Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos is sharing more details about when Savannah Guthrie’s family was cleared in the case of her missing mom, Nancy Guthrie.
Speaking to local Tucson’s KOLD 13 News on Monday, February 16, Nanos confirmed that Guthrie family members were ruled out as suspects “in the first few days” after Nancy’s disappearance, adding that they have been “100 percent cooperative” in the search.
“Not one single person in the family is a suspect,” he added. “So I am telling everyone, effective today, you guys [media] need to knock it off, quit. People are hurting. They are victims. I am saying they are clear. We have cleared them.”
Nanos confirmed earlier on Monday that Savannah, 54, and her family had been ruled out as possible culprits in the seeming kidnapping of Nancy, 84.
Savannah Guthrie’s Family ‘Cleared as Possible Suspects’ in Nancy Guthrie Case
“To be clear … the Guthrie family — to include all siblings and spouses — have been cleared as possible suspects in this case. The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case,” Nanos said in a statement shared via X on Monday. “To suggest otherwise is not only wrong, it is cruel. The Guthrie family are victims plain and simple.”
In a subsequent interview with NBC News, Nanos explained why he chose to make a public statement about the Guthrie family, saying that he felt it was his responsibility to defend them.
“Because sometimes we forget we’re human and we hurt, and kindness matters. It is every cop’s duty to stand up and be that voice for our victims. I’m not going to sit in silence when others are attacking the innocent. Isn’t that what the badge represents?” he said on Monday. “I’m not going to sit in silence when others are attacking the innocent. Isn’t that what the badge represents?”
Detectives in Nancy Guthrie’s Disappearance Are ‘Stuck’ on a Motive
Savannah and her siblings, Annie and Camron, have been searching for Nancy since February 1, when she was reported missing. She was last seen the night prior when a family member dropped her off after dinner at the home of Annie and her husband, Tommaso Cioni. (Nancy shared daughters Annie and Savannah and son Camron with late husband Charles Guthrie, who died in 1988 after suffering from a heart attack.)
According to Nanos, authorities are still investigating a possible motive for Nancy’s disappearance, saying he believes it was a kidnapping rather than a burglary gone wrong.
“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 told the Daily Mail on Monday, referring to the photos and video clips released by the FBI that showed a masked person standing outside of Nancy’s home and attempting to cover up her doorbell camera.
Sheriff Reacts to Theories Nancy Guthrie’s Family Could Be Involved in Case
“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?” Nanos continued. “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?”
TMZ reported on Monday that they received a fourth ransom note from a person claiming to know who kidnapped Nancy.
According to the outlet, the email stated, “I know what I saw 5 days ago south of the border and I was told to shut up so I know who he is and that was definitely Nancy with them.” The email also included the same Bitcoin account as the previous three ransom notes.
