E-Paper
Nancy Guthrie case update: Sheriff under fire for massive blunders in first response
A fixed-wing Cessna aircraft, known as Survey 1, remained grounded for roughly half a day, sources said.
The frantic search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, has entered its sixth day. She went missing early Sunday from her home just outside Tucson, Arizona.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said Thursday that authorities believe Nancy was taken against her will. DNA tests confirmed that blood found on her front porch matched hers. So far, investigators have not identified any suspects or ruled anyone out.
Questions about early response
Sources close to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department told the Daily Mail that critical missteps in the early hours of the search may have hampered the investigation. According to the insiders, the handling of the crime scene and conflicting public statements slowed the initial response.
Most notably, a fixed-wing Cessna aircraft, known as Survey 1, which is equipped with high-resolution thermal imaging cameras capable of scanning large areas of desert terrain, remained grounded for roughly half a day.
The aircraft is considered “the most valuable law enforcement asset in southern Arizona,” according to Sergeant Aaron Cross, president of the Pima County Sheriff's Deputies Association.
Ransom notes and new leads
At least three media organizations reported receiving purported ransom notes and turned them over to investigators. Sheriff Nanos said one of the notes was determined to be fake, which led to an arrest. Officials have not released further details.
On Friday, authorities confirmed they received a new message in connection with the case.
"FBI and Pima County Sheriff's Department are aware of a new message regarding Nancy Guthrie. Investigators are actively inspecting the information provided in the message for its authenticity," the department said in a post on X.
"While this is one new piece of information, the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department are still asking anyone with tips to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. The FBI continues to offer a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the recovery of Nancy Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance."
The investigation remains ongoing.
