Authorities have confirmed that Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of TODAY show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has been found deceased, ending a two-week nationwide search in tragedy. The discovery has prompted investigators to reclassify the case from a missing persons inquiry to an active homicide investigation, sending shockwaves through the Tucson community and beyond.
Law enforcement officials say the body was located near the Rillito River area, where search teams had concentrated efforts in recent days. While the official cause of death has not yet been released, authorities indicated that evidence at the scene suggests foul play.
A key development involves a black glove recovered nearby that has produced a preliminary male DNA profile. Investigators believe the DNA may correspond to clothing worn by a masked individual captured on the victim’s doorbell camera around the time of her disappearance. The footage reportedly shows the person approaching the residence under suspicious circumstances.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is assisting local authorities, and the DNA profile is expected to be entered into the national CODIS database in hopes of identifying a suspect or linking the evidence to other crimes. Detectives are also re-interviewing witnesses, reviewing surveillance footage from surrounding neighborhoods, and tracing possible vehicle movements in the area.
Officials are urging anyone with information—no matter how minor it may seem—to come forward as the investigation intensifies. Community leaders and media figures have expressed condolences to the Guthrie family while calling for patience as authorities work to bring those responsible to justice.
