More than 100 days after 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her Tucson, Arizona home, a new development in the case has raised fresh questions - and fresh concern from the family's supporters.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos confirmed in a recent People interview that he is no longer communicating directly with Savannah Guthrie or any member of Nancy's family. The FBI, he says, has taken over all family communication as the investigation moves forward.
"The public is frustrated. Even the Guthrie family," Nanos acknowledged. "Every passing second must feel like 100 days because they don't know. What matters is moving forward carefully so we don't make mistakes or falsely accuse somebody or make a bad arrest."
Former FBI special agent Jennifer Coffindaffer, speaking Sunday on NewsNation, raised the question many are now asking: "I wonder who cut off the communication - was it the family or was it him?" She added that the shift suggests the family may have more confidence in working directly with federal investigators than with the county sheriff's office, which has operated under a cloud of criticism throughout the case.
Nanos has faced significant public scrutiny - including a vote by the Pima County Board of Supervisors on whether to remove him from office, which was ultimately rejected. FBI Director Kash Patel also publicly criticized the department earlier in the case, alleging the FBI was not given adequate cooperation in the early days of the investigation.
Despite the tension, Nanos remains firm on one point: "I believe, at some point in time, we will make an arrest on this case." On DNA evidence still being processed, he said: "When the labs tell us there's nothing else we can do, then maybe we've got a cold case - but right now, the labs aren't telling us that."
Investigators are also cataloguing thousands of hours of surveillance footage from intersections and Ring cameras surrounding the scene, working to build a vehicle and movement profile that can be matched once a suspect is identified.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen the evening of January 31 near her home in the Catalina Foothills. A masked male suspect - described as approximately 5'9" to 5'10" with an average build - was captured on her doorbell camera the morning she went missing. Gloves found two miles from her home appeared to match those worn by the suspect but did not match any DNA profile in the FBI's national database.
A combined reward of more than $1 million remains available for information leading to Nancy's recovery.
Savannah Guthrie, a practicing Christian who has spoken openly about leaning on her faith through this ordeal, posted an emotional Mother's Day plea just over a week ago: "We will never stop looking for you. We will never be at peace until we find you."
For everyone still praying - please keep praying. If you have any information, contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Pima County Sheriff's tip line at 520-351-4900.
Related Article: Khloé Kardashian Says She Can't Stop Following the Nancy Guthrie Case: "Is That Not Heartbreaking?"
