Sheriff Chris Nanos, overseeing the case of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, has announced a major update in the investigation. On February 16, three weeks after the vanishing, Nanos confirmed that all members of the Guthrie family have now been cleared of suspicion.
Releasing an official statement during a press conference, via Today, Nanos completely ruled out the entire Guthrie family, including siblings and their spouses, as possible suspects. He strongly defended the family and urged everyone around them to show compassion.
“To be clear…the Guthrie family – to include all siblings and spouses – has been cleared as possible suspects in this case. The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious, and they are victims in this case,” the statement read.
Nanos continued, “To suggest otherwise is not only wrong, but it is also cruel. The Guthrie family are victims plain and simple…please, I’m begging you, the media, to honor your profession and report with some sense of compassion and professionalism”.
Nancy Guthrie’s family members, including her adult children and their spouses, have been cleared as possible suspects in the 84-year-old’s disappearance, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said — adding in a statement that “to suggest otherwise is not only wrong, it is cruel.”… pic.twitter.com/mPluRhHz1e
— CNN (@CNN) February 16, 2026
This statement comes after law enforcement previously indicated that they were already moving away from focusing on family members. The investigation is now entering its third week, and authorities are willing to continue examining all possible leads.
Earlier in the investigation, authorities had assured that no suspects or scenarios would be ruled out, which led them to include Nancy’s children and their spouses in the list of suspects. Her children, including the Today Show co-host Savannah Guthrie, Camron Guthrie, and Annie Guthrie, alongside Annie’s husband, Tomasso Cioni, were all considered potential leads.
However, now, all of them have been cleared as suspects after officials confirmed that each of them cooperated fully with investigators, and even provided information whenever requested. Sheriff Nanos confirmed that his department is continuing to pursue the case with every lead that emerges.
Nancy Guthrie was first reported missing on February 1, 2026, after she failed to attend a scheduled church service. She was last seen the evening before when a relative dropped her off at Annie’s place after dinner.
During the second week of investigation, the FBI released doorbell camera footage which showed a man, standing between 5’9″ and 5’10”, walking towards the camera. He appeared to be wearing a ski mask and gloves, and was spotted carrying a backpack and a firearm.
We’ve stitched together all three Nancy Guthrie Nest videos for easy reference.
If you have information on the case, please dial 1-800-CALL-FBI pic.twitter.com/mVbMGJGuuc
— Fox True Crime (@FoxTrueCrime) February 17, 2026
Following this video, investigators confirmed that ransom demands had been received. Some messages demanded money in exchange for information, which included Bitcoin payments. As of now, authorities are trying to verify these claims and whether they’re linked to Nancy’s case.
While every small detail could help move the investigation forward, the search for Nancy Guthrie still continues.
