To everyone searching for good news today - Nancy Guthrie has not yet been found. But please keep reading, because this week brought real developments, and the people fighting for her have not given up.
Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, was kidnapped from her home in the Catalina Foothills near Tucson, Arizona on February 1, 2026. Evidence recovered at her residence indicated she had been taken against her will. As of today, April 18, she has been missing for 77 days.
The Post That Broke Hearts Across America
Late Thursday night, April 17, something happened that briefly stopped millions of people scrolling through their phones.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department posted an update that read: "Update: Nancy has been located." The wording quickly caused widespread confusion because Savannah Guthrie's mother remained missing, and the post arrived while the case was still drawing constant public attention. The post was in fact referring to Nancy Radakovich, an 82-year-old missing woman who was found safe near River Road and Campbell Avenue - less than two miles from Guthrie's home. While that recovery is genuinely good news for the Radakovich family, the Sheriff's department's failure to include the last name sent shockwaves across social media. Thousands of people who had been praying and waiting for weeks felt their hearts drop in a single moment.
One person wrote: "I LITERALLY THOUGHT THIS WAS NANCY GUTHRIE. THE WAY MY HEART JUST DROPPED!" The public reaction was swift, emotional, and understandable. For a community that has been watching and praying for 77 days, that post - however unintentional - hit hard.
The DNA Development That Could Change Everything
Beyond the confusion, this week also brought a genuinely meaningful update in the investigation.
The FBI addressed the ongoing investigation, stating: "There is no new DNA evidence in the Nancy Guthrie case. The FBI requested this material over two months ago. The Pima County Sheriff's Office sent it to a private lab in Florida. Eleven weeks later, that lab has now transferred an original hair sample to the FBI Laboratory for testing. We remain fully committed to this investigation." That last sentence matters. The FBI's own laboratory - with its most advanced technology - now has the hair sample. And experts say that could be significant. Genetic genealogist CeCe Moore said: "I've been really hoping that maybe they did have some hair to work with because of the more recent advancements in the field - hair absolutely can make the case solvable."
The Sheriff Responds to Rumor of New Suspect
Reports also circulated this week that a new person of interest had been detained south of Tucson - the same area where a previous detainee was released without charges back in February. Sheriff Chris Nanos shut it down immediately. When asked directly by Fox News Digital reporter Michael Ruiz, the Sheriff's one-word response was simply: "Nope."
No suspect has been named in the case, despite Savannah Guthrie offering a $1 million reward for the safe recovery of her mother. The FBI is also offering up to $100,000 for actionable information.
Why There Is Still Hope
Nancy was last seen on the evening of January 31, when family dropped her off at her Tucson home following a dinner and a game night. She missed church the next morning. That simple, human detail - a grandmother who never missed church - is what started the search that the whole world joined.
Savannah Guthrie returned to the Today show on April 6, telling viewers quietly: "It is good to be home." She has continued asking the public not to stop looking, not to stop talking, and not to stop praying.
No one is forgotten and that every life carries infinite worth - that message lands deeply. An 84-year-old woman who loved her church, her family, and her community deserves every prayer, every tip, and every ounce of continued attention this story receives.
If you have any information, contact FBI Phoenix tip line or call 88-CRIME. No detail is too small.
Sources: Pima County Sheriff's Department | FBI Phoenix | Yahoo News | The Wrap | Reality Tea | Men's Journal
