Search Intensifies For Mother Of US TV Host As Sheriff Faces Scrutiny

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

TUCSON, USA (Worthy News) – Authorities in the United States intensified efforts Wednesday to find Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC’s “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie, after law enforcement briefly detained and then released an initial suspect.

Wednesday’s developments came as the search approached its 12th day, amid growing scrutiny over how local authorities have handled the high-profile case.

Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her Tucson-area home on January 31 and was reported missing the following day.

Investigators believe she was abducted.

SURVEILLANCE VIDEO RELEASED

On Tuesday, authorities released surveillance footage showing a person approaching her front door wearing a ski mask, a backpack, and what appeared to be a gun holster.

The short video clips — totaling less than a minute — do not show what happened inside the home or confirm Guthrie’s condition.

Shortly after the images were made public, deputies detained a man during a traffic stop south of Tucson.

He was questioned and later released. Authorities have not announced any arrests.

SHERIFF ACKNOWLEDGES MISSTEPS

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, who is leading the investigation, acknowledged the intense scrutiny surrounding the case.

“I’m not used to everyone hanging onto my every word and then holding me accountable for what I say,” Nanos told reporters earlier in the investigation.

At multiple news conferences, Nanos said he has tried to balance transparency with protecting investigative details that only a suspect would know. He conceded that the approach has not always satisfied critics.

Nanos also acknowledged he likely should have waited longer before returning Guthrie’s home to her family after detectives completed their evidence search. Before authorities resecured the scene, journalists photographed blood droplets near the front door that the sheriff later said belonged to Guthrie.

POLITICAL CRITICISM EMERGES

The sheriff has also faced criticism for attending a University of Arizona basketball game over the weekend while the victim remained missing.

“That does not look good,” said Dr. Matt Heinz, a Democrat who serves on the county’s governing board. “I mean, dude, watch the game at home. Read the room.”

Responding to criticism, Nanos said no one can work around the clock indefinitely.

“Even though I want to, I can’t,” Nanos told reporters. “I got to a point where I needed to decompress a little bit.”

SHERIFF ALSO DEFENDED

Others have defended the sheriff. Tom Morrissey, a retired chief U.S. marshal and former chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, said investigators must carefully manage public disclosures.

“The perpetrator or perpetrators are watching what law enforcement is doing up close and personal,” Morrissey said. “It does impact their ability to avoid being discovered or arrested.”

Nanos began his career with the Pima County Sheriff’s Office in 1984 and rose through the ranks before being appointed sheriff in 2015. He later lost reelection in 2016 but regained the office in 2020 and narrowly won reelection in 2024.

Before becoming sheriff, Nanos played a role in the investigation of the 2011 Tucson mass shooting that killed six people and wounded 13, including then-U.S. Representative Gabby Giffords.

INVESTIGATION CONTINUES

He has also publicly stated his department will not enforce federal immigration law, focusing instead on local crime and public safety.

Authorities say the Federal Bureau of Investigation is assisting in parts of the investigation. Nanos declined to evaluate his own handling of the case.

“I’m going to have people who think I’m doing a good job, and I’m going to have people who think I am doing a bad job,” Nanos said. “But that’s what we have elections for.”

As the second week of the search continues, law enforcement officials are urging anyone with information about Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance to come forward.

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