Authorities said there is no indication that human remains found in a desert area outside Tucson, Arizona, are connected to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, whose case remains under investigation.
Search and rescue deputies responded to reports of human remains found near West Ajo Way and South La Cholla Boulevard, the Pima County Sheriff's Department said Monday, Aug. 17, in a statement posted on X. Authorities said the remains appeared to have been at the location "for an extended period of time."
"At this time, there is no indication they are connected to the Nancy Guthrie investigation," the department said, adding that more information would be released as it becomes available.
USA TODAY reached out to the Pima County Sheriff's Department
for additional information.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, the mother of "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie, entered her Tucson home just before 10 p.m. on Jan. 31 and was never seen again. Her family reported her missing the next day, and authorities have investigated her disappearance as a suspected kidnapping for ransom.
The discovery comes weeks after authorities released for the first time the full contents of two communications sent by a person claiming responsibility for Nancy Guthrie's kidnapping. The Pima County Sheriff's Department released the notes on July 31, six months after Nancy Guthrie was last seen.
The notes were first sent to Tucson's KOLD-TV 13 shortly after she was reported missing. The first message, sent Feb. 2, demanded a ransom in exchange for her safe return.
The second, sent Feb. 6, claimed she had died.
"These communications reveal distinctive patterns of word choice, syntax, and phraseology that reflect the writer’s unique linguistic style," the sheriff's department said in a statement. "They also provide valuable insight into the person’s mindset, motives, and the evolution of their tone over time."
What do the Nancy Guthrie ransom notes say?
The first note claimed Nancy Guthrie was being held hostage and demanded a Bitcoin ransom for her safe return. It said she would be held for a maximum of seven days and released within 12 hours of payment.
The writer demanded $4 million if payment was made by Feb. 5 or $6 million by Feb. 9.
In the second note, the writer claimed Nancy Guthrie had died, been buried, and apologized to her family.
"We did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition. We never intended to hurt her, that was not our intention. She perished shortly after she was taken. We believe it was heart-related. She is buried in nature now," the Feb. 6 note said. "Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome. We want your family to know this and hope you all can find peace. We are truly sorry."
Former law enforcement officer and private investigator Mike Toth previously told USA TODAY that Nancy Guthrie's case could remain unresolved for years if investigators exhaust their existing leads.
"If they've still got evidence and leads to follow, they're going to continue to run those down," Toth said. "The case wouldn't grow cold until there's just no leads whatsoever and they've run out of ideas. Then they have to wait until something else comes up, and sometimes that takes years before another piece of evidence comes, or a witness comes forward."
Contributing: Anthony Robledo and Liza Esquibias, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Human remains found in Arizona not linked to Nancy Guthrie case, authorities say
