New Twist in Nancy Guthrie Case as Source Claims Investigators ‘Didn’t Have A Lot of Experience in Homicide’

Investigators on the Nancy Guthrie disappearance case did not have much experience in homicide cases, which led to mistakes in the early stages, claims an insider in the law enforcement community.

A new report by NewsNation quoted an insider who said that Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos and his team, who are investigating the widely covered case, lacked experience. "From what I understand, that the people that were there on the scene were not tenured homicide detectives," the insider said.

"They didn't have a lot of experience in homicide at that point, to include the supervisor who, from my understanding, never investigated a homicide before being installed as the supervisor for the homicide unit," they added.

The source further alleged that he spoke to people with inside knowledge of the investigation, who said that, soon after the 84-year-old mother of NBC host Savannah Guthrie was reported missing two months ago, officials "rushed" to the judgment that she wandered off.

"So they rushed to that judgment, stayed with that judgment, and then ran this investigation as if it were a search and rescue issue, as opposed to a possible criminal issue," the insider told NewsNation's Brian Entin.

The insider also told the news outlet that authorities do not yet have a direct suspect in the case. "No name on the table," the source revealed.

Investigators now believe that Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her Tucson, Arizona home. She was last seen on January 31, 2026, when she returned home after a family dinner. Her family reported her missing the next day, on February 1, when she remained absent from a scheduled church service that day.

Till now, authorities have detected signs of forced entry into Guthrie's house, multiple ransom notes, and blood on the front porch. The FBI also released surveillance footage showcasing a masked individual seemingly trying to tamper with the camera. Police believe the person was armed.

Since her disappearance, Guthrie's children - Savannah, Annie, and Camron have posted multiple videos on social media platforms appealing to their mother's abductor to return her safely. The family is offering a $1 million reward for any information that could help find her. The FBI is also offering a $100,000 reward.

Meanwhile, Savannah Guthrie is scheduled to return to co-host the Today show on April 6. The 54-year-old television presenter has been away from the NBC show since February, when her 84-year-old mother was first reported missing.

Savannah spoke about the "hard" decision recently, when she sat for her first interview since her mother's disappearance with longtime colleague and friend Hoda Kotb. Savannah shared that while it is "hard to imagine" returning to work at a place that is "such a place of joy and lightness," she also felt like it is her "purpose."

She also spoke about the regret and guilt she felt thinking that her mother, Nancy, was abducted because of her fame. "To think that I brought this to her bedside, that it's because of me. I'd just say, 'I'm so sorry, Mommy. I'm so sorry," she said, blaming herself for the tragedy.