Nancy Guthrie Investigation Could See Breakthrough, Says Expert as Nanos Hints at Major Lead

As the search for Nancy Guthrie crossed the 50-day mark, an expert suggested investigators may be “on the cusp of a major breakthrough.”

The 84-year-old was allegedly abducted from her home in Catalina Foothills on the night of January 31. Guthrie had returned from a family gathering and was expected to attend an online church service the following morning, but was reported missing when she failed to appear.

Amid growing scrutiny over the handling of the case, Pima County Sherriff Chris Nanos has maintained that the investigation remains active and far from cold, emphasizing that authorities are continuing to pursue multiple leads.

Speaking to The Irish Star, PR expert Ryan McCormick said the trajectory of the case suggests a key development could be near.

“Having worked closely with attorneys over the years and observed how high-profile true crime cases tend to develop, this case appears to be on the cusp of a major breakthrough,” he said.

However, McCormick also warned that public confidence could erode if answers are not found soon. “Every day that Nancy Guthrie remains missing is another day that public confidence erodes,” he said. “Every unanswered question chips away at his credibility.”

In an earlier interview with KVOA, Nanos revealed that investigators are working with potentially viable forensic evidence.

“We have some DNA that we think is still workable,” he said.

He reiterated that the case is not cold and that his department is working closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), reviewing thousands of hours of footage.

“The case will get us there. We let the evidence show us the way, and that’s what we base everything on,” Nanos said. “Right now, everything is speculative. We don’t have anything in front of us that says, ‘This is who did this, and this is why.’”

Nanos also compared the case to the 2012 kidnapping of Isabel Celis, noting that it took years to reach a resolution.

“It is unlike anything we’ve seen in years in Tucson,” he said.

The abductor in that case, Christopher Clements, was convicted in 2024 of first-degree murder, kidnapping, and burglary. Nanos acknowledged that while he hopes for a quicker resolution in Guthrie’s case, complex investigations can take time.

“I hope that’s not the case here, but I hope also that the public and community understand that we are working it hard, and we are working it with some really good, quality teams,” he added.

Nanos declined to share specific details but emphasized that forensic work remains a key focus.

“I will tell you this: we have some DNA that we think is still workable, and we have to work that,” he said. “We know the science, and we know we have some labs around this country who are really working diligently to get there with this.”

Cold case specialist Brian Martin also stressed that the investigation should not be considered cold at this stage.

“Often agencies will not consider a case cold until it has sat inactive with no leads or evidence developments for years,” he said. “I would not consider the Nancy Guthrie case to be cold now.”