Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mom was taken from her Tucson, Ariz., home in the early morning hours of Feb. 1
The sheriff at the forefront of the investigation into the abduction of Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, believes the captor had a clear target in mind.
“I think this was an individual who had a target for whatever reason, and he has made it tough, but I’ve got some pretty tough investigators too,” Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told NBC’s Liz Kreutz in a new interview which aired on the Today show on Wednesday, Feb. 18.
Nanos said he’s more focused on the DNA they recovered at Nancy’s house not matching any of her close acquaintances. While a glove found two miles from Nancy’s home was sent for DNA testing and came back with no matches in the national DNA database, Nanos noted his focus is centered on the DNA in Nancy’s home, saying, “We believe we may have some DNA there that may be our suspect, but we won’t know that until that DNA is separated, sorted out. To me, that’s more critical than any glove I found two miles away.”
On Feb. 10, authorities released surveillance photos and video footage of a masked man carrying a gun and wearing gloves on Nancy’s front porch in the early morning hours of Feb. 1, when authorities believe Nancy, 84, was abducted.
After the release of images and video of the suspect, the FBI Phoenix office described him as “a male, approximately 5’9” – 5’10” tall, with an average build. In the video, he is wearing a black, 25-liter ‘Ozark Trail Hiker Pack’ backpack” that may have been purchased at Walmart.
Nanos also acknowledged the speculation that the suspect in the video was wearing a ring underneath his glove.
“I look at the same photo you look at and I see it,” the sheriff said. “I see people have circled the [spot where the ring might be] and I say, ‘I’m going to give that to my team.’ They’ll look at that.”
Thanks to nation-wide attention due to the Today show co-host’s connection to the case, Nanos said authorities have been able to use resources and public tips to the best of their ability.
“I think a lot of that is [the] Today show, you know, you’re in everybody’s family,” Nanos told Kreutz. “So they look at this and look at Savannah and go, ‘This is us.’ ”
In an additional show of support during Wednesday’s broadcast, the Today show co-hosts including Hoda Kotb — who is filling in for Savannah — Craig Melvin, Carson Daly and Al Roker were seen wearing yellow ribbons.
“We got a suggestion from one of our viewers,” Kotb shared, after discussing the use of yellow ribbons and flowers in Tucson, Ariz. “We have yellow roses around Studio 1A, and we’re all wearing ribbons as we send our love to Savannah and her family.”
The FBI is offering a $100,000 reward for any information leading to Nancy’s recovery or an arrest in the case.
