Nancy Guthrie Update Today: Day 46, No Suspects, All Family Passes Polygraphs, FBI Billboard Campaign Under Fire
The search for Nancy Guthrie enters Day 46 on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, with no arrests, no named suspect, and no confirmed sighting of the 84-year-old Tucson grandmother. Fresh developments confirmed Tuesday reveal that all family members have passed polygraph tests, a forensic genealogist has gone public with a critical DNA theory, and a retired FBI agent is calling out the bureau's billboard strategy as a "shotgun approach" that shows little investigative direction.
Nancy Guthrie Update Today: No Suspects, 18,000 Tips, Zero Arrests
As of March 17, 2026 — Day 46 since Nancy Guthrie's disappearance — more than 18,000 tips have poured into the FBI and Pima County Sheriff's Office. No public suspect identification or arrest has occurred. Authorities emphasize that time remains critical.
On a March 16 episode of a national news podcast, Chad Ayers, a former SWAT team leader, reported from a source he described as boots on the ground: "As of about two hours ago, I can report from a very, very reliable source that the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Office have no leads. No solid suspects."
All Guthrie Family Members Passed Polygraph Tests
All of Nancy Guthrie's family members — including Savannah Guthrie, her sister Annie Guthrie, brother-in-law Tomasso Cioni, and brother Camron Guthrie — have passed polygraph tests, according to a new report confirmed Tuesday. The development comes after journalist Ashleigh Banfield earlier claimed a source identified Cioni as a prime suspect.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos swiftly and firmly rejected that claim. "To be clear, the Guthrie family — to include all siblings and spouses — has been cleared as possible suspects in this case," Nanos said in a formal statement. He added that the family "has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case. To suggest otherwise is not only wrong, it is cruel."
FBI Investigating January 11 and January 24 as Pre-Abduction Surveillance Dates
Investigators are now focused on January 11 and January 24 as key dates that may reveal surveillance activity prior to Nancy Guthrie's January 31 disappearance. Neighbors of the missing woman told investigators this week that they were specifically asked for camera footage from January 24 — roughly one week before the abduction.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department issued a statement on March 13 confirming it continues to analyze various forms of evidence, including laboratory materials and images from cameras at the property. Officials declined to comment on the details or current status of that analysis.
Forensic Genealogist: Suspect's DNA Is Still at the Crime Scene
Genetic genealogist CeCe Moore, star of the ABC series The Genetic Detective, shared her gut feeling about how investigators can break the case. "I believe if they haven't collected his DNA, it is still at that crime scene somewhere, and they should revisit it — even though it's been open to the family. Because you can still rule out the people that have been there," Moore said.
Moore added that old DNA can still yield usable results, noting that cases have been solved with "really old DNA." She also speculated about the possibility of a second crime scene and how locating it could be the key to identifying the suspect.
FBI Billboard Campaign: Good Awareness, But Retired Agent Calls It a "Shotgun Approach"
The FBI has launched a billboard campaign in partnership with Clear Channel Outdoor, placing images of Nancy Guthrie in El Paso, Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston in Texas, as well as Phoenix, Albuquerque, and Los Angeles. Retired FBI special agent Jennifer Coffindaffer praised the awareness value of the effort but raised sharp concerns about execution.
Coffindaffer said the billboard placement is a "shotgun approach" that "shows little direction," adding that the billboards should feature the suspect seen on surveillance footage rather than focusing solely on Nancy Guthrie. "Show him. He's the key," she wrote publicly on X.
Ransom Notes, Cryptocurrency Demands, and Savannah's Plea to Kidnappers
Multiple media outlets have reported receiving ransom notes connected to Nancy Guthrie's disappearance. Demands for cryptocurrency payment were made, with two deadlines that had already passed by February 9. Savannah Guthrie and her siblings released a video on February 7 directly addressing the person or group behind the abduction: "We received your message and we understand," Savannah said. The family indicated it was ready to talk and urged the perpetrators to make contact.
The suspect remains publicly unidentified. The FBI described him as a male approximately 5 feet 9 to 5 feet 10 inches tall, average build, wearing a black 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack that may have been purchased at Walmart. Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Pima County Sheriff's Department at 520-351-4900. A combined reward of $1.2 million remains active for information leading to Nancy's recovery or an arrest.
