NEWS

International Twist: FBI Contacts Mexico as Nancy Guthrie Investigation Takes Unexpected Turn

hoanghuyen Avatar

Posted by

hoanghuyen

-

Authorities are in their third week of searching for the 84-year-old mother of ‘Today’ co-host Savannah Guthrie. Nancy was last seen on Jan. 31 at her Tucson, Ariz. home.

The FBI is in contact with authorities in Mexico as the search for Nancy Guthrie continues, law enforcement sources told ABC7, NBC News and CBS News.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and FBI are in their third week of searching for the 84-year-old mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie. Authorities believe Nancy was kidnapped from her Tucson, Ariz., home in the middle of the night on Feb. 1.

The FBI declined to comment when reached by PEOPLE. However, Tracy Walder, a former CIA and FBI agent, shared more about how the FBI works with Mexican authorities.

“The FBI contacts its Legal Attaché (Legat) offices worldwide primarily through the International Operations Division (IOD) at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C.,” she told PEOPLE. “I really can’t say if it’s standard practice or common. It really just depends if they think they have crossed the border.”

Nathan Congleton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

Two law enforcement officials told NBC News there’s no evidence Nancy was taken across the U.S.-Mexico border.

In a press statement previously obtained by PEOPLE, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department did not elaborate further.

“PCSD has received various requests for confirmation of various topics including working with Mexican authorities, utilizing polygraph tests, specific video surveillance requests, financial analysis, etc. PCSD is not confirming or releasing any details regarding those topics at this time,” the statement reads.

Last week, the FBI released surveillance photos and video of a masked, armed suspect appearing to tamper with a camera at Nancy’s front door on the morning of her purported kidnapping.

That person has yet to be identified, but is described by the FBI as a “male, approximately 5’9” – 5’10” tall, with an average build.” In the video, the person is wearing a “black, 25-liter ‘Ozark Trail Hiker Pack’ backpack,” according to a post on X.

The suspect seen in security footage; Nancy Guthrie.FBI Phoenix/X; Savannah Guthrie/Instagram

Authorities have said they are looking into multiple leads. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department announced Tuesday, Feb. 17 that DNA evidence left behind on gloves found about two miles from Nancy’s home did not yield any matches when law enforcement ran the profile through the national DNA database.

The department also said in a press statement that they are “looking into additional investigative genetic genealogy options for DNA evidence to check for matches.” They added that other DNA found at the property “is being analyzed and further testing needs to be done as part of the investigation.”

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos previously said investigators are working with Walmart locations across Arizona to track down the suspect’s clothing and backpack. As for the FBI, they are visiting local gun shops, inquiring about past customers and purchases.

Additionally, law enforcement sources told CBS News they are using a “signal sniffer” in an attempt to detect signals from Nancy’s pacemaker.

“It’s been two weeks since our mom was taken,” she said in a clip shared on Sunday, Feb. 15. “And I just wanted to come on and say that we still have hope. And we still believe.”

Nanos ruled out Nancy’s family and siblings as potential suspects on Monday, Feb. 16.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for  PEOPLE‘s free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

A $100,000 reward has been offered by the FBI for any information leading to Nancy’s recovery or an arrest in the case. On Wednesday, Feb. 18, that reward doubled after the PCSD received an anonymous donation.

Anyone with information about Nancy’s disappearance is asked to please contact 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or the Pima County Sheriff’s Department 520-351-4900.

Unknown DNA. And what used to be a dead end is now the most powerful lead in the case. Investigators searching for answers in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie are diving into investigative genetic genealogy — the same cutting-edge technique that helped identify the Golden State Killer and track Bryan Kohberger. The glove found two miles from her Tucson home didn’t match anyone in CODIS. DNA collected at the house didn’t match either. Years ago, that would have stalled the case. Now? It could be the breakthrough. By combing through public DNA databases, experts can identify distant relatives of an unknown suspect — sometimes from less than 1% shared DNA — and build a family tree that narrows the search to a single name. It can take minutes. Or it can take years.
Unknown DNA. And what used to be a dead end is now the most powerful lead in the case. Investigators searching for answers in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie are diving into investigative genetic genealogy — the same cutting-edge technique that helped identify the Golden State Killer and track Bryan Kohberger. The glove found two miles from her Tucson home didn’t match anyone in CODIS. DNA collected at the house didn’t match either. Years ago, that would have stalled the case. Now? It could be the breakthrough. By combing through public DNA databases, experts can identify distant relatives of an unknown suspect — sometimes from less than 1% shared DNA — and build a family tree that narrows the search to a single name. It can take minutes. Or it can take years.

In an aerial view, Pima County sheriff’s officers gather on Nancy Guthrie’s property on February 17 in Tucson,…

A masked man. A single glove. And now — DNA that could unmask a kidnapper. Three weeks after 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Tucson home, investigators are turning to cutting-edge genetic genealogy in a high-stakes effort to identify a suspect. DNA recovered near the scene didn’t match anything in the FBI’s CODIS database. But authorities believe they may have found genetic material that belongs to the person who took her. If that’s true, experts say it’s only a matter of time. The same investigative technique helped catch the Golden State Killer and Bryan Kohberger. Now it could expose whoever was caught on camera outside Guthrie’s home — armed, masked, wearing a distinctive Ozark Trail backpack. More than 19,000 tips have poured in. A reward exceeding $200,000 is on the table. Federal, state, and local agencies are combing through partial DNA, security footage, credit card trails, even backpack sales across Arizona. And the sheriff has a warning: if you’re responsible, you should be worried. Because this case isn’t cold. And the science may be closing in.
A masked man. A single glove. And now — DNA that could unmask a kidnapper. Three weeks after 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Tucson home, investigators are turning to cutting-edge genetic genealogy in a high-stakes effort to identify a suspect. DNA recovered near the scene didn’t match anything in the FBI’s CODIS database. But authorities believe they may have found genetic material that belongs to the person who took her. If that’s true, experts say it’s only a matter of time. The same investigative technique helped catch the Golden State Killer and Bryan Kohberger. Now it could expose whoever was caught on camera outside Guthrie’s home — armed, masked, wearing a distinctive Ozark Trail backpack. More than 19,000 tips have poured in. A reward exceeding $200,000 is on the table. Federal, state, and local agencies are combing through partial DNA, security footage, credit card trails, even backpack sales across Arizona. And the sheriff has a warning: if you’re responsible, you should be worried. Because this case isn’t cold. And the science may be closing in.

Arizona authorities turn to genetic genealogy in ongoing search for Nancy Guthrie Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported missing…

Meanwhile, investigators are chasing DNA that doesn’t match, analyzing biological evidence still in the lab, probing recent gun purchases, and even scanning for signals from Guthrie’s pacemaker, which mysteriously disconnected from her phone hours before she was reported missing. Gloves with unknown DNA found miles away. Extra security cameras still being processed. A possible second person involved. Someone knows what happened that night. And authorities believe this case is far from random.
Meanwhile, investigators are chasing DNA that doesn’t match, analyzing biological evidence still in the lab, probing recent gun purchases, and even scanning for signals from Guthrie’s pacemaker, which mysteriously disconnected from her phone hours before she was reported missing. Gloves with unknown DNA found miles away. Extra security cameras still being processed. A possible second person involved. Someone knows what happened that night. And authorities believe this case is far from random.

Accomplice not ruled out in Nancy Guthrie disappearance, Arizona sheriff says Investigators have not ruled out that an…

Officials say the victim’s spouse was not part of the rescue operation — but the emotional toll on the tight-knit search and rescue community is profound. “We’re all trying to support the family,” Woo said. As identities remain unconfirmed and the storm refuses to let up, the tragedy is rippling through Lake Tahoe’s ski world — from elite academies to volunteer rescuers who now find themselves grieving while still on duty. When the call for help came in, they answered.
Officials say the victim’s spouse was not part of the rescue operation — but the emotional toll on the tight-knit search and rescue community is profound. “We’re all trying to support the family,” Woo said. As identities remain unconfirmed and the storm refuses to let up, the tragedy is rippling through Lake Tahoe’s ski world — from elite academies to volunteer rescuers who now find themselves grieving while still on duty. When the call for help came in, they answered.

Victim of Deadly Avalanche Near Lake Tahoe Was Married to Search and Rescue Team Member: Officials “This has…

Multiple victims had deep ties to Sugar Bowl Resort and its elite ski academy — a tight-knit community that has produced Olympians and generations of Tahoe athletes. Friends. Mothers. Longtime ski partners who made this trip every year. They were experienced. It was guided. So how did everything unravel so fast? As rescue crews battle relentless storms and families wait for answers, the tragedy is sending shockwaves from Mill Valley to Stanford to the heart of the Sierra. And the hardest questions are only just beginning.
Multiple victims had deep ties to Sugar Bowl Resort and its elite ski academy — a tight-knit community that has produced Olympians and generations of Tahoe athletes. Friends. Mothers. Longtime ski partners who made this trip every year. They were experienced. It was guided. So how did everything unravel so fast? As rescue crews battle relentless storms and families wait for answers, the tragedy is sending shockwaves from Mill Valley to Stanford to the heart of the Sierra. And the hardest questions are only just beginning.

3 women identified as Tahoe avalanche victims, including Stanford alums FILE: A crosscountry skier walks past a giant…

With extreme warnings in place, brutal storm conditions rolling in, and a 15-person group navigating high-risk terrain near Lake Tahoe, investigators are now piecing together a tragedy that has shaken the entire ski community. Was it the weather? The route? A split-second decision? Or a cascade of factors no one saw coming? Rescue teams still can’t reach the victims. Families are left with heartbreak — and “many unanswered questions.” This wasn’t a reckless adventure. These were experienced women who loved the mountains. So how did it end like this?
With extreme warnings in place, brutal storm conditions rolling in, and a 15-person group navigating high-risk terrain near Lake Tahoe, investigators are now piecing together a tragedy that has shaken the entire ski community. Was it the weather? The route? A split-second decision? Or a cascade of factors no one saw coming? Rescue teams still can’t reach the victims. Families are left with heartbreak — and “many unanswered questions.” This wasn’t a reckless adventure. These were experienced women who loved the mountains. So how did it end like this?

California avalanche victims were close friends and ‘passionate, skilled skiers’ Nine people, including several guides, are presumed dead…