From TMZ publishing a ransom note they shouldn’t have published, to NewsMax reporting a person of interest had been declared, only for law enforcement to deny later that it’s true, the tragic and extremely high-profile case of Savannah Guthrie‘s missing mother, Nancy Guthrie, has had a head-spinning number of twists and turns.
Even Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos can’t give a straight answer when asked if law enforcement thinks the suspect took the missing camera from the front of Nancy’s home, or when investigators might see camera footage from other camera in the area saying at a recent press conference, “We’re doing our best with those companies who own those cameras or built those cameras to release those videos from the cameras.”
The question of a ‘person of interest’
In an active investigation such as this, it’s understandable that investigators will control the flow of information, only releasing verified facts when ready. Still, to perhaps clarify things, Jake Tapper talked to CNN legal analyst John Miller about law enforcement stating there are no suspects in the case, Miller could only give this word salad answer.
I think that they have people of interest — meaning people they’re interested in. I think they have suspects that they’re looking at because they’re people that might be suspects… but that’s very different from identifying a specific individual and saying, ‘We think this is the person.”
What Miller meant in that comment is an important distinction in criminal investigations: law enforcement may have people they’re looking at or want to speak with — often called “people of interest” — but that’s very different from having identified a specific suspect they believe committed the crime.
A person of interest can be anyone investigators want more information about or who may have knowledge relevant to the case; it does not necessarily mean law enforcement believes that person is guilty. A suspect, by contrast, is someone whom law enforcement has reason to believe may have committed the offense and is typically someone they could formally accuse or charge.
In the disappearance of Nancy, authorities have been clear that no suspect and no person of interest has been formally identified in the case. Multiple law enforcement updates from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, echoed by major news outlets, state that deputies are continuing to follow all leads and speak with anyone who may have had contact with Nancy, but as of now, have not named any individual as a person of interest or suspect.
The camera question
At the same time, investigators are actively reviewing surveillance and doorbell camera footage from Nancy’s home and the neighborhood to try to establish a timeline around her disappearance. Authorities confirmed her home had several cameras, but one doorbell security camera was missing from its base when law enforcement arrived; it’s not known when or why it was removed or whether it was deliberate.
Detectives are working with camera companies to obtain any available recordings and have also asked neighbors to check their systems for relevant footage. So far, no publicly released video has provided definitive clues.
The sheriff’s department has repeatedly warned against spreading unverified accusations or speculation, saying such rumors do not assist the investigation and may hinder it. Officials have described the case as an active criminal investigation and believe Nancy was taken from her home against her will. They have not publicly tied that to any specific person.
Published: Feb 5, 2026 06:36 pm