Arizona Woman's Body Found Near Canal Identified by Police Amid Desperate Search for Nancy Guthrie More Than 1 Month After Her Abduction
Nancy Guthrie is the mother of 'Today' show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie.
March 9 2026, Published 2:55 p.m. ET
A woman that was found dead near a canal roughly 100 miles away from Nancy Guthrie's Arizona home has been identified, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
While the discovery of her body initially sparked rumors that she could be Savannah Guthrie's missing mom, authorities have confirmed it was not her.
Who Was the Dead Woman Found in Arizona?
The woman found near the canal was identified as Alex Fleming.
On Friday, March 6, police responded to a call about "unknown trouble" near a canal bank in Phoenix, Arizona. Upon arrival, they found a woman unresponsive. They were unable to resuscitate her and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The body has since been identified as 42-year-old Alex Fleming.
It is unclear what happened to her. However, it's been reported by KTAR News that her body showed "signs of trauma."
Her body was sent to The Office of the Medical Examiner in the area and homicide investigators have taken over the case.
How Long Has Nancy Guthrie Been Missing?
The Guthrie family has been searching for Nancy since February 1.
Nancy, 84, was last seen on January 31. That night, just before 10 p.m., she was dropped off at her Catalina Foothills home by her son-in-law Tommaso Cioni after having dinner with him and her daughter Annie.
She was reported missing to police on February 1 after she failed to show up to a get-together with a friend to watch a livestreamed church service and her family was unable to make contact with her.
Upon investigation, her phone, wallet and car keys were all found inside of her house. Blood was also discovered on the door, indicating a potential abduction. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos later confirmed that he believed she had been taken from her home by an unknown assailant some hours after Cioni dropped her off.
In the days that followed, footage from Nancy's Nest camera revealing a man in a ski mask and black gloves was released to the public, but a suspect has yet to be identified.
Latest Updates in the Search for Nancy Guthrie
A suspect caught on camera at Nancy Guthrie's home has not been identified.
Five weeks into the frantic search for the missing 84-year-old – who suffered from several serious medical issues and had difficulty walking – her whereabouts are still unknown.
On Monday, March 9, police were seen investigating a damaged utility box near Nancy's property, but it is unclear what they were looking for at the time.
The New York Post also reported that cadaver dogs that had previously been used in the case are not currently assisting in the search.
Nancy Grace Stunned Nancy Guthrie Has Not Been Found
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Nancy Grace asked how it was 'possible' Nancy Guthrie was 'still missing' after one month.
On the March 5 episode of her Crime Stories podcast, Nancy Grace wondered how it was "possible" that the elderly woman hadn't been found despite all the evidence left at the scene.
"I have never seen anything like it before," she said. "We've got the guy on video. We have his height. We have his weight. We have the date. We’ve got the time. We’ve got 50,000 tips. Nancy Guthrie is still missing. Why is she still missing?"
Authorities have urged anyone with information on the suspect to come forward. Savannah has additionally offered up to a $1million reward for anyone who provides details to investigators that lead to her recovery.
