Nancy Guthrie disappearance case to be closed soon? Ex-FBI agent suspects something unusual as probe enters third month

Nancy Guthrie Abduction: The investigation into the Nancy Guthrie disappearance case is set to enter its third month, as search efforts to find the mother of Savannah Guthrie, NBC’s “Today” show host, continue without any major breakthrough.

Nancy disappeared from her Tucson, Arizona, home on January 31, 2026, and was reported missing by her family on February 1, 2026, after she failed to show up for a virtual church service. Within a few days after the investigation was launched, later joined by the FBI, authorities said the 84-year-old woman had been taken against her will.

Despite intense search efforts, several leads, and multiple rewards announced by the Guthrie family and the FBI, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the federal probe agency have so far failed to arrest a suspect in the case. Multiple theories have surfaced from detectives and former FBI agents, but no significant progress has been reported in the investigation.


As the investigation continues, investigators are apparently looking back at evidence and interviews to see what they may have missed, according to former FBI special agents who spoke with The Arizona Republic.

However, Lance Leising, a former supervisory special agent with 23 years at the FBI’s Phoenix Field Office, said he suspected something strange and believed something was amiss. A lack of updates from law enforcement does not necessarily mean investigators have exhausted all viable leads but he noted that it seemed unusual for officials to go weeks without providing an update or issuing a renewed call for tips.

“There were press conferences, press releases, and statements by the family,” Leising said, as quoted by AZ Central. “All those were very smart, because they kept the attention and drove tips. Now you don’t see that at all, which is odd.” He said it was possible investigators remained quiet because they had enough quality leads that beseeching the public for more was unnecessary.

“Maybe they don’t have the evidence they need to charge, or they don’t have the evidence they need to ultimately get there,” Leising said. “But they also don’t need the public’s tips because they’ve got a good line on the direction they’re going. Now, that’s a possibility. It’s kind of a hopeful possibility—but it’s a possibility.”

It is, however, pertinent to note that authorities have not provided any indication of closing the case or calling off the investigation, and the search for Nancy continues.