Major Break in Nancy Guthrie Case as Family Ruled Out as Suspects

As investigation into the alleged abduction of Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today host Savannah Guthrie, enters its third week, investigation agencies have now cleared direct members of her family as possible suspects.

"The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in the case," Pima County sheriff Chris Nanos said.

“To be clear... the Guthrie family — to include all siblings and spouses — has been cleared as possible suspects in this case," Nanos added.

As the probe intensifies, investigators have deployed a high-tech tracking tool known as a "signal sniffer”. This tool is being used to detect possible signals from Nancy Guthrie’s heart pacemaker. Officials previously had informed that the 84-year-old’s pacemaker app showed a disconnect from her phone at 2:28 a.m. on February 1.

In a new revelation, the Pima County sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators have identified the backpack, a 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack, that was being carried by the suspect. Nanos further said the mask that the suspect can be seen wearing in the video footage from outside Nancy Guthrie's residence from the night she went missing resembles the ones sold at Walmart. Investigators are now consulting with the Walmart management to develop further leads.

It may be noted that the investigation agencies had shared video footage from outside Nancy Guthrie’s Arizona home. The footage showed a masked suspect trying to enter the residence.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said on February 15 that the glove containing DNA found about two miles from Guthrie's Tucson residence appears to match those worn by the masked person who was recorded outside her home's front door the night she went missing.

The glove was one of approximately 16 gloves collected by investigators in various areas near Nancy Guthrie's residence. The FBI confirmed that most of those gloves belonged to searchers who discarded them while working in the area.

The FBI said that the preliminary results of the DNA testing suggests that the glove belonged to the masked person seen in the video footage. However, the agency awaits final confirmation before putting what it called "the unknown male profile" into The Combined DNA Index System (CoDIS).

Savannah Guthrie took to Instagram on February 15 to issue an appeal to whoever abducted her mother. She said, “I wanted to come on, and um, it's been two weeks since our mom was taken, and I just wanted to come on and say that we still have hope, and we still believe.”

Savannah Guthrie added, “And I wanted to say to whoever has her or knows where she is that it's never too late, and you are not lost or alone. It is never too late to do the right thing, and we are here. We believe, and we believe in the essential goodness of every human being.”