Nancy Guthrie Case Update: Pima County Sheriff Investigates Human Remains Found in Tucson Desert

Pima County Sheriff's deputies discovered human remains in the Arizona desert roughly fifteen miles from Nancy Guthrie's Tucson-area home, reigniting attention on a disappearance that has stretched beyond six months with no arrest. The Pima County Sheriff's Department confirmed the discovery on 17 August 2026 near West Ajo Way and South La Cholla Boulevard, dispatching Search and Rescue deputies to the scene.

Officials cautioned that the remains appeared to have remained at the location for an extended period, and stressed there is currently no evidence linking the find to Guthrie's case. Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC 'Today' anchor Savannah Guthrie, vanished from her home in Tucson's Catalina Foothills neighbourhood between the night of 31 January and the early hours of 1 February 2026.

Investigators have said from the outset that they believe she was targeted and abducted rather than having wandered off. The case remains an active FBI-assisted investigation seven months on.

What Police Have Said and What They Haven't

The Pima County Sheriff's Department said in a statement issued Monday afternoon that deputies were responding to 'reports of human remains found in a desert area near West Ajo Way and South La Cholla Boulevard'. The department added: 'The remains appear to have been at the location for an extended period of time.

At this time, there is no indication they are connected to the Nancy Guthrie investigation.' This is not the first time remains have surfaced near the case without turning out to be related to it.

On 7 February 2026, six days into the search for Guthrie, deputies responded to a separate discovery near Irvington and San Joaquin, with the department stating at the time there was 'nothing criminal' about that find. In May, the department confirmed a bone recovered near Guthrie's own property was human but attributed it to a 'prehistoric anthropological investigation' conducted with the University of Arizona's Anthropology Department and the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner, adding explicitly that 'this is not a criminal investigation.'

Seven Months on and the Investigation's Unanswered Questions

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has led the investigation since Guthrie's disappearance was first reported, coordinating with the FBI throughout. Early in the case, Nanos told NBC's 'Today' programme correspondent Liz Kreutz that authorities had no suspects but remained convinced Guthrie was still alive.

'We have nothing else to go on but the belief that she is here, she's present, she's alive, and we want to save her,' he said. Nanos also confirmed at the time that Guthrie was not suffering from dementia but required daily medication for an undisclosed medical condition.

'It is a race against time and I hope that window hasn't closed,' he added. The department later addressed reports of alleged ransom notes connected to the case, stating on social media that it was 'taking all tips and leads very seriously' and that any information received was being coordinated directly with FBI detectives.

Months into the investigation, Nanos struck a more measured but still hopeful tone. He told 'Today' that detectives had 'so much DNA to sort through' and 'so much, in terms of video evidence, to look at'.

He added that he remained 'positive that we're going to resolve this case.' No suspects, persons of interest, or vehicles have been publicly identified by the department to date.

A Family's Public Plea and Savannah Guthrie's £790,000 Reward

Savannah Guthrie and her siblings, Annie and Cameron, made an emotional public appeal on Instagram days after their mother's disappearance, asking anyone with information to come forward. Savannah Guthrie has since offered a £790,000 ($1 million) reward for information leading to her mother's safe return.

A £79,000 ($100,000) reward has also been offered separately by the FBI. Savannah Guthrie took two months away from her hosting duties on 'Today' following her mother's disappearance and later withdrew from NBC's coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics to focus on the search.

She has since returned to a limited hosting schedule and is currently filming an upcoming Wordle-themed NBC game show. The Pima County Sheriff's Department has said it will call a press conference if any significant developments occur, though none had been scheduled as of Monday's discovery.