Human Remains Found Near Nancy Guthrie’s Arizona Home Are Not Believed to Be Connected to Her Disappearance

Human remains discovered in a desert area of Arizona are not believed to be connected to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, authorities said Monday.

The remains were found about 15 miles from the home of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of TODAY host Savannah Guthrie, who has been missing since January.

Authorities Say the Remains Had Been There for Some Time

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said deputies responded Monday afternoon, Aug. 17, after receiving a report about human remains discovered near West Ajo Way and South La Cholla Boulevard.

Investigators determined that the remains appeared to have been at the location for “an extended period of time.”

“At this time, there is no indication they are connected to the Nancy Guthrie investigation,” the sheriff’s department said.

Authorities did not immediately provide additional information about the identity of the person whose remains were found or the circumstances surrounding the death.

The discovery nevertheless comes as investigators continue their search for answers in the disappearance of Nancy, who was last seen on Jan. 31 and reported missing the following day.

Nancy Guthrie’s Disappearance Remains Unresolved

The latest development comes weeks after investigators confirmed that hair recovered from Nancy’s home had not led them to a suspect.

Authorities have also released the full text of two ransom notes that were sent following Nancy’s disappearance.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators decided to make the notes public because they believed specific details could trigger someone’s memory or help identify the person responsible.

“We hope that by releasing the actual note we’ll get some response from the community,” Nanos said.

He added that investigators found several elements of the notes particularly concerning and hoped members of the public might recognize the wording, writing style or other details.

Family Continues to Plead for Answers

Savannah Guthrie has repeatedly appealed for information about her mother’s whereabouts.

In an emotional Instagram post on Aug. 1, Savannah said her family had been living in “agony and despair” since Nancy disappeared.

She described the family’s pain while emphasizing their determination to continue searching for answers.

“Every day, we wake up and try to be strong and go on,” Savannah wrote, adding that her mother had taught them to be “joyful and resilient.”

“But make no mistake — our hearts are in ruins,” she said.

For now, authorities say the newly discovered remains do not appear to provide a breakthrough in Nancy Guthrie’s case.

The investigation into her disappearance remains ongoing, and officials continue to ask anyone with potentially relevant information to come forward.