Bone Found Near Nancy Guthrie's Home Ruled Prehistoric, Not Criminal

Nearly four months into the search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, investigators hit what initially seemed like a breakthrough—only to discover it was thousands of years old.

On Thursday, May 7, a human bone was discovered seven miles from Nancy’s Tucson home. The Tucson Police Department immediately launched an investigation, bringing in the University of Arizona Department of Anthropology and the Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner to examine the find. But after careful analysis, authorities determined the bone was part of a prehistoric anthropological investigation and posed no connection to Nancy’s disappearance. It was a false lead in a case that’s been defined by heartbreak and uncertainty since January 31, when Nancy was last seen by her family. She was reported missing in February, and the investigation has now stretched nearly 100 days.

The discovery underscores the intensity—and the desperation—surrounding this case. Nancy vanished under circumstances that prompted both local police and the FBI to step in. Security footage from Nancy’s doorbell camera captured a man in a ski mask on her porch the morning she disappeared, but no suspect has been named. The family has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to her recovery, a measure of just how serious the threat is believed to be.

The emotional toll has been visible and raw. Savannah took a two-month break from the Today show to join her siblings, Camron and Annie Guthrie, in the search. In March, Savannah spoke publicly about the anguish of her mother’s disappearance, telling Hoda Kotb: Someone needs to do the right thing. We are in agony. She also wrestled openly with guilt, wondering if her public profile as a television host played a role in what happened to Nancy. The Pima County Sheriff’s Office remains fully committed to the investigation, with DNA and video analysis underway supported by laboratories across the country.

Each false lead—like the bone discovered in May—stings. But investigators continue to receive and review tips. The search for Nancy Guthrie goes on.