Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie remains active and moving forward, and sought to address community frustration over the pace of progress nearly six months after she went missing. In a wide-ranging interview with Wyatt Sharpe, Nanos pointed to ongoing DNA analysis and a steady stream of tips as evidence that work on the case is continuing, and he rejected the notion that the matter has been allowed to grow cold.
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“It's not so much my frustration as it is the community,” Nanos said when asked about public impatience over a lack of answers. “And I understand that the community wants to know everything. This isn't TV. This is real life. In an hour's time, there's not a commercial break, and we've got it solved. We continue to work this case every day. And we work it hard. And so, I feel confident that it's moving along, that we'll get some resolution. But unfortunately, those things just sometimes take time.”
Community attention has remained high since Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC host Savannah Guthrie, was reported missing from her Arizona home on February 1. A memorial and public shows of support have appeared in Tucson as the investigation has proceeded. A member of the public signs a memorial banner with a large photo of Nancy Guthrie outside KVOA in Tucson, Ariz., March 3, 2026, as the community responds during the ongoing investigation into her disappearance.
Nanos described the framework of the investigative effort as a “Guthrie Task Force” made up of a core group of Pima County detectives and local FBI agents. He outlined the composition of that core as a handful of detectives from his agency, a sergeant and lieutenant, the chain of command, and several agents working locally. He emphasized that that core group is the principal team running the inquiry and that the county has participated for years in an FBI violent crime task force.
“In terms of working with the FBI, there are things that come out of Washington that can be better handled through that collaboration,” Nanos said. He added that when tips originate from FBI channels that require local intervention, the county personnel are able to act immediately. He stressed the cooperative nature of the investigation rather than presenting it as a series of separate efforts.
Authorities have treated Guthrie’s disappearance as a suspected kidnapping. Savannah Guthrie publicly announced a $1 million reward for information leading to her mother’s whereabouts and has repeatedly appealed for help. On July 27, the television host issued a renewed plea aimed at the person or people believed to be responsible. “We have done our part,” Savannah Guthrie said in a video posted to Instagram, adding that she “will never stop looking” for her mother and urging the suspected abductor to “make the right choice.”
When questioned about his contact with the Guthrie family, Sheriff Nanos said he has not spoken with Savannah recently but that their relationship remains “a good relationship.” He said Savannah has his contact information if she needs it but that she has a team she can reach at any hour. “Well, our relationship is a good relationship. I mean, these are tough times. But, no, I've not spoken with Savannah recently. She has my contact number... But she's very gracious, and she doesn't need to contact the sheriff. She needs a team that she's very well aware of that works with her, and she's in contact with them at any moment of day, at any time of day that she needs to,” Nanos said. Referring to the host’s recent public appeal, he added, “We share those sentiments.”
Nanos reiterated that investigators continue to follow leads and process evidence and cautioned against expecting quick, television-style resolutions. He said DNA analysis remains underway and that tips continue to arrive, and he expressed confidence that the combined work of the local detectives and FBI agents will eventually produce answers. He described the investigative pace as deliberate and methodical and declined to suggest a timetable for when a resolution might come. The sheriff’s comments came during an interview on the day after the most recent public plea by Savannah Guthrie.
The Pima County investigation and its cooperation with federal agents remain the central law enforcement response to the disappearance. Sheriff Nanos framed the inquiry as active and ongoing and said personnel assigned to the task force are working the case daily. He appealed for patience from the public while investigators pursue leads and await the results of forensic testing that he said are crucial to advancing the probe. The sheriff’s office has not announced any new charges or arrests in connection with the case as of his interview.
The community response in Tucson has included memorials and public gestures of support for the Guthrie family as the search continues. Law enforcement officials have repeatedly asked for any information that could assist investigators, and the reward offered by Savannah Guthrie remains in place for tips that lead to locating her mother. Sheriff Nanos concluded by acknowledging the community’s desire for answers and by reaffirming that investigators “work this case every day,” that it remains active, and that he is confident the investigation will move toward resolution even if it requires time to process evidence and follow up on leads.
NBC's TODAY reported that Savannah Guthrie's July 27 Instagram plea may signal a new line of communication with her mother's suspected captor, a development echoed by Fox News. The direct appeal, in which she urged those responsible to "make the right choice" and disclose Nancy's location, adds a fresh dimension to the case as DNA analysis proceeds.
On July 2, a California man identified by federal prosecutors as Derrick Callella pleaded guilty in Tucson federal court to charges tied to sending an “imposter” ransom demand and harassing Guthrie family members; his sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 10 and court filings indicate he will report to a residential addiction treatment program pending disposition.
In mid-June, Pima County deputies arrested livestreamer Alexander Zabel Jr. outside Guthrie’s home while he was broadcasting for his CriminalNetwork channel; authorities charged him with resisting arrest and public nuisance and said the arrest was related to his on-site conduct, not to the abduction investigation.
The FBI publicly offered a reward for information in the case in February, announcing a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s recovery or the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
In early July Reuters reported that an FBI official told investigators had determined the three ransom-related messages that circulated in media reports were not believed to be genuine, a development federal agents said has complicated assessments of motive and credibility of some communications tied to the case.