Three Detained in Search for TV Anchor's Missing Mother as FBI Updates DNA Evidence
Three individuals have been detained in connection with the abduction of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC television anchor Savannah Guthrie, according to recent reports. The detainees include two men and one of their mothers, taken into custody after FBI officers raided a property in the Tucson area late on Friday evening following a tip-off. A search warrant was executed during the operation.
Details of the Disappearance and Investigation
Nancy Guthrie was last seen on the evening of Saturday, 31st January, when relatives dropped her at her $1 million residence in Tucson. Members of her church noted her absence at Sunday's service and alerted her family, leading to the discovery that she had been taken from her home in the early hours of 1st February. She has been missing for nearly a fortnight.
On Friday, the FBI released additional details about the suspect being sought in the search for Nancy. Officials revealed they are looking for a male standing between 5'9" and 5'10" tall, of average build, who was carrying a black, 25-litre Ozark Trail Hiker Pack rucksack. This suspect was caught on video at Nancy Guthrie's front door on the morning she disappeared.
The Pima County Sheriff confirmed that authorities are working to identify DNA samples retrieved from Guthrie's property. The sheriff stated that the DNA did not belong to Guthrie or anyone in regular contact with her. Police activity also occurred last night in Nancy Guthrie's neighbourhood in connection with the investigation into her disappearance.
Frustration and Evidence Disputes
A source close to the investigation expressed deep frustration, emphasizing that every hour and piece of evidence matters in the case of a missing elderly woman. The source stated, "The feeling among federal agents is that this should be a fully unified effort, with no barriers to forensic access. The priority has to be finding Nancy Guthrie as quickly as possible - not protecting turf."
According to a federal source, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos is blocking the FBI from examining a glove and DNA samples discovered near the property. Detectives found the glove on Wednesday, abandoned along a road close to the home, and it reportedly resembles those worn by a masked intruder captured in doorbell footage on the night she vanished.
Federal officials requested permission from Sheriff Nanos to send the evidence to the FBI's national crime laboratory in Quantico for analysis, but the request was declined. Instead, the items were dispatched to a private laboratory in Florida utilised by the sheriff's department. The source warned, "It risks further slowing a case that grows more urgent by the minute."
Public Response and Reward
The FBI has raised its reward to $100,000 (£73,430) for information leading to Nancy Guthrie's location or to an arrest. Since February 1, over 13,000 tips have been submitted to the FBI regarding the case, while the Sheriff's Department reported that they've fielded nearly 18,000 calls thus far.
Savannah Guthrie, co-anchor of NBC News' TODAY and chief legal correspondent, posted home movie footage of her mother and their family on social media, writing, "Our lovely mom. We will never give up on her. Thank you for your prayers and hope."
In a related development, US entertainment outlet TMZ reported that it received a second note on Thursday from an individual demanding bitcoin in return for information about the alleged kidnapper, with the first note dispatched the day prior. The Pima County Sheriff stated it would issue a written statement shortly, and it remains unclear whether any of the detained individuals are suspects at this time.
