Investigators Expand Cross‑Border Search and Offer $200K Rewards for Missing 84‑Year‑Old

Updated 2026-02-19 07:12:16+00:00 (51 articles)

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Nancy Guthrie, the mother of US broadcast journalist Savannah Guthrie, was last seen on 31 January. (Reuters) Source Full size
Image: Newsweek

In an aerial view, Nancy Guthrie’s residence is seen on February 17, 2026 in Tucson, Arizona. Searches continue for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) Source Full size
Image: Newsweek

FBI agents watch as a vehicle is towed from the parking lot of a restaurant on February 13, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. Source Full size
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Evidence trail grows in search for Nancy Guthrie, with DNA, video and retail records guiding investigators. Source Full size
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A joint appearance by Nancy (L) and Savannah (R) Guthrie on NBC's Today programme (Getty Images) Source Full size
Image: BBC

Source Full size
Image: BBC

A joint appearance by Nancy (L) and Savannah (R) Guthrie on NBC's Today programme (Getty Images) Source Full size
Image: BBC

Source Full size
Image: Newsweek

In an aerial view, Nancy Guthrie’s residence is seen on February 17, 2026 in Tucson, Arizona. Searches continue for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of U.S. journalist and television host Savannah Guthrie, after she went missing from her home on the morning of February 1. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) Source Full size
Image: Newsweek

Evidence trail grows in search for Nancy Guthrie, with DNA, video and retail records guiding investigators. Source Full size
Image: Newsweek

FBI agents watch as a vehicle is towed from the parking lot of a restaurant on February 13, 2026, in Tucson, Arizona. Source Full size

Disappearance Occurred on Feb 1 After Family Dinner Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen leaving a family dinner on Jan 31 and vanished from her Catalina Foothills home in the early hours of Feb 1, with her doorbell camera disabled at 1:47 a.m. and her pacemaker’s Bluetooth link cut at 2:28 a.m. [1][7]. She failed to attend a virtual church service the next morning, prompting a 911 call and a multi‑agency missing‑person investigation. Blood spatter was later found on the front porch, confirming a possible struggle.

Surveillance Captures Masked Man With Walmart Backpack FBI‑released Nest footage shows a masked individual, estimated 5 ft 9‑10 in, covering the camera lens with plants while carrying a 25‑liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack purchased at Walmart [5][7]. The suspect wore gloves matching a pair recovered two miles from the house, though DNA from those gloves produced no CODIS hits [1][4][5]. The video release generated nearly 5,000 tips within the first hour and has since produced over 30,000 leads overall [3][6].

DNA Evidence Yields No CODIS Match, Genealogy Pursued DNA extracted from a glove found near the residence did not match any profile in the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System, nor did it match samples taken inside the home [1][4][5]. Investigators are submitting the profile to investigative genetic genealogy databases, a process that could return results in minutes or take several years [4][5]. The lack of a CODIS hit suggests the suspect has no prior convictions, prompting a shift toward genealogy and commercial‑purchase tracing of the backpack and a distinctive holster [5][6].

Family Members Cleared, Authorities Focus on External Leads Sheriff Chris Nanos publicly cleared all adult children and their spouses, describing them as “victims plain and simple” and rejecting speculation that they are persons of interest [1][4][6]. Multiple ransom demands have been received, including a single‑bitcoin note and a $6 million cryptocurrency request, though their authenticity remains unverified [1][2][7]. Rewards now exceed $200,000, with the FBI offering up to $100,000 and local Crime Stoppers adding $102,500 [1][3].

Cross‑Border Coordination and High‑Tech Search Tools Deployed FBI and Arizona authorities have briefed Mexican law‑enforcement officials in Sonora and are sharing leads as part of a standard cross‑border protocol [2]. Search teams are using a helicopter‑mounted Bluetooth sniffer to locate Guthrie’s pacemaker and a BlueFly heat‑map system to guide aerial and ground assets [2][4]. Google has been asked to retrieve additional Nest recordings, and Meta, Apple, and other tech firms have offered assistance, though no new footage has yet been confirmed [4][5].

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Timeline

Jan 31, 2026 – Nancy Guthrie, 84, leaves a family dinner and is dropped off at her Catalina Foothills home around 9:48 p.m.; she fails to appear the next morning, prompting a 911 call and a missing‑person report that treats the residence as a crime scene [15][29][30].

Feb 1, 2026 (early morning) – At 1:47 a.m. the doorbell camera is removed, motion is logged at 2:12 a.m., and the Bluetooth link to her pacemaker app breaks at 2:28 a.m.; forensic testing later confirms blood on the front porch matches Guthrie [2][11][20][21].

Feb 2, 2026 – Sheriff Chris Nanos publicly declares the home a crime scene, stating “we do in fact have a crime,” and urges the community to provide any camera footage or tips [25][28][29].

Feb 3, 2026 – Investigators find forced‑entry signs indicating a nighttime kidnapping; Nanos tells CBS “she was taken against her will,” while President Trump calls the case “terrible” and says he will call Savannah Guthrie [17][19][22][23].

Feb 4, 2026 – The FBI joins the search, confirming forced‑entry evidence and receiving cryptocurrency ransom notes; Trump pledges additional federal resources, and Savannah Guthrie steps down from covering the 2026 Winter Olympics to stay in Arizona [19][18][13][14][15][16].

Feb 5, 2026 – FBI Director Kash Patel says he will allocate all FBI resources and may travel to Tucson; Trump orders “all federal law‑enforcement agencies” to assist, and the sheriff offers a $2,500 reward for leads [13][14][15][16].

Feb 6, 2026 – After a 5 p.m. Thursday ransom‑note deadline passes, Camron Guthrie posts a video urging captors to contact them; the FBI sets a second deadline for Monday, offers a $50,000 reward, and arrests Derrick Callella for a fake Bitcoin demand, while Sheriff Nanos says “I’m absolutely convinced she’s alive” [9][10][11][12].

Feb 16, 2026 – Investigators have processed roughly 40,000 tips, deploy a helicopter‑mounted Bluetooth sniffer to locate Guthrie’s pacemaker, and receive a new ransom demand for $6 million in cryptocurrency; the Searching Mothers of Sonora nonprofit is asked to assist the cross‑border search [1][2].

Feb 17, 2026 – The sheriff clears Nancy Guthrie’s adult children and spouses as suspects, calling them “victims plain and simple,” and emphasizes that the investigation now focuses on external leads [8][17].

Feb 18, 2026 – Sheriff Nanos asks Google to retrieve additional Nest footage, while investigators pursue genetic‑genealogy analysis of glove DNA (which yields no CODIS match) and deploy Parsons’ BlueFly heat‑map technology to guide helicopters and ground teams [6][7].

Feb 19, 2026 – U.S. investigators coordinate with Mexican authorities in Sonora, continue using the Bluetooth sniffer, and note that despite 40,000 leads and a $6 million crypto ransom note, forensic glove DNA still produces no matches, keeping the search ongoing [1].

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Investigators Expand Cross‑Border Search and Offer $200K Rewards for Missing 84‑Year‑Old (50 articles) 2026-02-19 07:12:16+00:00
AP: Savannah Guthrie’s plea for proof of life amid AI‑driven deepfake fears 2026-02-06 17:08:34+00:00

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