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By Khaleda Rahman
National Correspondent
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An attorney has explained how the weekslong investigation into the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie is entering a new stage.
"We're seeing the investigation shift from broad public outreach to more clinical evidence consolidation," Peter S. Christiansen, a Las Vegas-based criminal defense attorney and the founder of Christiansen Trial Lawyers, told Newsweek.
"When investigators say they are closer and mention hot leads, it usually means they've moved past sorting through random tips and are now narrowing them down through verification, digital tracing and forensic analysis," he continued.
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On Monday, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told NBC News that investigators were "definitely closer" to tracking down the suspect.
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The Context
Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie, has been missing for more than a month. She was last seen at her home near Tucson, Arizona, on January 31 and was reported missing the following day. Authorities believe she was kidnapped and said drops of her blood were found on the front porch.
Since the first days of her disappearance, authorities have expressed concern about her health because she needs vital daily medication.
On February 10, the FBI released video from a doorbell camera showing a masked man on Nancy Guthrie's porch on the night she disappeared. The FBI later called the person a suspect and described him as being about 5 feet, 9 or 10 inches tall with an average build. The FBI said he was carrying a 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack.
What To Know
Christiansen said the current phase of the investigation was the "most critical" as law enforcement officials were "actively building a narrative that must eventually withstand the scrutiny of a courtroom."
He said that with evidence in the case, the focus was likely to be "authentication and traceability."
Although the public wants answers, Christiansen said law enforcement must balance "urgency with evidentiary integrity," adding that every piece of evidence must be "properly collected and preserved to avoid due process issues down the line."
Nanos said in the interview that there was information that law enforcement was withholding from the public, saying it would be "very neglectful" and "irresponsible" to share it publicly.
He said investigators had not identified any of the clothing the suspect seen in the surveillance video was wearing but were looking into the possibility the suspect's backpack, which is sold exclusively at Walmart, may have been purchased online.
He said investigators had also not managed to identify the car captured on a Ring camera driving past a home about 2 miles from Nancy Guthrie's residence around the time authorities said her pacemaker last synced with her iPhone.
"We're looking at that vehicle, as well as hundreds of thousands of other vehicles that were out driving that time of day," Nanos said.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department has confirmed that DNA from black gloves that were recovered about 2 miles from Nancy Guthrie's home have been traced to a local restaurant employee who was "not part of this investigation." The sheriff's department did not disclose how the gloves were traced to the employee but had previously said investigators would seek to use investigative genetic genealogy in the investigation.
Authorities said last month that DNA from the gloves did not match any entries in CODIS, the FBI's national database. The FBI had earlier said the gloves appeared to match those worn by the masked person seen in the surveillance footage.
Nanos also said on Monday that investigators were still facing challenges processing mixed DNA found at Nancy Guthrie's home that did not belong to her or those in close contact with her. The sheriff suggested the mixture could contain DNA from several people.
On Monday, Savannah Guthrie and her family returned to Nancy Guthrie's home in their first sighting at the house since the older woman went missing. Last week, she said the family was offering a $1 million reward for information leading to the recovery of their mother.
What People Are Saying
Attorney Peter S. Christiansen told Newsweek: "We're also seeing heavy reliance on building a defensible timeline on surveillance footage and location date. The public expects immediate breakthroughs when leads are mentioned, but in reality, the FBI and local police have to balance urgency with evidentiary integrity. Every piece of digital and physical evidence must be properly collected and preserved to avoid due process issues down the line. In a case with so much national attention, procedural missteps can jeopardize future prosecution. So while the public may want faster answers, this phase is deliberate and evidence-driven by necessity."
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told NBC News on Monday: "There's so much that everybody wants to know, but I would be very neglectful, irresponsible as a police, law enforcement leader, to share that with everybody."
He added: "We have information on this case that we think is going to hopefully lead us to solving this case. But it takes time."
The Pima County Attorney's Office said in a statement in late February: "Veteran prosecutors from the Pima County Attorney's Office continue to work with the Pima County Sheriff's Department, the FBI, and the U.S. Attorney's Office regarding the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. County Attorney Conover trusts her veteran prosecutors to execute the work and lead on the ground, allowing them to focus on substance rather than inserting herself into the scene for optics. Ethical rules prevent us from making comments about the details of the case. Media inquiries regarding the case should be directed to the FBI."
Savannah Guthrie wrote on Instagram on Monday: "We feel the love and prayers from our neighbors, from the Tucson community and from around the country."
She added: "Please don't stop praying and hoping with us. bring her home."
What Happens Next
Anyone with information is urged to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), 520-351-4900 or 88-CRIME or visit tips.fbi.gov.
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