‘No sign of Nancy found’: Pima County Sheriff warns ‘exhausting’ search for Guthrie could take years

As the search enters its second week to find NBC broadcaster Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos warned that it could take years to find her. The sheriff promised that his team would remain dedicated to finding Nancy despite hitting several dead ends in the investigation, even if the search goes on for longer than intended. Nanos also shared new details about the federal operation that took place on Friday (Feb 13).

“Maybe it’s an hour from now,” Nanos told The New York Times. “Maybe it’s weeks or months or years from now. But we won’t quit. We’re going to find Nancy. We’re going to find this guy.”

So far, multiple ransom notes and thousands of tips have been received related to the disappearance of the 84-year-old.
“It’s exhausting, these ups and downs,” Nanos said. “But we will keep moving forward.”

No arrests yet

Earlier on Friday night, the FBI executed a federal search warrant at a nearby home, where three people were detained. However, they were later released. Nanos noted that it was a standard procedure to allow investigators freedom to conduct the search.

The sheriff added that no arrests were made and there was “no sign of Nancy was found.”

He added that a man earlier detained in connection with the investigation and later released “was our person of interest.” He told Fox News on Saturday (Feb 15) that the man detained in a traffic stop outside the Culver’s restaurant Friday night was the investigators’ “person of interest”. He added that he was cooperative.

Search continues

Meanwhile, Fox News reported that authorities are using a high-tech Bluetooth scanner placed on the bottom of law enforcement helicopters to detect Nancy Guthrie’s pacemaker signal. The helicopters are flying at a slow pace and low altitude, typically in a grid pattern, to pick up signals.

Investigators earlier recovered unidentified DNA from Guthrie’s Tucson area property that does not belong to her or anyone known to have been in regular contact with her. “Investigators are working to identify who it belongs to,” the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said.