Why is Border Patrol involved in Nancy Guthrie case? Sheriff explains their role, advises against making it ‘political’

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos revealed why Border Patrol is involved in the search for Nancy Guthrie, the missing mom of ‘Today’ show host Savannah Guthrie.

Published on: Feb 03, 2026 12:33 PM IST

Share via

Copy link

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has revealed why Border Patrol is involved in the search for Nancy Guthrie, the missing mother of ‘Today’ show host Savannah Guthrie. Arizona police revealed on Monday, February 2, that Nancy was likely abducted from her Tucson house as she slept.

Why is Border Patrol involved in Nancy Guthrie case? Sheriff explains their role (savannahguthrie/Instagram)

During a recent interview with Nanos, CNN’s Erin Burnett asked him, “Is it safe to say that she could be anywhere? Border Patrol was involved. Does that mean you think the border could be involved?”

“No,” Nanos said. “I do not want this to be a political piece.”

“This is about an elderly woman who lives in our community and went to bed in her safe home and is missing,” Nanos continued. “That is it.”

He added, “Border Patrol helps us all the time when we have missing hikers — they have some dogs that do tremendous work. And that’s what they did. They came out with their dog team to help us.”

What we know so far

A family member reported 84-year-old Nancy missing on Sunday, around noon, Nanos said, according to local news station KOLD.

“I believe she was abducted, yes,” Nanos told CBS. “She didn’t walk from there. She didn’t go willingly.”

A rep for the sheriff’s office told the New York Post, “At this point, investigators believe she was taken from the home against her will and that includes possible kidnapping or abduction.”

Meanwhile, Savannah thanked everyone for their “thoughts, prayers and messages of support” in a statement shared by the Today show. “On behalf of our family, I want to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers and messages of support. Right now, our focus remains on the safe return of our dead mom,” the statement read.

It added, “We thank law enforcement for their hard work on this case and encourage anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at: 520-351-4900.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.