Search for Nancy Guthrie surges after Mexico tip

Teams are focusing on remote areas close to US-Mexico border after renewed hope

The search for Nancy Guthrie has taken a new turn after volunteers launched a fresh effort in Mexico following an anonymous tip connected to the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie's mother.

Search teams are focusing on remote areas near Nogales, Sonora, close to the US-Mexico border, after receiving information that prompted renewed hopes of finding answers in the months-long mystery. The latest development comes more than four months after the 84-year-old disappeared from her Arizona home.

Buscando Corazones Nogales, a volunteer organisation dedicated to locating missing people in Mexico, has been leading the effort. The group received an anonymous tip claiming that Nancy Guthrie's remains could be buried in the Mariposa area, prompting multiple searches of the region. Although no evidence linked to Guthrie has been found, volunteers have vowed to continue their work.

The search has expanded beyond its initial focus, with volunteers preparing to investigate two additional locations near the border. The areas are believed to be difficult terrain, but searchers remain committed to following up on every lead.

Nancy Guthrie disappeared sometime between the night of January 31, 2026, and the morning of February 1, 2026, from her home in Tucson, Arizona. Authorities have said signs of a struggle were discovered at the property, and investigators believe she was abducted. Despite months of investigation by the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department, no arrests have been made.

Sheriff Chris Nanos recently acknowledged reports of the anonymous tip and said investigators would continue pursuing any credible information. However, he noted that Mexican authorities had not formally contacted his department regarding the searches.

The renewed effort comes amid continued speculation about whether Guthrie may have been taken across the border. Retired law enforcement officials have suggested that the nearby Tohono O'odham Nation Reservation, which stretches along 72 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, could have served as a route into Mexico, though authorities have not publicly confirmed any such theory.

As volunteers continue combing the rugged terrain, Nancy Guthrie's family remains hopeful that answers will eventually emerge. More than four months after her disappearance, the case remains active, with investigators and search teams determined to pursue every possible lead.

A multi?agency investigation led by the Pima County Sheriff's Department, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and search-and-rescue teams, has included extensive forensic analysis, neighborhood canvassing, and review of surveillance footage. Bloodstains found at the scene were confirmed to be Nancy's. Multiple ransom notes of undetermined origin demanded payment in cryptocurrency, with two deadlines that had passed by February 9. On February 10, the FBI released still images along with a short video from a video?doorbell camera, showing an "armed individual" wearing a mask and carrying a backpack tampering with said doorbell camera on Nancy's property prior to her disappearance.

Family appeals on social media have not yet yielded any "proof of life" sought from the person or persons who abducted Nancy Guthrie. On February 24, the family offered $1 million for information that assists in her recovery. Her condition and whereabouts remain unknown. The case has drawn international attention, with Savannah Guthrie suspending her broadcasting duties, including coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics, to participate in the ongoing search.