Mexican Officials Say No Formal FBI Request in Nancy Guthrie Case

Authorities in the Mexican state of Sonora said on Thursday that the FBI has not made any formal request in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie’s mother.

The Sonoran Attorney General’s office wrote in a post in response to reports “indicating that the FBI would have requested support from Mexican authorities for the search for Nancy Guthrie, as well as versions suggesting a possible presence in Mexico.”

“To date, this institution has not received any formal request for collaboration, assistance, or exchange of information from U.S. authorities or Mexican federal agencies in relation to said case,” the post stated in a translation from Spanish.

This week, media outlets have published speculative reports suggesting that Nancy Guthrie could have been taken to Mexico, or cited anonymous sources saying the FBI is in contact with Mexican authorities as they investigate the woman’s disappearance from her Tucson, Arizona-area home, which is located roughly 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border.

For example, a former U.S. Marshal who worked along the border told NewsNation that Mexican drug cartels could not be ruled out in the 84-year-old woman’s disappearance, although he suggested that the alleged abduction appeared to be done in an unprofessional manner. Meanwhile, CBS News, citing unnamed law enforcement sources, reported that the FBI has communicated with the Mexican government about her disappearance.

Officials believe that Guthrie was forcibly taken from her home. They have described the house as a crime scene, and they’ve said that DNA testing showed that blood found at her home belonged to her. She has difficulty with mobility, health problems, and needs to take medication to live, officials said.

Meanwhile, DNA from gloves found in the area did not match any entries in a national database, authorities said on Tuesday.

“There were no DNA hits in CODIS,” the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement online, referring to the national Combined DNA Index System. “At this point, there have been no confirmed CODIS matches in this investigation,” the department said, suggesting that other DNA samples had been put through the system.

A porch camera recorded video of a man wearing a ski mask, long pants, a jacket, and gloves, and carrying a backpack. The FBI said the suspect is about 5’9″ to 5’10” tall with a medium build.

A glove was found about 2 miles from Guthrie’s home. The FBI has said it did not appear to match those worn by the man in the video.

“There is additional DNA evidence that was found at the residence, and that is also being analyzed,” the sheriff’s department said.

Savannah Guthrie posted an Instagram video Sunday, appealing to anyone with information about what happened to her mother.

“It is never too late to do the right thing,” she said. “And we are here. And we believe in the essential goodness of every human being, that it’s never too late.”

The U.S. State Department issued a Level 3 travel advisory for Sonora, advising Americans to reconsider travel to the state due to a high risk of violence posed by cartels, gangs, and terrorists. It also warns that U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents have, in the past, been victims of kidnappings in the state.

The Epoch Times contacted the FBI for comment on Thursday. A previous request for comment on whether the FBI has contacted the Mexican government in response to the case was not returned on Wednesday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.