aspects are not clear. It suggests who would have the motive but not necessarily the actual person/persons committing the crime.”

— Phil Ramos, Retired Homicide Detective (Parade)

The takeaway

This case highlights the complexities of solving a high-profile missing persons investigation, where understanding the motive may provide important clues, but does not automatically lead to identifying the perpetrator. Investigators continue to face challenges in piecing together the full picture and bringing clarity to the Nancy Guthrie disappearance.