Nancy Guthrie’s remains found? Pima County Sheriff's office shares key update amid intense probe; here’s what we know so far

A key development has emerged in the Nancy Guthrie disappearance case. The Pima County Sheriff’s Office, which has led the investigation from the start, confirmed that human remains were found in a desert area near West Ajo Way and South La Cholla Boulevard. However, the department emphasized there is no indication the discovery is connected to the Guthrie investigation.

The remains were reportedly located about 15 miles from Guthrie’s home. According to TMZ, citing law enforcement sources, the bones were discovered in a “very remote” desert area accessible only by a long hike. “Our boots on the ground say the bones are definitively not Nancy Guthrie,” one source told the outlet.

"PCSD Search & Rescue deputies are responding to reports of human remains found in a desert area near West Ajo Way and South La Cholla Boulevard. At this time, there is no indication they are connected to the Nancy Guthrie investigation," Pima County Sheriff's Department said in a post on X.





TMZ further reported the remains were “bleached white bones” that had been exposed for a long time. Bleaching occurs when ultraviolet rays from the sun break down the organic components of bone, stripping away color and leaving them white. The outlet also noted that investigators still have no leads in identifying Guthrie’s kidnappers or locating her remains.

CNN reported that the remains appeared to have been at the site for an extended period. Deputies from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department were seen on a cactus‑lined hillside in southwest Tucson, overlooking a busy four‑lane highway, after reports of the discovery.

From the roadway, the law enforcement response appeared limited. Three sheriff’s vehicles were visible at the top of a residential driveway, while the narrow access road leading up the hill was marked by a wooden sign reading “private drive.”

Nancy Guthrie, the 84‑year‑old mother of NBC’s Today show host Savannah Guthrie, vanished from her Tucson home in the early hours of February 1, 2026. Authorities quickly determined she had been taken against her will. She was last seen on January 31 before she was apparently abducted from her home in Arizona’s Catalina Foothills, without her phone or critical medications. Despite hundreds of leads and intense search efforts, no suspect has been named or arrested and investigators have no leading theory about a motive.