Investigators in Arizona say they are increasingly looking at the possibility that the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of US television anchor Savannah Guthrie, began as a burglary that went wrong rather than a planned abduction, as the search entered its third week and federal agents awaited key forensic results.
A source briefed on the investigation told Arizona’s Family that the prevailing view among investigators was that the incident “appeared to be a burglary gone wrong”, adding that there was a “widespread belief” that Nancy Guthrie could still be alive.
The shift in emphasis came alongside new attention on physical evidence recovered near the Tucson-area home where Nancy Guthrie was last seen on 31 January. The FBI has said a glove found about two miles from the residence contained DNA that “appears to match” the type of glove worn by a masked suspect captured on doorbell and other surveillance video on the night she disappeared.
Authorities have described the person in the footage as a man of average build, about 5ft 9in to 5ft 10in tall, carrying a black Ozark Trail hiking backpack. The FBI has asked anyone who recognises the individual or the backpack to come forward, and a reward has been offered for information that leads to Nancy Guthrie being found or to an arrest.
Investigators have said the case remains active and that the forensic work is ongoing, including comparisons against national databases. Reuters reported that a search of the US national DNA database, CODIS, was expected to be carried out after preliminary lab findings suggested the recovered DNA may be significant.
The abduction case has drawn national attention in the United States in part because of Savannah Guthrie’s public profile as a long-time presenter on NBC’s “Today” programme, and because of the uncertainty around her mother’s welfare. Authorities have said Nancy Guthrie has medical needs that make time a critical factor, including daily medication requirements and heart-related health concerns.
According to reports carried by the Associated Press and Reuters, investigators found blood on the front porch of the home, and also recovered DNA at the scene that did not match Nancy Guthrie or known contacts. Those discoveries helped drive the early assessment that she had been taken against her will.
In recent days, law enforcement activity has expanded beyond the immediate area of the home. Officers sealed off roads and searched locations nearby as they pursued what officials described as developing leads, though no arrests have been announced. CBS News reported that investigators were “actively working a lead” at a site roughly two miles from the home after activity ramped up late on a Friday night, with officials not immediately disclosing what drew them there.
Separately, authorities seized a Range Rover SUV from a Culver’s restaurant parking lot in Tucson as part of the investigation, and detained the vehicle’s driver for questioning before releasing him. Reuters and the Associated Press reported that the vehicle was towed away for forensic examination, with investigators awaiting results including DNA testing.
The new “botched burglary” theory has been presented cautiously by officials and sources, rather than as a definitive conclusion. Investigators have not ruled out other motives, including the possibility that the intruder intended to abduct Nancy Guthrie from the outset. But the account offered to Arizona’s Family suggested investigators were weighing whether the suspect entered the property intending to steal, then escalated to violence and kidnapping when confronted or when something went wrong.
Savannah Guthrie has made repeated appeals for information and for her mother’s return, posting messages and videos to social media as the days have passed. In one video shared online, she addressed the person responsible directly, saying: “it’s never too late. And you’re not lost or alone, and it is never too late to do the right thing”. She also said: “we still have hope and we still believe”.
Investigators have not publicly confirmed any direct communication with the family from whoever took Nancy Guthrie. Reuters reported that while purported ransom notes were received, there had been no direct contact leading to her safe return, and payment deadlines described in those notes had passed without resolution.
The FBI’s focus on the glove recovered near the home reflects an effort to identify a suspect through forensic matching rather than relying only on imagery from surveillance footage. The bureau has said multiple gloves were collected from the area, but investigators believe the glove containing the DNA is distinct from those discarded by search teams and may be linked to the masked person in video.
Arizona’s Family, citing an inside source, has reported that the belief Nancy Guthrie could still be alive is a central element shaping investigative priorities. That assessment, if correct, would align with the urgency repeatedly stressed by officials given her age and medical needs.
Local authorities have also warned residents to expect an ongoing, visible police presence as detectives and federal agents continue to process tips and follow leads. The investigation has brought daily searches, evidence collection and interviews, with officials asking the public to report any suspicious activity from the night of 31 January or any sightings of a person matching the description released by the FBI.
For now, the case remains unresolved, with investigators balancing competing possibilities about motive while awaiting scientific results that could narrow the field of suspects. The coming days are expected to hinge on whether the DNA recovered from the glove can be matched to a person in law enforcement databases or linked to someone known to have been in the Tucson area at the time Nancy Guthrie vanished.
