Why were members of the Guthrie family ruled out as suspects so quickly in the search for Nancy Guthrie?

Savannah Guthrie’s family has faced a painful and uncertain February as the search for her mother, Nancy, continues. Amid mounting speculation online, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos is sharing new updates defending the Guthrie family.

In interviews on Monday, February 16, Nanos confirmed that relatives were eliminated as suspects within days of Nancy’s disappearance.

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Speaking to Tucson’s KOLD 13 News, he said family members were cleared “in the first few days” and have been “100 percent cooperative” throughout the investigation.

“Not one single person in the family is a suspect,” Nanos said. “So I am telling everyone, effective today, you guys [media] need to knock it off, quit. People are hurting. They are victims. I am saying they are clear. We have cleared them.”

“To suggest otherwise is not only wrong, but it is also cruel. The Guthrie family are victims plain and simple.”

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Nancy, 84, was reported missing on February 1. She was last seen the previous night after being dropped off at the home of her daughter, Annie, and Annie’s husband, Tommaso Cioni.

Savannah and her siblings, Annie and Camron, have been searching for their mother ever since.

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Nanos said investigators moved quickly to eliminate family members as suspects. He told KOLD that authorities examined phones, computers, vehicles, and homes.

“We talked to them, we took their phones, we took their computers. I mean, we did everything. We processed their vehicles, we processed their homes. They have been really. They’re victims,” Nanos said.

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Investigators also recovered DNA evidence from inside the house and used blue light technology to examine the scene for traces of biological material.

Nanos noted that the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI continue to share information as the case unfolds.

In a separate interview with NBC News, Nanos explained why he felt compelled to speak publicly in defense of the family.

“Because sometimes we forget we’re human and we hurt, and kindness matters. 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?” he said.

“I’m not going to sit in silence when others are attacking the innocent. Isn’t that what the badge represents?”

While firmly clearing the family, Nanos acknowledged that significant questions remain unanswered.

Surveillance images released by the FBI show a masked individual outside Nancy’s home attempting to cover her doorbell camera. Based on that footage, Nanos said he does not believe the case was a burglary that spiraled out of control.

“This is somebody who’s disappeared from the face of the earth, and now we have a camera that says here’s the person who did this,” Nanos told the Daily Mail.

“And that’s what makes me say this is a kidnapping. The motivation for it is where we get stuck, right? Is it for money?” he continued. “I mean, we had the one demand where they asked for money. But is it really for money, or is it for revenge for something?”

Authorities have not identified a confirmed motive and say the investigation remains ongoing

For now, investigators say their priority remains locating Nancy. Nanos has made his position clear. The family is not under suspicion, and they remain in limbo with the rest of Tucson, waiting for answers as the search moves forward.