Police officers looking into the Nancy Guthrie case are reaching out to the public for any information following the emergence of a new theory involving a “local handyman.”
Nancy, 84, has been unaccounted for since February 1, when she was taken from her home during the night. Since then, there have been no sightings or communications from her. A reward of $1.2 million is currently available for information that leads to Nancy’s safe return, yet no suspects have been apprehended or charged in relation to the case.
Savannah Guthrie, Nancy’s daughter and host of the Today Show, has consistently made appeals to her mother’s alleged abductors and announced the reward, but to no avail. However, a new investigative perspective has surfaced from forensic specialists and former FBI agents.
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Nancy Guthrie update: All we know about ‘handyman’ theory
Authorities suspect that a nearby handyman, who had access to Nancy Guthrie’s home, may have kidnapped her upon realizing she is the daughter of television host Savannah. It is believed that the assailant thought the family had immediate access to significant wealth and chose her as a target for ransom, as per the Express US.
Experts suggest that they believe the abduction of the 84-year-old was an opportunistic crime committed by an individual who was acquainted with her home, daily routines, and the local vicinity.
Nancy Guthrie buried in a desert area?
Sadly, some experts have suspected that Nancy probably passed away early in the incident, with the suspect likely having disposed of her remains in a desert area near the Mexican border. However, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department has only verified that Nancy was “targeted” and has refrained from publicly speculating on whether the assailant was a handyman.
In a recent update, the department has introduced an online portal that allows neighbors to submit video footage, with the page stating, “The Pima County Sheriff’s Department is urgently requesting your assistance in locating Nancy Guthrie, 84, who [was] last seen on the evening of January 31, 2026, at her residence near East Skyline Drive and North Campbell Avenue.”
‘Guthrie died of shock,’ Expert suspects amid missing probe
This recent update comes after forensic expert Barbara Butcher addressed Fox News about the handyman theory, expressing her conviction that the motive for the kidnapping was financial profit.
“I find it flabbergasting that anyone would take a woman her age, but what I think is probably the case is that someone in the area, maybe a handyman, maybe a service person, had known, had found out that Mrs. Guthrie was the mother of Savannah Guthrie and said, ‘Oh, she must be rich,'” Butcher mentioned. “So this person is not well.”
As there was was no valid ransom demand or any information forthcoming, Butchersaid it is likely because that “Mrs. Guthrie died of shock, fright, heart disease, whatever it was, very soon after being taken from her home.”
