Human remains found in the vicinity of Nancy Guthrie’s home don’t appear to be related to her disappearance, police said Monday.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department, in a statement seven months into the search for the 84-year-old mother of Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie, acknowledged that the remains bring investigators no closer to finding the person or people responsible for her kidnapping.
“PCSD Search & Rescue deputies are responding to reports of human remains found in a desert area near West Ajo Way and South La Cholla Boulevard. The remains appear to have been at the location for an extended period of time,” the department posted on social media. “At this time, there is no indication they are connected to the Nancy Guthrie investigation.”
The remains were found approximately 15 miles from Guthrie’s Tucson, Arizona-area home, where she was last seen on the night of January 31.
Authorities have not identified any suspects. Their statement on Monday comes a few weeks after the sheriff’s department released a ransom note from Guthrie’s alleged kidnapper, and a follow-up note four days later claiming that Guthrie had died.
“These communications reveal distinctive patterns of word choice, syntax, and phraseology that reflect the writer’s unique linguistic style,” the department said in a press release. “They also provide valuable insight into the person’s mindset, motives, and the evolution of their tone over time.”
Physical evidence in the case has been limited. Last month, a DNA test of hair from Guthrie’s home did not point toward a suspect.
Perhaps the best piece of evidence is still the unidentified male captured on Guthrie’s doorbell camera the night of her disappearance. There is also footage of a masked person at her house from a prior day.
“We know there are individuals familiar with this unidentified male who may have observed changes in his behavior around the timeframe of the videos,” the sheriff’s department said when releasing the notes. Examples include vehicle cleaning or repairs, a change in mood or physical appearance, unexplained injuries, and “intense interest or disinterest in the investigation.”
