Sheriff in Nancy Guthrie Case Details How He Ruled Out Family as Suspects, and Why He Spoke Out About It

Investigators have not identified any suspects or persons of interest in the case as the search for the 84-year-old mother of journalist Savannah Guthrie entered its third week

NEED TO KNOW

• The Arizona sheriff investigating the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie is detailing how authorities were able to rule out her family members as potential suspects
• “We talked to them, we took their phones, we took their computers,” Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos tells PEOPLE, adding, “I mean, we did everything. We processed their vehicles, we processed their homes. They have been really … They’re victims.”
• Investigators have not identified any suspects or persons of interest in the case as the search for the 84-year-old mother entered its third week

The Arizona sheriff investigating the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie is detailing how authorities were able to rule out her family members as potential suspects.

"We talked to them, we took their phones, we took their computers," Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told PEOPLE on Tuesday, Feb. 17. "I mean, we did everything. We processed their vehicles, we processed their homes. They have been really…They’re victims."

Investigators have not identified any suspects or persons of interest in the case as the search for the 84-year-old mother of Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie entered its third week. But in a statement shared on Monday, Feb. 16, Nanos said the Guthrie family, including all siblings and spouses, had been cleared as possible suspects.

"The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case," he said, per the statement. "To suggest otherwise is not only wrong, it is cruel."

While speaking with NBC News, Nanos shared why he felt the statement needed to be made.

"Because sometimes we forget we’re human and we hurt, and kindness matters," he said in an interview published Tuesday. "It is every cop's duty to stand up and be that voice for our victims. I’m not going to sit in silence when others are attacking the innocent. Isn’t that what the badge represents?"

Authorities believe Nancy was kidnapped from her Tucson, Ariz., home in the early morning hours of Feb. 1 after last being seen the night before.

Surveillance footage previously shared by the FBI shows a masked and "armed" person appearing to tamper with a Nest camera at Nancy's front door on the morning of her kidnapping.

That person has yet to be identified, but is described by the FBI as a "male, approximately 5’9” – 5’10” tall, with an average build. In the video, the person is wearing a black, 25-liter ‘Ozark Trail Hiker Pack’ backpack," per a post on X.

On Friday, Feb. 13, Nanos's department said in a statement to PEOPLE that DNA not belonging to Nancy or her family members was collected at the property. Authorities also said that "several gloves" have been found during their investigation, with the closest gloves being found approximately two miles from the home.

Nanos previously said blood was discovered on the exterior porch of Nancy's home that matches her DNA, though her whereabouts remain unknown.

"All collected evidence has been submitted for laboratory analysis," the Pima County Sheriff's Department said Friday. They also noted that "investigators are not ruling out any individuals or possibilities."

Authorities recently said they are using a "signal sniffer" to assist in the search for Nancy in an attempt to detect signals from her pacemaker, law enforcement sources told CBS News.

Meanwhile, the potential kidnapper or kidnappers have sent alleged ransom notes tied to Nancy's disappearance to several media outlets. The FBI has said those are being investigated and that they are not aware of any communication between the alleged kidnapper(s) and the Guthrie family.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Since her mother has gone missing, Savannah, 54, has posted multiple videos on Instagram pleading for her mother’s safe return. In a clip shared on Sunday, Feb. 15, the journalist said, "It's been two weeks since our mom was taken. And I just wanted to come on and say that we still have hope. And we still believe."

The FBI is now offering a $100,000 reward for any information leading to Nancy's recovery or an arrest in the case.

Anyone with tips or leads is asked to call 1-800-CALL-FBI in addition to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900.

Read the full article here