Pima County Sheriff Says 'Really Great' Progress Made in Nancy Guthrie Disappearance Case Nearly 100 Days After Vanishing
Authorities said they are getting closer to answers in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie.
May 9 2026, Published 11:20 a.m. ET
Authorities investigating the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie say they are getting closer to answers nearly 100 days after the 84-year-old vanished from her Arizona home, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The update from Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos comes as prominent criminal profilers shared disturbing new theories suggesting the suspect may have specifically targeted the mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie.
Sheriff Says Investigators Are Making 'Really Great' Progress
Nancy vanished from her Tucson-area home during the early morning hours of February 1.
Nanos spoke briefly with Fox News Digital about the case on May 8.
When asked whether authorities were any closer to solving the mystery nearly 100 days after Nancy vanished, the sheriff replied: "We are."
He also teased "really great" developments in the investigation before declining to elaborate further.
Nancy disappeared from her home in Tucson's Catalina Foothills during the early morning hours of February 1.
Surveillance footage later released by investigators appeared to show a masked individual outside the property around the time she vanished.
Experts Believe Suspect Likely Knew Who Nancy Was
Criminal profilers featured in a new NewsNation special believe the suspect likely knew who Nancy was before the alleged abduction.
As the investigation continues, criminal profilers examining the case believe the alleged abductor may have been familiar with Nancy long before she disappeared.
In a preview for NewsNation Presents: The Nancy Guthrie Mystery, famed profiler Dr. Ann Burgess said she does not believe Nancy personally knew the suspect.
"I wouldn't think that Nancy Guthrie knew this person," Burgess said in a clip obtained by Parade.
Behavior analyst Dr. Casey Jordan agreed, suggesting the suspect may have recognized Nancy through her connection to Savannah.
"It could have been somebody who saw her on the Today show with her daughter," Jordan said. "Maybe not even have met her."
Jordan also speculated the suspect could have been someone Nancy encountered over the years while living in the same home since the 1970s.
"Could have been an Uber driver that she didn't leave a big enough tip for, could have been any of hundreds of service workers," she added.
Profilers Float Theory Savannah Was the Intended Target
Dr. Ann Burgess said she does not believe Nancy personally knew the individual suspected of taking her.
During the television special, the experts also explored whether the alleged kidnapping may have been designed to emotionally devastate Savannah.
When NewsNation correspondent Brian Entin asked about motive, Burgess suggested investigators should focus on who has suffered the most from Nancy's disappearance.
"In this case, it doesn't have to be the mother," Burgess explained. "It could be somebody in the family. Somebody — Savannah."
Asked directly whether the suspect may have wanted Savannah to "suffer," Burgess replied: "Yes."
"And she's haunted by that," Jordan added of the NBC star.
Burgess agreed, saying Savannah's pain has been evident throughout the ordeal. "I mean, it's her mother," she said.
'Parasite Quality' Theory Raises Disturbing Questions
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Experts also floated the theory that the alleged abduction may have been intended to emotionally devastate Savannah Guthrie.
Clinical and forensic psychologist Dr. Gary Brucato also suggested the suspect may have been motivated by a desire for notoriety.
According to Brucato, criminals who target celebrities or those connected to them often become permanently tied to the public figure in history.
"You can't look up Abraham Lincoln without seeing John Wilkes Booth," he explained.
Brucato described the behavior as having a "parasite quality," suggesting the suspect may have wanted lasting attention through association with Savannah and the highly publicized case.
"And I wonder also about that," he said, "that if attention seeking and resentment of somebody's notoriety is not embedded somehow in the story."
