By admin 
TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Seven months have passed since 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her Catalina Foothills home, and no suspect has been named in the case.
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Guthrie, the mother of Today Show host Savannah Guthrie, was last seen at her home and was reported missing after she did not show up to watch a church service with friends on Sunday, Feb. 1.
Doorbell camera video released since her disappearance shows a masked suspect in front of her home that same day. Last month, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI released two notes that could have come from Guthrie’s abductor. Tips have seen a slight increase since the notes were released, but investigators have not named any suspects as of Tuesday.
Has the case gone cold?
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said there is nothing new to share on the progress of the investigation. Retired FBI agent Scott Augenbaum said that does not mean the case has gone cold.
“This is by no means a cold case. A cold case is something that has been closed, it’s been put away…So in my opinion, this case is not closed at all. It’s still being held very tightly guarded by law enforcement, which I would expect at this point in time,” Augenbaum said.
Sheriff Chris Nanos has reiterated the case is active and ongoing. Augenbaum said investigations can range from cases with no leads to cases where law enforcement has an idea who is responsible but must build a case against that person.
“There were cases where we didn’t really have any leads or anything like that and we just played that close. There was situations where we kind of had a really amazing idea. We knew who did it, but we had to build the case against that person. So it could be anywhere between those two things and somewhere in the middle,” Augenbaum said.
Why hasn’t PCSD held a news conference?
Sheriff Nanos and the FBI have not addressed the public from a podium in months. The sheriff’s department said it will not hold a news conference until there is something major to share. Augenbaum said that is not unusual.
“When I was with the FBI, you know, we didn’t tell anyone until we had a bad guy in handcuffs. We weren’t giving regular updates, and that drives a lot of people crazy,” Augenbaum said.
In its latest statement, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said:
“The Pima County Sheriff’s Department remains fully committed to the investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance. This is an active and ongoing investigation, and we continue to work closely with our partners at the FBI. DNA and video analyses remain ongoing, supported by laboratories nationwide. Advances in technology are aiding investigative efforts, and tips continue to be received and reviewed.
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We appreciate those who have come forward and urge anyone with credible, actionable information to contact investigators. Even small details may be significant. Please contact 88-CRIME or the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI. At this time, we do not have any additional information to provide.”
Why is DNA analysis taking so long? How is technology playing a role?
Augenbaum, who said he is not a DNA expert, said based on cases he has worked, lab analysis like this is complicated and slow.
KOLD’s sister station in Phoenix, KPHO, recently reported that Flock camera CEO Garrett Langley said his technology could have solved this case. Augenbaum said there is no simple answer to whether that technology would have made a difference, and that it highlights a decades-long debate.
“That’s a balance that people have right now between feeling secure and civil. We went through this when the Patriot Act was enacted after 9-11. People don’t want to trade their, they don’t want to trade their liberties for security,” Augenbaum said.
How to submit a tip
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and FBI said they still need the public’s help to solve the case. There is a combined $1.2 million reward for information that could lead to solving the case.
Anyone with information on Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance is encouraged to contact Pima County Sheriff’s detectives at 520-351-4900 or the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
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