A new anonymous tip suggesting Nancy Guthrie's remains may be buried near the Mexico-Arizona border has pushed investigators to take a fresh look at one of the most complex missing person cases of the year.
Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of TODAY Show host Savannah Guthrie, vanished from her Tucson home overnight between January 31 and February 1, 2026.
Experts say a no-body case is still legally viable but only if investigators can build a strong enough chain of evidence.
Criminal defense attorney Michael T van der Veen told Newsweek: “Prosecutors can prove it circumstantially because judges give a jury instruction… that circumstantial evidence is just as strong or stronger than direct evidence.
Former police officer and criminal investigation professor Daniel K Maxwell said: “Assessing the credibility of a tip includes specificity, plausibility, and consistency with the facts of the case.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department issued a community alert on Sunday, June 15, warning residents of a 911 outage affecting several counties across Arizona, including the county where Nancy Guthrie's home is located.
