Investigators searching for Nancy Guthrie, the missing mother of Today show co‑anchor Savannah Guthrie, say they have learned new information about a backpack worn by a suspect, according to an interview aired Tuesday on Today.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told NBC News that authorities are reassessing earlier assumptions about where the backpack may have been purchased, as the investigation continues more than a month after Guthrie’s disappearance.
“We’ve now learned that maybe it wasn’t purchased out of Walmart,” Nanos told Today. “That backpack is new, is exclusive to Walmart, but who’s to say I didn’t buy it and put it on eBay?…That’s what we’re looking at.”
When Did Nancy Guthrie Go Missing?
Guthrie was last seen at her home in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood of Tucson, Arizona, on January 31.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said at a news conference last month that there were clues at the crime scene indicating Guthrie “did not leave on her own.” The sheriff has also said Guthrie needs daily medication, and it could be fatal if she does not take it every 24 hours.
Nanos told the BBC that he believes Guthrie was a victim of a targeted kidnapping.
Sheriff Says Investigators Are ‘Closer’ to Finding Suspect
Nanos said detectives are reviewing surveillance footage and other evidence while working with the FBI and pursuing thousands of leads.
The sheriff said investigators believe they are “definitely closer” to solving the case, which is now entering its second month.
He added that he and his team are operating under the belief that Guthrie is still alive.
“There’s so much that everybody wants to know, but I would be very neglectful, irresponsible as a police, law enforcement leader, to share that with everybody,” Nanos said. “We have information on this case that we think is going to hopefully lead us to solving this case. But it takes time.”
Latest Information Revealed About Suspect
On February 10, the FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department released surveillance photos and videos of a potential subject as part of the investigation into Guthrie’s disappearance.
The agencies said they worked closely with private sector partners to recover any images or video footage from Guthrie’s home “that may have been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible due to a variety of factors, including the removal of recording devices.” Law enforcement said the new video was recovered from “residual data located in backend systems.”
“Working with our partners, as of this morning, law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie’s front door the morning of her disappearance,” the FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department said.
On February 12, the FBI said the potential subject seen in surveillance footage is a male, approximately 5’9” to 5’10” tall, of average build, wearing a black 25-liter “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack” backpack.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department previously said investigators were working with Walmart management to identify the individual who purchased the backpack. The sheriff’s department also said the clothing seen in the video may have been purchased from Walmart, but it is not exclusively available there.
“This remains a possibility only. The investigation is ongoing, and information may change as new details develop,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement last month.
What Happens Next
Nanos said officials are still having difficulties processing mixed DNA found at Guthrie’s home. The sheriff suggested the mixture could contain DNA from several people, according to Today.
Nanos said he still believes the DNA could be a viable lead, but it will take more time to analyze.
Anyone with information is asked to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI, 520-351-4900, 88-CRIME or visit tips.fbi.gov. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to Guthrie’s recovery and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.
“To help keep the tip line available for actionable investigative law enforcement leads, please submit only serious and detailed fact-based information, no well-wishes or case theories. The tip line is not for personal messages to the Guthrie family,” FBI Phoenix said. A reward of $102,500 is being offered by 88-CRIME for the arrest of the person or persons involved in the disappearance.
Savannah Guthrie announced on Instagram that the family is also offering a reward of up to $1 million, payable only for her mother’s recovery.
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Update 3/3/26, 5:51 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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