Nancy Guthrie Search Reaches 17th Day: What We Know

As the search for “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie’s missing mother, Nancy Guthrie, reached its 17th day, authorities released some clues and other evidence to the public.

Officials believe the 84-year-old woman was forcibly removed from her home near Tucson, Arizona, on the night of Jan. 31 before she was reported missing on Feb. 1. They have said that she needs medication to survive and has difficulty with her mobility.

The FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department have not publicly released all information in the case, although they have released some clues and evidence so the public can submit tips.

Clothing, Backpack Under Investigation

Video footage released this past week showed a masked individual wearing gloves attempting to tamper with Nancy Guthrie’s doorbell camera around the time officials believe she went missing. The person was also wearing a 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker-brand backpack.

In an interview with CBS News and in a statement to The Associated Press on Feb. 16, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said that the Ozark Trail Hiker backpack is sold only at Walmart, and that Walmart is cooperating with officials. The individual’s face mask and clothing may also have been purchased at Walmart, Nanos said.

It’s not clear whether the items were bought online or in-store at a Walmart in Arizona or elsewhere, Nanos said. He added that investigators have been reviewing camera footage at Walmart locations in the area.

Nanos told CBS that he believes the backpack is “one of the most promising leads” in the disappearance.

The suspect’s clothing “may have been purchased from Walmart but is not exclusively available at Walmart,” the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement on Monday. “This remains a possibility only.”

DNA Testing Underway

Gloves recovered during searches for the woman or the suspect were sent to the FBI’s national laboratory for DNA testing, the bureau confirmed to The Epoch Times on Sunday.

“The FBI received preliminary results yesterday on 2/14 and are awaiting quality control and official confirmation today before putting [an] unknown male profile into CoDIS, the national database unique to the bureau,” the FBI said.“This process typically takes 24 hours from when the bureau receives DNA.”

The FBI found a total of 16 gloves while searching in and around Guthrie’s neighborhood.

“Most of them were searchers’ gloves that they discarded in various areas when they searched the vicinity,” the FBI said in the statement.

Family Members Ruled Out

On Monday, Nanos confirmed that family members and their spouses had been cleared as potential suspects.

“The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case,” Nanos said in a statement to media outlets.

The sheriff also told local Arizona station 13 News that “not one single person in the family is a suspect,” and urged an end to speculation.

“So, I am telling everyone, effective today, you guys need to knock it off. Quit. People are hurting. They are victims,” Nanos said. “I am saying they are clear. We have cleared them.”

Regarding the family, he said, “We talked to them, we took their phones, we took their computers. I mean, we did everything. We processed their vehicles, we processed their homes … they’re victims.”

Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have released several videos pleading for the woman’s safe return. At one point, they posted videos on social media addressing purported ransom notes that were submitted to media outlets.

Other Information Provided

The FBI this past week described the person of interest in the case as being 5-foot-9-inches to 5-foot-10 inches tall with a medium build.

On Feb. 12, the FBI increased the reward to $100,000 for “information leading to the location of Nancy Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.” Previously, a $50,000 reward had been offered.

Since the investigation started on Feb. 1, around 13,000 tips have been sent to the FBI from members of the public, it said.

“Every tip is reviewed for credibility, relevance, and information that can be acted upon by law enforcement,” the FBI said on Feb. 12. “Threat Intake Examiners at the National Threat Operations Center (NTOC) and FBI personnel are supporting a 24-hour command post in which dozens of agents and investigators are assigned leads and tips to action each shift.”

The FBI wants people to submit information to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or through its website.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.