Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has dispelled myths that Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance resulted from a botched burglary, stating no valuables were nissing from her Arizona home.
“That’s what makes me say this is a kidnapping. The motivation for it is where we get stuck, right?” he said, according to Daily Mail, adding that the motive has not yet been uncovered.
“Is it for money? I mean, we had the one demand where they asked for money. But is it really for money, or is it for revenge for something?”
The statement comes after an “inside source” told AZFamily that investigators claimed that Guthrie’s disappearance resulted from a robbery gone wrong.
Nanos previously told FOX News that the botched burglary theory did not originate from law enforcement.
As CrimeOnline reported, family members said Nancy Guthrie, 84, identified as the mother of “Today” show host, Savannah Guthrie, was last seen on January 31, after having dinner at her daughter Annie Guthrie’s residence.
Family members then dropped Nancy off at her Catalina Foothills residence. They reported her missing the following day when she failed to show up for church.
Last week, FBI Director Kash Patel posted photos and videos of a potential armed suspect. The man had on a black 25-liter Ozark Trail backpack, that is sold exclusively at Walmart, CBS News reports.
Investigators subsequently spent numerous days reviewing security footage at Walmart stores. Walmart has also provided them with all purchases of that particular backpack, online and in-store, over that past multiple months.
The purchases included “sales beyond the Tucson area,” Nanos told CBS News.
Menawhile, the FBI said Sunday that a glove found near Nancy Guthrie’s home had DNA on it. Agents sent it in for testing and are waiting on official confirmation.
The agents confirmed that the found glove appeared as a match for the pair of gloves the armed suspect wore.
The federal agency also announced a doubling of its reward offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those involved. That reward now stands at $100,000.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Tipsters can also contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department tip line at 520-351-4900.
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[Feature Photo: Jeff Robb, a Seattle resident wintering in Tucson, signs a banner supporting Nancy Guthrie in Tucson Ariz., on Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Ty ONeil)]