Locals delayed cooperation with feds in Nancy Guthrie probe: sources

Federal investigators arriving in Tucson last week to assist in the search for Nancy Guthrie were met with delays that law enforcement sources say may have slowed early momentum in the case.

Nancy Guthrie, 84, the mother of “TODAY” co-host Savannah Guthrie, was abducted by force from her home in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood of northern Tucson around 2:30 am on Feb. 1, according to Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos. Despite the seriousness of the crime and national attention surrounding the family, Fox News reported that federal agents were not immediately brought into the investigation.

According to the outlet’s law enforcement sources, days passed before local authorities fully looped in federal investigators. That delay came as critical early hours ticked by, a period often considered decisive in abduction investigations. More than a week later, Nancy Guthrie’s whereabouts remain unknown. Two deadlines tied to unverified ransom demands, allegedly linked to her disappearance, have now expired without proof of life.

Officially, investigators say they have not identified any suspects, persons of interest, or vehicles connected to the case. A source close to the Guthrie family said that initial reporting suggesting Nancy Guthrie was discovered missing after she failed to attend an in-person church service in Tucson on Sunday morning, Feb. 1, is incorrect.

The source told Fox News that Nancy had not attended in-person church services for years, dating back to the COVID pandemic. Instead, she and a small group of close friends maintained a standing Sunday routine of gathering at one another’s homes to watch a New York–based church service via livestream. On Feb. 1, Nancy was expected to arrive at a friend’s home for the livestream, as she did every week. When she failed to show up, concern grew among the group.

One of the friends contacted Nancy’s daughter, Annie, Savannah Guthrie’s sister, after being unable to locate her. The source emphasized that the misunderstanding about a church service has contributed to confusion about when and how the alarm was first raised.

As the search expanded and ransom demands surfaced, Savannah Guthrie made an emotional public plea for help, calling the situation an “hour of desperation.” She urged anyone with information to come forward as investigators worked against a deadline outlined in the alleged ransom note, which authorities have not publicly authenticated.

That final deadline passed Monday night. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said it was pursuing what it described as “new leads,” though officials reiterated that no suspects or vehicles have been identified.

“The investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance remains active and ongoing,” a department spokesperson said Monday evening. “We understand the significant public interest in this case; however, investigators need time and space to do their work.”

Officials underscored the scale of the response so far. “Thousands of calls have been received across multiple tip lines, and investigators continue to review them,” the spokesperson said.