TUCSON, ARIZONA — More than six months after 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson-area home, growing scrutiny is now focused not only on the search for the missing grandmother, but also on how the investigation was handled during its earliest and most critical hours.

Nancy, the mother of Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her home in the early hours of February 1, 2026. Investigators have determined that she was likely taken against her will, but no suspect has been publicly identified and Nancy has still not been found.

A recent investigative report has raised questions about several decisions made during the initial response, including how the home was secured, how physical evidence was handled and how quickly specialized resources were deployed.

Blood Found at the Home Became a Major Point of Concern
One of the most troubling allegations involves blood discovered near Nancy’s home.

According to reporting cited by TMZ and other outlets, deputies initially treated the blood as potentially unrelated to Nancy’s disappearance. Later forensic testing reportedly determined that the blood belonged to Nancy.

The handling of the scene has consequently become a major focus of criticism.

Reports indicate that the property was not immediately maintained as a tightly controlled crime scene, allowing members of the media and other people to enter the area during the early stages of the investigation.

That has raised concerns about whether potential evidence could have been disturbed or contaminated before investigators fully understood what had happened.

The issue is particularly significant because the first hours after a suspected abduction can be critical for preserving forensic evidence and establishing a timeline.

Questions About the Initial Investigative Team
The investigation has also faced criticism over the experience level of some personnel assigned to the case.

A later report alleged that Sgt. David Stivers was placed in charge of the homicide investigation despite previous concerns about his judgment in another matter.

The report further questioned whether the department had assigned enough experienced homicide investigators to what quickly became one of the most serious missing-person cases in Arizona.

Another law-enforcement source, Sgt. Aaron Cross, president of the Pima County Deputies Organization, separately criticized the experience level of personnel involved in the investigation.

Cross said the case suffered from problems from the beginning and questioned decisions involving the crime scene, interviews and investigative leadership.

Those claims have intensified the debate surrounding the case.

A Search Aircraft Was Also Reportedly Delayed
Another issue raised in the reporting concerns aerial resources.

A surveillance-equipped aircraft was reportedly available but was not immediately deployed because of questions involving personnel and training.

Critics argue that delays during the first hours could have been particularly consequential if Nancy was transported away from the property shortly after she disappeared.

Authorities, however, have disputed the broader characterization that the investigation was mishandled.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has repeatedly said investigators have continued working the case and that significant investigative resources remain involved.

As the six-month mark approached, Nanos said investigators were still making progress and that authorities were not giving up on finding Nancy.

The Case Is Being Treated as an Abduction
Investigators have previously said evidence at Nancy’s residence indicated that she did not leave voluntarily.

Authorities have described the case as an abduction and have investigated the possibility that it was connected to a ransom demand.

Two messages received after Nancy disappeared later became particularly important.

The first reportedly demanded millions of dollars in Bitcoin and claimed Nancy was being held.

A second message arrived several days later and claimed that Nancy had died unintentionally and that her body had been buried somewhere in nature.

Authorities eventually released the full text of the two messages in an effort to generate new leads.

Sheriff Nanos said the unusual wording and other characteristics of the messages could potentially help investigators identify the person who wrote them.

No Suspect Has Been Publicly Identified
Despite months of investigation, authorities have not announced an arrest.

Investigators have reviewed surveillance footage and other digital evidence in an attempt to identify the person who entered Nancy’s property.

Doorbell-camera footage has also played an important role. Authorities previously released images showing a masked individual near the residence.

The FBI has been assisting with the investigation, including forensic and technological resources.

But the case has yet to produce a publicly identified suspect.

New Evidence Has Continued to Surface
The investigation has not been completely without new developments.

In June, TMZ reported receiving a message from an individual claiming that a hidden cellphone contained video connected to Nancy’s disappearance.

The person reportedly demanded Bitcoin in exchange for information needed to access the alleged device.

TMZ said it refused the demand and forwarded the communication to the FBI.

The claims have not been independently verified, and authorities have not publicly confirmed that the alleged cellphone or video exists.

That uncertainty illustrates one of the biggest challenges facing investigators: separating potentially valuable information from false claims and attempts to exploit a highly publicized case.

Human Remains Found Near Tucson — But Authorities Say They Are Unrelated
The investigation received another unexpected development in August when human remains were discovered in a desert area approximately 15 miles from Nancy’s home.

However, authorities said there was currently no indication that the remains were connected to Nancy’s disappearance.

Investigators said the remains appeared to have been at the location for an extended period.

The discovery therefore has not provided a confirmed breakthrough in the Nancy Guthrie case.

Savannah Guthrie Continues to Seek Answers
Nancy’s daughter, Savannah Guthrie, has remained publicly involved in efforts to find her mother.

The family has repeatedly appealed to the public for information and has offered a substantial reward for information that helps bring Nancy home or leads to an arrest.

For the family, the passage of time has only increased the urgency.

More than six months have now passed since Nancy vanished, yet investigators still have not publicly established exactly what happened to her after she was taken from her home.

What Happens Next?
The scrutiny over the early stages of the investigation is unlikely to disappear.

Critics want answers about whether evidence was properly protected, whether experienced investigators were assigned quickly enough and whether potentially valuable resources were deployed without unnecessary delays.

At the same time, Sheriff Nanos has maintained that the investigation remains active and that authorities continue to follow leads.

The FBI and other agencies remain involved, while forensic analysis and digital evidence reviews continue.

As of August 23, 2026, Nancy Guthrie remains missing, no suspect has been publicly arrested or charged, and authorities have not confirmed the location of her remains. Human remains recently discovered in the Tucson area have also been ruled unrelated to the case so far.

For investigators, the central questions remain unanswered:

Who took Nancy Guthrie? Where is she now? And could mistakes made during the earliest hours have made an already difficult case even harder to solve?

The investigation remains ongoing.

Nancy Guthrie is still missing, and all allegations regarding investigative mistakes remain allegations unless established by official findings.

Sources
TMZ: Report on alleged early investigative missteps. TMZ — Nancy Guthrie Investigation Faced Costly Early Blunders