Criminal defense attorney Donna Rotunno stated it is “strange” that several individuals have been detained in connection with Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, yet no arrests have been made. “We saw this flurry of activity last night, and then several hours later, we find out that they brought people in and let them go,” Rotunno said.
“That’s strange actually,” she added.
Rotunno, who will debut her new Fox News Podcasts program, “Crime & Justice with Donna Rotunno,” on Feb. 18, also described what she called “this very strange, this back-and-forth law enforcement volleying that the FBI is doing with local law enforcement.”
“If someone is detained, they’re held for a period of time, they’re let go. You’re arrested, normally it’s longer. Arrest has to do with probable cause and a detainment has to do with reasonable suspicion,” she said.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos informed Fox News’ Matt Finn that there have been no arrests and no one remains in custody following an operation in Tucson related to the Nancy Guthrie case.
Sources told Fox News Digital that at least three individuals were detained in connection with a search warrant executed at a residence in Tucson late Friday, located about two miles from Guthrie’s home. Photos showed one man handcuffed and held in the parking lot of a nearby Culver’s restaurant, but no charges have been confirmed.
Authorities have not identified any suspects or persons of interest two weeks after 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie, vanished from her Tucson home on February 1.
The FBI has released a description of a suspect who was seen tampering with the doorbell camera outside Nancy Guthrie’s home in the early morning hours of February 1. The suspect is described as a male approximately 5’9″ to 5’10” tall, with an average build. He was carrying a 25-liter “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack” backpack.
The FBI has raised its reward to $100,000 for information that leads to the location of Nancy or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance. As of Saturday, the search has reached its two-week mark, and authorities have not publicly named any suspects or persons of interest.
Nanos said investigators recovered DNA from the scene that does not belong to the missing 84-year-old Tucson woman.
“What I believe is what I know is we found DNA,” Nanos told Fox News correspondent Jonathan Hunt during a sit-down interview.
When pressed on whether the genetic material matched Guthrie, Nanos responded, “That was not Nancy Guthrie’s DNA.”
Nanos said authorities are working with a contracted forensic laboratory in Florida to analyze the biological evidence.
He said investigators are collecting elimination markers from individuals connected to the home to rule out known sources and narrow potential matches.
The sheriff addressed criticism about how evidence has been handled and said his department is working closely with the FBI. He said sending the material to the Florida lab follows established procedures.
Nanos clarified that a glove considered potential evidence was not recovered at Guthrie’s home. He said the glove was located roughly two miles away during expanded search efforts.
Despite the developments, Nanos said the operation remains focused on finding Guthrie alive. “They all have hope and belief that this is a rescue mission,” he said.
Search efforts have included ground teams, aerial support, and coordination with federal partners.
Investigators are mapping Guthrie’s last known movements and reviewing footage from nearby residential security systems. Officials said forensic testing is ongoing. Evidence collected at the home continues to be analyzed, though early results have provided limited clarity.
Family members have made public appeals for information, but so far to no avail.