Investigators searching forNancy Guthriehave encountered several key challenges in the days since the 84-year-old mother of "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie went missing, suspected of being taken from her home.
There's thesecluded area of the crime sceneoutside of Tucson, Arizona. The intense media attention has put unusual scrutiny on the case and investigators. And Nancy Guthrie's medical needs make time of the essence.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanosmade those challenges clear in a news conference Tuesday when he was asked what was taking so long to get surveillance footage. He said the sheriff's office was working with companies and the lab to analyze the evidence but urged patience.
"That's what I tell them. 'How come I don't have this? Where's my evidence?'" he said.
"They know the urgency here," the sheriff added. "I'm like you. 'What do you mean I don't know that now?' Yeah, it's tough."
Investigators believe Nancy Guthrie was taken from her home against her will, but there are yet no suspects, the sheriff's office said.
Savannah Guthrie made an emotional appealto whoever may have Nancy Guthrie late Wednesday evening, pleading for her mother's safe return in a video posted to Instagram.
"We need to know without a doubt that she's alive and that you have her," Guthrie said, a response to purported ransom notes received by several news outlets. "We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen."
The victim lives in secluded area
One key challenge for investigators is geographic:Guthrie's home outside Tucsonis in a rural area without street lights and with few neighbors.
CNN's Ed Lavandera drove to the crime scene and noted how secluded it is.
"I was incredibly struck by just how you could not see," he said. "This is not a traditional neighborhood where you have a row of homes very close to each other close to a sidewalk. There are no sidewalks. The houses are very spread apart. It's very secluded. Off of the main road you have to wind your way through a number of roads to get to where Nancy Guthrie lives."
Thestillness of the unincorporated communityis what drew Nancy Guthrie and her family to the area decades ago.
"The quality of life is laid back and gentle," she said during a "Today" show segment in November.
Further, many homes in the area are set back from local roadways, so even if doorbell camera footage is available, they may not capture activity on local streets.
Other kidnapping and fugitive cases have been solved with the assistance of technology like cameras and license plate readers, but such technology is likely sparse in the Tucson area compared to larger metropolitan locations.
Local and federal authorities are canvassing nearby residences and businesses for any security camera footage that may assist in identifying a possible suspect, a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation told CNN.
There's a race against time
Nancy Guthrie was last seen Saturday when her family took her home from dinner around 9:30 or 9:45 p.m., Nanos told CNN.
When she did not show up to church Sunday morning, a church member called her relatives, who went to her home around 11 a.m. to look for her, the sheriff said at a news conference Monday. A family member called 911 around noon Sunday to report her missing.
That 12-plus hour window is notable, as every minute that passes between an abduction and when police are called increases the potential search area. Authorities try to assess how much ground a fleeing suspect could have covered after an incident, and more time means more distance.
The case is "not dementia-related," and Nancy Guthrie is of sound mind, Nanos said. But she also has limited mobility and "couldn't walk 50 yards,"the sheriff said, leading investigators to believe she was taken from the house.
The sheriff indicated Guthrie takes critical prescription medication, which could prove fatal if not taken within 24 hours.
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"She is 84 years old. Her health, her heart is fragile," Savannah Guthrie said of her mother in the video posted to Instagram Wednesday. "She lives in constant pain. And she is without any medicine. She needs it to survive. She needs it not to suffer."
Her pacemaker last sent a signal to her iPhone around 2 a.m. on Sunday, according to a source briefed on the investigation. Her iPhone was one of the items that was left behind in the house.
Nancy Guthrie's family remains hopeful that she will be returned safely. A source close to the family stressed to CNN that she needs her medications and is in grave jeopardy without them.
Authorities found blood inside Guthrie's home, theLos Angeles Times reportedTuesday, citing law enforcement sources not authorized to discuss the case publicly. The report did not detail whose blood was found or where in the house it was found.
There were signs of forced entry at the home, according to a person familiar with the investigation who spoke toThe Associated Press.
Scrutiny and media attention
The high-profile nature of the case and connection to a prominent media figure has brought unusual scrutiny to Pima County.
Earlier this week, Nanos told NBC News, "When you're taken from your bed and you don't want to go somewhere, that's an abduction." But the sheriff's department later clarified to NBC that his "taken from your bed" phrase was meant figuratively rather than literally.
The sheriff apologized at the start of his news conference Tuesday, acknowledging that his every word is now under heavy scrutiny.
"This is really, for me, pretty new, all the media attention," he said. "So I apologize to you for – sometimes I'm speaking in generalities, and I'm not used to everybody hanging on my words and then holding me accountable for what I say, but I understand."
The media also may have key evidence in the case. At least three different media outlets –TMZand CNN Tucson affiliatesKOLDandKGUN– report they received what appear to be ransom notes earlier this week demanding millions of dollars in bitcoin for Nancy Guthrie's safe return. Those outlets say the notes also described specific evidence in Guthrie's home.
Nanos has declined to confirm whether those claims match the crime scene.
"When the note comes to us, it's like any piece of evidence," Nanostold CBS News. "You give it to us. You give us a lead. We're going to look at every aspect of that lead and work it as a lead."
In the video shared on Instagram Wednesday, Savannah Guthrie said her family was aware of the reported ransom notes, telling her mother's potential captors that her family was "ready to talk." But she indicated they needed proof of her mother's safety, given how easily images and voices can be manipulated using today's technology.
"Please, reach out to us."
Media attention has its benefits, too. Nanos thanked the media for reporting on the case and said the attention had spurred "a lot of leads" from the public.
"We've got hundreds of leads, and it's from you that produced those leads by telling people we need help, and I'm grateful for that," he said to the media.
On the other hand, authorities have to dedicate more resources to combing through incoming tips to determine which may be credible.
Authorities have not indicated they know of any possible motive, but one key aspect in any case is looking at the basic victimology, including compiling a list of possible reasons someone might try to harm Nancy Guthrie. That process then helps authorities try to narrow down who may have had the intention and means of harming her. One part of this process would be assessing whether her daughter's public profile plays a role.
In the meantime, the sheriff's department reiterated Wednesday they have not identified a suspect or person of interest in the case.
"While we appreciate the public's concern, the sharing of unverified accusations or false information is irresponsible and does not assist the investigation," the departmentposted on X.
CNN's Andy Rose, Brian Stelter, Ed Lavandera, Sarah Boxer and Amanda Musa contributed to this report.
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