The family of Nancy Guthrie has been cleared as possible suspects in her abduction, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said on Monday, as the case involving the mother of “Today” show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie entered its third week.
Nanos said in statement posted to social media that Guthrie’s family, which includes “all siblings and spouses,” has been cooperative and gracious as authorities investigate the kidnapping.
“To suggest otherwise is not only wrong, it is cruel,” the statement said. “The Guthrie family are victims plain and simple.”
The statement came a day after Savannah Guthrie issued a new plea for her 84-year-old mother’s release, asking the suspected kidnapper to “do the right thing” in a video posted to Instagram.
“It’s been two weeks since our mom was taken and I just wanted to come on and say that we still have hope and we still believe,” Savannah said.
Savannah addressed the alleged abductor, saying, “I wanted to say to whoever has her, wherever she is, that it’s never too late and you’re not lost or alone. It is never too late to do the right thing.”
“We believe in essential goodness of every human being and it’s never too late,” Savannah added.
DNA recovered from glove found near Guthrie home
Savannah’s plea comes as a glove containing DNA found near her mother’s house appears to match those worn by a masked person outside Nancy’s front door in Tucson the night she vanished, the FBI said Sunday.
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The glove, discovered in a field beside a road, was sent for DNA testing. The FBI said in a statement that it received preliminary results Saturday and was awaiting official confirmation. The development comes as law enforcement gathers more potential evidence. Authorities had previously said they had not identified a suspect.
The FBI also has said approximately 16 gloves were found in various spots near the house, most of which were searchers’ gloves that had been discarded.
In a separate statement Monday, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said the suspect’s clothing “may have been purchased from Walmart but is not exclusively available at Walmart.”
“This remains a possibility only,” it said.
Nanos said in a text message to The Associated Press on Monday that the 25-liter “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack” backpack was the only clothing item that has been “definitively identified.”
“This backpack is exclusive to Walmart and we are working with Walmart management to develop further leads,” Nanos said.
Nancy was last seen at her Arizona home on Jan. 31 and was reported missing the following day. Authorities say her blood was found on the front porch. Purported ransom notes were sent to news outlets, but two deadlines for paying have passed.
The discovery was revealed days after investigators released surveillance videos of the masked person outside Nancy’s front door. A porch camera recorded video of a person with a backpack who was wearing a ski mask, long pants, a jacket and gloves.
On Thursday, the FBI called the person a suspect. It described him as a man about five feet nine inches tall with a medium build.
Late Friday night, law enforcement agents sealed off a road about 3.2 kilometres from Nancy’s home as part of their investigation. A series of sheriff’s and FBI vehicles, including forensics vehicles, passed through the roadblock.
The investigators also tagged and towed a Range Rover SUV from a nearby restaurant parking lot late Friday. The sheriff’s department later said the activity was part of the Guthrie investigation but no arrests were made.
Authorities have expressed concern about Nancy Guthrie’s health because she needs vital daily medicine. She is said to have a pacemaker and have dealt with high blood pressure and heart issues.
Detectives still determining a motive
In an interview with the Daily Mail published on Monday, Nanos said detectives are still determining the motive of the suspects in Nancy’s disappearance, which he said he believes was a kidnapping.
“This is somebody who’s disappeared from the face of the earth, and now we have a camera that says here’s the person who did this,” he said.
“And that’s what makes me say this is a kidnapping. The motivation for it is where we get stuck, right? Is it for money? I mean, we had the one demand where they asked for money. But is it really for money, or is it for revenge for something?”
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Nancy Guthrie disappearance: Black gloves found in home, FBI increases reward -
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Man detained in Nancy Guthrie disappearance speaks after his release: ‘They didn’t ask me no questions’ -
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FBI releases doorbell camera video in search for Nancy Guthrie -
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‘Hour of desperation’: Family desperate after second deadline in Nancy Guthrie ransom note expires
Nanos told the New York Times his team of investigators are still determined to find Nancy.
“Maybe it’s an hour from now. Maybe it’s weeks or months or years from now. But we won’t quit. We’re going to find Nancy. We’re going to find this guy,” he said.
Nanos told NBC affiliate KVOA of Tucson that investigators have fielded more than 30,000 calls for leads in the Guthrie case.
He said the calls have come into his department and the FBI and that he believes investigators are making progress.
The FBI is asking for the public’s help on digital billboards in several states, including Texas, California, Arizona and New Mexico, and had previously offered a US$50,000 reward for information.
They have now increased the reward up to $100,000 for information leading to the location of Nancy or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.
— with files from The Associated Press and Reuters
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