Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos Relies on Digital Forensics to Track Missing Nancy Guthrie in Catalina Foothills Arizona

The investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today Show anchor Savannah Guthrie, continues as Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos leans on technology and digital evidence to trace her suspected kidnappers.

Nanos revealed in an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail that experts at Google are working around the clock to extract information from cloud-based cameras at Nancy’s Arizona home.

Although the cameras were initially thought to be mostly offline due to inactive subscriptions, investigators recently retrieved startling footage of a masked intruder.

“Google said at first we don’t have anything, but we’re going to do our best to try to what they call ‘scratch,’” Nanos explained.

He compared the process to peeling layers of paint carefully to avoid destroying the underlying data.

Breakthrough Footage Offers Crucial Clues

The recovered footage, which shows a masked individual on Nancy Guthrie’s property, has become the focal point of the investigation.

Nanos hopes the footage might even capture a vehicle used in the crime.

It’s hard… I just hope they can scrape a camera shot down that driveway to identify a vehicle.

Because, my goodness, you can’t put a mask on a vehicle, right?” he said.

This discovery comes two weeks after officers were first alerted that Nancy had disappeared from her North Camino Escalante home in the Catalina Foothills, an incident Nanos maintains is a clear case of kidnapping rather than a burglary gone wrong.

A Massive Multi-Agency Investigation

The search involves over 400 personnel, including members of the FBI and other Arizona law enforcement agencies.

To date, investigators have sifted through 40,000 to 50,000 tips, sometimes receiving up to 5,000 an hour, requiring constant categorization and analysis.

Nanos emphasized that despite online speculation, nobody has been cleared or officially accused, including family members and household staff.

He also addressed online criticism of his handling of the case, defending his officers’ work in processing the Guthrie home and coordinating with federal authorities.

“My officers were there for almost 20 hours, and they processed their scene, got it done, and brought in all the evidence.

Then the FBI came and did their thing,” he said.

Family Cooperation and Media Challenges

Nanos praised the Guthrie family for their cooperation despite enduring a “nightmare without end.”

He also explained why investigators have been careful about releasing specific details regarding who was with Nancy when she was driven home from Tommaso Cioni and Annie Guthrie’s residence.

“We know who it is, but… when we saw everybody was attacking everybody and saying it’s this, we just thought… we’ll say it was family,” Nanos explained.

He also acknowledged the emotional toll on everyone involved, revealing that the day after Nancy’s disappearance, he personally suffered the loss of his brother.

Key Evidence and Next Steps

Among the most critical pieces of evidence is the doorbell-camera image of the intruder, along with a black glove found last week, which the FBI believes may be linked to the suspect.

DNA analysis is underway at a lab in Florida.

Nanos underscored the importance of public assistance in identifying the masked individual, urging anyone with knowledge to come forward.

“The most important thing is… let her go.

No questions asked. We’ll worry about prosecuting another day.

Right now, it’s about… let’s get Nancy back,” he said.

What’s Next?

Investigators will continue forensic analysis of the cameras and review all digital and physical evidence in the coming weeks.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI are monitoring leads while keeping certain details confidential to protect the integrity of the case.

Community cooperation remains essential, as Nanos believes someone may recognize the intruder from the footage.

Summary

Nancy Guthrie, 84, remains missing from her Arizona home in the Catalina Foothills, prompting a major multi-agency investigation.

Sheriff Chris Nanos is leveraging digital forensics, including cloud-based camera footage and DNA analysis, to identify the masked intruder suspected of kidnapping her.

Despite online speculation and intense media scrutiny, authorities continue to stress that no one has been officially cleared or accused.

Public assistance and careful evidence handling remain central to efforts to safely recover Nancy Guthrie.