Nancy Guthrie Finding 'High Priority' for FBI as Sheriff Gives Update on What Will 'Resolve This Case'

More than 100 days after Nancy Guthrie, mom to American broadcast journalist Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her Tucson home back in February 2026, investigators remain hopeful that one key piece of evidence could crack the case wide open.

The 84-year-old’s disappearance, which authorities continue to treat as a suspected kidnapping, remains unsolved. But despite a months-long search, investigators continue to work through DNA evidence collected from Guthrie’s home, with testing underway at the FBI’s lab in Quantico, Virginia, with the assistance of outside forensic labs from around the country.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos recently shared that the investigation is still very active, particularly when it comes to biological and digital evidence.

“We continue to work with our labs,” Nanos told Tucson’s 13 News on Monday, May 11, 2026. “Whether it’s on the digital end or the biological end, DNA.”

While officials have not released specifics about the materials being analyzed, former FBI agents say certain types of DNA evidence can become especially significant depending on where they are found.

Retired FBI supervisory agent Lance Leising told CBS News that context matters enormously in forensic investigations. “An item containing DNA such as a strand of hair found somewhere in a house is one thing, but a strand of hair near the victim’s last known location, such as in her bed, would be a high priority for the FBI,” Leising told CBS News earlier today.

Nanos has so far refused to discuss exactly what kind of DNA evidence authorities recovered, saying publicly sharing those details could jeopardize the case.

“It would be highly inappropriate of me to speak to the evidence. We have to keep the integrity of this case. If we make an arrest, that individual has the right to a fair trial, [so] I can’t sit here and address all of that,” Nanos said to CBS News.

The sheriff also defended the pace of the investigation amid criticism online. “It moves at a snail’s pace, I guess for some,” Nanos said to 13 News. “But for my investigative team, and for me, we look at this as, no, this is doing exactly what we need it to do.”

Former FBI special agent Jason Pack echoed that sentiment, explaining that real-world investigations rarely move at the speed portrayed in crime dramas.

Meanwhile, Guthrie’s family continues pushing for public assistance. Her daughter, Savannah Guthrie, recently renewed calls for anyone with information to contact the FBI, reminding the public that reward money tied to the case still exceeds $1 million.