The FBI has initiated contact with Mexican authorities as part of their ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie. Nancy Guthrie has been missing since February 1, 2024, prompting the involvement of the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, which is leading the search efforts.
Reports indicate that ransom notes sent to TMZ claimed the 84-year-old is being held “south of the border.” One note stated, “I know what I saw 5 days ago south of the border and I was told to shut up so I know who he is and that was definitely Nancy with them.” This message raised concerns about the involvement of multiple individuals in her alleged abduction.
While the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Office have not officially stated that they are searching for Guthrie in Mexico, a person of interest, identified as Carlos Palazuelos, was detained in the border town of Rio Rico on February 10 but was subsequently released. Palazuelos claimed he was working as a delivery driver in Tucson at the time of his detention and stated he was “innocent,” asserting that law enforcement had held him against his will.
In a setback for the investigation, the sheriff’s department announced that DNA evidence collected from a glove found approximately two miles from Guthrie’s home did not match any profiles in the FBI’s database. “DNA evidence from gloves found approximately 2 miles from Nancy Guthrie’s residence was submitted to CODIS & produced no matches. There is additional DNA evidence that was found at the residence that is also being analyzed,” the sheriff’s office noted.
In a bid to locate Guthrie, investigators have turned to advanced technology, using a high-tech Bluetooth signal detector to search for a signal from her pacemaker. Helicopters have been deployed to scour the surrounding areas, attempting to reconnect with the pacemaker, which lost its connection to her phone at 02:28 on the night of her disappearance. Jody Weis, a retired FBI agent and former Chicago police superintendent, commented, “It’s not a magic bullet, but it’s one more thing to try and find this poor woman.”
Further developments include the release of surveillance footage showing an armed, masked suspect at Guthrie’s front door on the night she was abducted. The FBI has described the suspect as a male, approximately 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-10, with an average build.
In response to the ongoing search, the FBI Phoenix has increased its reward for information leading to Guthrie’s location or the arrest and conviction of those involved in her disappearance from $50,000 to $100,000.
As the investigation continues, authorities remain hopeful that new leads will emerge, and the search for Nancy Guthrie will yield positive results.
