TUCSON, AZ — A volunteer search team in Mexico has begun a new effort near the U.S.-Mexico border for the remains of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie, after an anonymous tip pointed to a possible burial site.
Authorities say the claim has not been verified. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said the investigation remains active and that it will keep following up on any credible information.
Mexican officials, meanwhile, have said there is no evidence supporting a search in Nogales or anywhere else in Sonora tied to Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance.
Mexican officials say the tip lacks evidence
The volunteer group Buscando Corazones Nogales said it coordinated the search with local authorities, according to local media. But state officials in Sonora pushed back, saying they found no objective evidence that Nancy Guthrie entered, stayed in, or traveled through the state.
In a separate statement, the attorney general of Sonora said verification efforts turned up no information, even preliminary clues, that would support a new investigative lead in the region.
That leaves the tip in a familiar position for investigators: serious enough to check, but not backed by public evidence that would confirm a route, a location, or a possible resting place.
Pima County says the case is still open and active
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department addressed the reports in a social media post and said it was not contacted by Mexican authorities. Even so, the agency said the case remains open and ongoing.
Sheriff’s officials said they will continue reviewing any credible information that comes in. Their comments come as the search for Nancy Guthrie’s whereabouts continues to draw attention well beyond Arizona because of the prominent role her daughter plays on national television.
Authorities have not said that the anonymous tip has changed the central facts of the case. They continue to treat the disappearance as unresolved.
Nancy Guthrie was taken from her Tucson home in February
Authorities say Nancy Guthrie, who is 84, was abducted from her Tucson home in the early morning hours of Feb. 1. Surveillance images from outside her house have been released, but no one has been publicly identified as the person who took her.
The investigation has remained active since then, with officials still working to determine what happened in the first hours after she disappeared. The search effort near the border adds another layer to a case that has already stretched across months.
Her daughter, Savannah Guthrie, has spoken publicly about the trauma of the disappearance. The case has also drawn attention because of the unanswered questions surrounding where Nancy Guthrie may have been taken.
FBI criticism has added pressure on the investigation
In a recent interview, FBI Director Kash Patel said federal investigators were kept out of the case during the first four days after Nancy Guthrie vanished. He said those early hours are often the most important in a disappearance investigation.
Patel also criticized Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos for sending DNA samples to a private lab in Florida instead of the FBI lab in Quantico, Virginia. He said the federal lab was ready to receive the material quickly.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Office responded that it was aware of Patel’s remarks but said there was no delay in coordinating with the FBI. The dispute has added public scrutiny to an already high-profile case.
Arrest outside the home brought more attention to the case
In another update, the sheriff’s department said 54-year-old Alexander Zabel Jr. was arrested outside Nancy Guthrie’s home after several complaints about his behavior. Officials said he was livestreaming from outside the residence when deputies moved to take him into custody.
During that arrest, a sergeant was knocked to the ground, according to authorities. The department did not say in the update whether the encounter was directly tied to the disappearance itself, but it came as public attention on the home remained intense.
The arrest was one of several recent developments keeping the case in the public eye while investigators continue to sort through leads, tips, and outside claims.
How the public can help investigators
Officials are asking anyone with information to come forward through emergency or law-enforcement channels. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said people can call 911 or reach the department directly at 520-351-4900.
The FBI is also asking for tips at 1-800-CALL-FBI. Authorities have emphasized that even if a lead has not yet been confirmed, credible information can still help investigators test claims and rule out false possibilities.
For now, the search near Nogales remains only one part of a larger effort to resolve what happened to Nancy Guthrie and determine whether any new lead can be verified.
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