Police Called Out Media for Ordering Pizza on Nancy Guthrie's Crime Scene: 'This Interferes With An Active Investigation'

A tense search for missing 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie in Tucson, Arizona took an unexpected turn when a pizza delivery driver walked straight to her front door, a location that has been cordoned off as an active crime scene.

The incident, captured on video and widely shared online, prompted the Pima County Sheriff's Department to publicly rebuke members of the media stationed outside Guthrie's home. Authorities stressed that ordering food to the address was not only inappropriate but also 'interferes with an active investigation.'

Pizza Delivery to Nancy Guthrie's Residence

Footage posted by ABC15 journalist Ford Hatchett showed a Domino's driver approaching Guthrie's front door before realising the delivery was misplaced. Hatchett wrote: 'Never seen something quite like this. A Domino's delivery driver just walked all the way up to Nancy Guthrie's front door trying to deliver a pizza. Walking out now. Believe it was intended for someone in the media along the street.'

He later clarified that the delivery was ordered for an independent journalist livestreaming from the scene, @JLRINVESTIGATES, by one of his viewers.

Sheriff's Department Issues Warning

The Pima County Sheriff's Department has called out the media and urged reporters at Guthrie's home to refrain from having food delivered to the address. They posted on X: 'We can't believe we have to say this, but media on the scene: please do not order food delivery to a crime scene address. This interferes with an active investigation.' The department also reminded reporters to respect private property laws.

Journalists Push Back

Some journalists criticised law enforcement for failing to secure the property. NewsNation correspondent Brian Entin reported: 'A pizza delivery person showed up and was able to walk the pizza all the way to the front door, even with the deputies sitting out here. I don't know why the deputies apparently didn't notice that person because they're trying to keep people from going into the property.' He added that people were shocked that a delivery driver can just walk into a crime scene.

Another journalist from NewsNation, Katie Pavlich reposted the Sheriff's statement, calling it 'clownish' and 'a disgrace.' She argued that the department had removed the crime scene tape from the property, allowing contamination, before reinstating barriers.

Nancy Guthrie's Abduction Case Update

Tuesday, 10 February marked the tenth day of the search since Guthrie was reported missing. She was last seen on 31 January, after dinner at her daughter Annie's home, before being dropped off at her residence in the Catalina Foothills.

On Sunday, 1 February, Guthrie failed to attend her usual Sunday service, prompting her family to alert authorities. Investigators later recovered Nest camera footage showing an armed individual tampering with Guthrie's front-door camera.

The FBI has released photos and videos of a suspected abductor and confirmed that an individual has been detained south of Tucson for questioning.

Authorities are also investigating activity in a Bitcoin wallet linked to an earlier ransom note. The FBI has offered a reward of up to $50,000 (approximately £36,600) for any information that may lead to Guthrie's recovery.

Anyone with information is urged to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324), 520-351-4900, 88-CRIME (882-7463) or submit tips via tips.fbi.gov.