Nancy Guthrie Case Breakthrough Hinted as Sheriff Steps Back From Family Contact After 108 Days

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has confirmed he is no longer in direct contact with the family of missing 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, with all communication now handled by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and detectives, 108 days after she vanished from her Tucson home.

Nanos told People magazine he had stepped back from personal updates to the family of Guthrie, the mother of NBC Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie. 'I personally am not,' he said when asked whether he remained in direct touch, adding that detectives and federal agents now handle all contact.

The shift marks a clear departure from the early stages of the investigation, when Nanos exchanged texts and calls with Savannah Guthrie directly while acting as both a public face and operational lead for the search.

FBI Now Handles All Family Communication

Former FBI special agent Jennifer Coffindaffer questioned on NewsNation whether the end of direct contact points to a broader change behind the scenes. 'I wonder who cut off the communication,' she said. 'I just think this shows a confidence in the family to deal with the FBI and not with the Pima County Sheriff.'

The change comes as Nanos faces political pressure over his handling of the case. The Pima County Board of Supervisors recently referred perjury allegations against the sheriff to the Arizona attorney general, and FBI Director Kash Patel publicly criticised the department for a four-day delay in bringing federal investigators into the case.

A Hair Sample and Thousands of Videos

Guthrie was reported missing on 1 February after she failed to appear for a scheduled church livestream the following morning. Her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, had dropped her off at her residence in the Catalina Foothills at approximately 9.48 p.m. the night before.

Investigators found blood drops near the front door, a back door propped open, and Guthrie's personal belongings still inside the house. Her Nest doorbell camera disconnected at 1.47 a.m. on 1 February, and her pacemaker app lost its connection at 2.28 a.m.

FBI-released footage from the doorbell camera shows a masked individual carrying a holstered firearm and a black backpack tampering with the camera.

Nanos said investigators are now working through 'thousands and thousands' of surveillance videos from homes, businesses, and traffic cameras across Tucson. A hair sample recovered from the scene was initially sent to a private lab in Florida before being transferred to the FBI's laboratory for more advanced testing. If the DNA doesn't match anyone known to have been inside Guthrie's home, investigators could use forensic genetic genealogy to trace a suspect.

Unverified Reports Suggest a Breakthrough Is Near

Online investigator Jonathan Lee Riches, who posts as JLRINVESTIGATES on X, claimed that his sources say investigators are 'really close to solving' the case. That claim has not been confirmed by law enforcement.

The sheriff himself, however, offered a cautious but optimistic view last week. When asked by Fox News Digital on 8 May whether investigators were any closer to solving the case, Nanos replied simply, 'We are,' and described recent developments as 'really great' without elaborating.

108 Days and Still Waiting

The combined reward for information leading to Guthrie's recovery or an arrest now exceeds $1.2 million (£895,000), with the family offering $1 million (£746,000) and the FBI contributing $100,000 (£75,000).

Savannah Guthrie has continued to keep attention on the case. In a Mother's Day post on social media, she wrote, 'We will never stop looking for you. We will never be at peace until we find you.'

No suspect has been named. No arrest has been made. And 108 days in, the family of an 84-year-old mother taken from her own home is still waiting for answers.

Anyone with information can call 1-800-CALL-FBI or Tucson's anonymous tip line at (520) 882-7463.