The investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has taken several significant turns this week - including a major reclassification of the case and a chaotic scene outside her Tucson home.
On June 9, the Pima County Sheriff's Department officially upgraded the case from a missing persons investigation to a homicide investigation, more than four months after Nancy, 84, vanished from her Catalina Foothills home on February 1.
Days later, an anonymous tip led a volunteer search group in Mexico to investigate a possible grave site believed to be connected to Nancy's case.
Searchers found no evidence linking the location to her disappearance, though the sheriff's department confirmed it had not yet been contacted by Mexican authorities regarding the tip.
The same week brought renewed tension in Tucson, where law enforcement has repeatedly clashed with online content creators covering the case.
On June 11, deputies arrested 54-year-old Alexander Zabel Jr., who runs the YouTube channel CriminalNetwork, in front of Nancy's home after he was livestreaming and a sergeant was knocked to the ground during the arrest. It marked the second arrest for Zabel in the same week - two other streamers were also cited for public nuisance near the property days earlier.
Despite the flurry of activity, no suspect has been named and Nancy's whereabouts remain unknown. The Guthrie family's reward for credible information, now exceeding $1.2 million, remains active.
Throughout the ordeal, Nancy's deep Catholic faith - and the Guthrie family's reliance on prayer - has remained a constant thread. Savannah has repeatedly thanked supporters for their prayers on air, and for many following the case, that faith continues to be a source of hope even as answers remain elusive.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Related Article: Savannah Guthrie Opens Up on Live TV: "I'm Just Trying to Walk and Not Grow Faint"
