Major Setback in Search for Nancy Guthrie as Experts Warn She ‘May Never Be Found’

As the search for Nancy Guthrie continues, one expert has warned that the efforts might go in vain and the authorities may never be able to find the 84-year-old woman. Guthrie has been missing since February 1, and the Pima County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have employed various methods to find her culprit, but without success.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos recently announced that he is calling off the use of cadaver dogs for the case. Cadaver dogs are trained canines who locate the specific scent of a human.

True crime podcaster Tony Brueski pointed to this fact to explain why he thinks Nancy Guthrie might never be found. During a recent episode of his podcast, Brueski noted that pausing the use of cadaver suggests that investigators have not found any concrete evidence so far.

“The dogs in the search for Nancy Guthrie are no longer actively deployed in this case. They are, in the words of the department, available if they're needed in the future. That's the kind of language you use when you've run out of places to send them,” Brueski said.

Though Nanos has repeatedly said that investigators are moving closer to cracking the case, Brueski believes his decision to halt the use of cadaver dogs signals otherwise. The podcaster elaborated, “When the scent trails have gone cold in every direction. That single operational decision tells you more about where this investigation actually stands than anything Sheriff Chris Nanos has said into a microphone in six weeks.”

Brueski further pointed out that the DNA evidence collected by detectives has not yielded any results either, and it may take months to analyze the sample as it comprises DNA from multiple people.

“They've submitted portions of it [DNA sample] to the FBI's national database. No hitch. Genetic genealogy on a mixed sample is not impossible, but it's a slow, resource-intensive work that takes months under ideal conditions. The sample may not be ideal,” he said.

Another expert recently raised similar concerns about the DNA evidence. During an appearance on The Truth of the Matter podcast, genetic genealogist CeCe Moore revealed the investigators might still be awaiting the invention of a technology that can separate a mixed DNA sample.

“When I hear they think it might be a year, that says to me that whatever software, or whatever their bioinformatic scientists have at this moment, is not successful in deconvoluting that sample. So they are hoping that things will change in the coming months or years,” Moore said.

According to Brueski, the pause in using cadaver dogs and the long time needed to analyze the DNA sample could create a major challenge given Guthrie’s health. The podcaster noted that Guthrie is 84-years-old and has a heart condition that needs critical medication.

“I would like nothing more for her to be found alive, but let's be honest. Nancy Guthri is 84 years old. She has a cardiac condition that requires daily medication. Her mobility is severely limited,” he said, adding, “You don't need me to do the math on what that means medically. The facts carry their own weight.”

But Guthrie's family remains hopeful that she is alive, as they continue to pray and hope for her safe return. Officials have not commented on Guthrie’s possible health condition now that she has been missing for more than 45 days.