Nearly six months after 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Tucson home, the Pima County sheriff leading the investigation has acknowledged that the examination of DNA and digital evidence remains a slow and highly complex process.

In a statement released Thursday, Sheriff Chris Nanos said a joint task force of Pima County detectives and FBI agents continues to work the case and remains committed to finding answers for the family. “The analysis of DNA and digital evidence has been underway for the past six months,” he said. “This work is complex and time-intensive, but investigators continue to pursue every credible lead.”

Nanos emphasized that the investigation is still active. He echoed a recent public appeal by Nancy’s daughter, Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie, noting that “it is never too late to do the right thing” and urging anyone with information to come forward.

Progress Described as Slow but Ongoing
The sheriff has faced criticism over the pace of the investigation. In recent interviews he has insisted he remains “still positive” the case will be resolved. “We have so much DNA to sort through,” he told NBC. “We have so much in terms of video evidence to look at.”

Nanos declined to set a timeline for when the laboratory work might produce usable results. He pointed to the rapid evolution of forensic science and said investigators are deliberately careful because they do not want to arrest the wrong person. “We have those parameters that say here’s the guidelines, and we have to trust our labs to know those guidelines and not to push them, to allow them to do their job,” he said.

No arrests have been made. Nanos has said he believes potential suspects could still be in the Tucson area and that every lead continues to be followed until it can go no further.

Case Background
Nancy Guthrie was last seen on the evening of January 31, 2026, after a family member dropped her off at her home in the Catalina Foothills. She was reported missing the next morning. Authorities believe she was abducted in the early hours of February 1. A masked figure was captured on her Nest doorbell camera, blood was found on the front porch, and her pacemaker monitoring system disconnected around the same time.

Multiple ransom notes circulated in the weeks that followed. Some were later determined to be false; others were taken more seriously by investigators and the family. Advanced DNA testing on material recovered from the home has been under way for months, with several laboratories across the country contributing resources.

A substantial reward remains available for information that leads to Nancy’s recovery or the identification of those responsible. The investigation continues with both local and federal personnel assigned to the case as the six-month anniversary of her disappearance approaches.

Main Sources: New York Post and statements from Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos.