A volunteer group that searches for missing people in Mexico launched an urgent operation this week after receiving an anonymous tip claiming that Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, was buried in an unmarked grave near the border city of Nogales.
Volunteers Search Remote Arizona Desert for Clues in Nancy
The New York Post reported that Ramona Guadalupe Ayala Ortiz, head of Buscando Corazones Nogales, said the group received the tip on Wednesday, which pointed them to a remote stretch of land more than 70 miles south of Tucson, where Nancy vanished from her Catalina Foothills home in the early hours of February 1.
The search was thorough. It also came up empty. Despite the setback, the group said it is not giving up.
What the Tip Said and Where It Led Searchers
The tipster directed the group to an area known as Mariposa, which translates to butterfly in English, located northwest of Nogales. According to Ayala Ortiz, the caller claimed Nancy’s remains were buried in a grave near a stream in that area.
“We received an anonymous call telling us that the woman’s remains were in the Mariposa area, in a grave over a stream,” Ayala Ortiz told El Imparcial.
The Buscando Corazones Collective later revealed that the first call from the same tipster actually came in on May 10, weeks before the group moved forward with the formal search.
Wednesday’s operation went deeper into the Mariposa area than any previous effort. It is the same stretch of land where the group previously uncovered 25 unmarked graves during earlier searches this year.
The search was conducted with support from the Sonora State Commission for the Search of Missing Persons. Municipal and state officials deployed security personnel to protect the volunteers and workers on the ground.
Pima County Sheriff and FBI Learning Through Media, Not Mexican Authorities
GettyBack in the United States, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed it is aware of the anonymous tip and the search that followed. However, the way they found out raised concerns of its own.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told News 4 Tucson that he and the FBI learned about the development through media reports rather than through any direct communication with Mexican authorities.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department addressed the tip on social media Thursday, saying it was aware of the reports but had not heard directly from Mexican authorities. “We are aware of reports regarding an anonymous tip related to the Nancy Guthrie investigation that was provided to a group in Mexico,” the statement read. “At this time, we have not been contacted by Mexican authorities.”
Nanos said both agencies are actively reaching out to their counterparts across the border to get more information.
Four months in, the case is no closer to a resolution, and the latest tip only drives home how far the search for Nancy has spread.
The Search for Nancy Guthrie Is Far From Over
GettyNancy was last seen at her Catalina Foothills home in Tucson in the early hours of February 1. She is believed to have been taken from the property, but no arrests have been made, and no confirmed leads have publicly emerged from the investigation.
The case drew widespread attention in part because of Nancy’s connection to Savannah Guthrie, the longtime co-anchor of NBC’s “Today.”
The disappearance of an 84-year-old woman from her home in an upscale Tucson neighborhood sent shockwaves through the community and beyond.
NBC/GettyThe investigation remains active and ongoing. Both the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI are continuing to follow up on any available information, including tips submitted by the public.
Anyone with information about Nancy’s whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
Keep searching in Mexico. My mother and I both saw butterflies in regards to Nancy 3 days after she went missing. I know this sounds far fetched but our dreams have come true before. I’m not saaying it’s a tip because it’s not. It’s just a feeling.
Yes the woman passed fast. Poor thing could not deal wth the situation.sooo when do you stop enough is e.nough ??
Hi I don’t understand what does the anchor ⚓ lady mother have to do with her disappearson why would anyone want to harm the anchor lady mom. What did they do.