Sheriff’s Department Discourages Private Search Parties for Nancy Guthrie: ‘Best Left to Professionals’

As the search for Savannah Guthrie’s mom, Nancy Guthrie, enters its fourth week, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department has asked the public to refrain from attempting to locate her themselves.

“Private Search Parties: Volunteer search groups have inquired about being in the area. Per the Sheriff, they were asked to please give investigators the space they need to do their work,” a message from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department posted on February 21 via X read.

The message added the search for Nancy, 84, was “best left to the professionals” but that the department had “volunteer opportunities” for those who wanted to assist.

“Private property laws apply and it is up to each individual property owner to grant permission for someone to search their property,” the message concluded.

Several commenters slammed the post.

“Why are investigators opposed to forming search parties? No wonder you haven’t found her!” one X user wrote.

Another added, “It has been 3 weeks. There are no suspects, no real leads, no press conferences, and no Nancy. You’ve whined and complained about the media and people volunteering to help find her at every turn. It’s almost like…you don’t want her to be found.”

Others defended the department’s reasoning, saying that authorities were “worried that untrained searchers could trample these delicate sites before the FBI and local forensics teams can finish their sweep.”

Nancy was last seen on January 31 at her home around 9:30 p.m. after being dropped off by her daughter Annie Guthrie and son-in-law Tommaso Cioni. When she didn’t show up to watch a streaming church service the next morning at a friend’s house, they became worried and contacted one of Nancy’s family members.

She was officially reported missing the following day and authorities said that it appeared Nancy had been taken from her home against her will overnight.

As In Touch previously reported, sources told CBS News that the FBI had been in contact with Mexican law enforcement regarding Nancy’s disappearance.

According to FBI Director Kash Patel, security footage from Nancy’s Nest captured what appears to be a masked, armed man manipulating the camera. Authorities also ran DNA tests on gloves recovered approximately two miles from Nancy’s residence, though no suspect was identified through the analysis.