Discretion advised: This story involves the discovery of human remains.
Human remains discovered in a desert area near West Ajo Way and South La Cholla Boulevard in Arizona show "no indication at this time" of being connected to the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, according to the Pima County Sheriff's Department. The remains were found roughly 15 miles from Guthrie's home.
Details of the Discovery
The remains were located on a hillside covered in saguaro cacti overlooking a busy four-lane highway in southwest Tucson, and appear to have been at the location for an extended period of time. Pima County Sheriff's Department Search and Rescue deputies responded to the scene; the area didn't show signs of a large law enforcement presence, with at least three sheriff vehicles parked at the top of a residential driveway marked by a wooden "private drive" sign leading up to the hillside.
Law enforcement sources speaking to TMZ described the location as "very remote," accessible only by a long hike. One source with direct knowledge of the investigation said: "Our boots on the ground say the bones are definitively not Nancy Guthrie." The remains were described as "bleached white bones" — a characteristic caused by prolonged ultraviolet sun exposure breaking down bone's organic components, suggesting they predate Guthrie's disappearance by a significant margin.
Where the Guthrie Investigation Stands
Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie, vanished from her home in Arizona's Catalina Foothills neighborhood near Tucson. She was last seen on January 31 before apparently being kidnapped from her home on February 1, without her phone or the critical medications she relies on. Investigators have said they currently have no leading theory about a motive, according to a source familiar with the case.
In July, nearly six months into the investigation, officials publicly released the full contents of a ransom note and a follow-up letter sent to Guthrie's family, which claimed she had died — a disclosure made in hopes of generating fresh leads. Investigators say laboratory analysis of DNA evidence collected from Guthrie's house remains ongoing.
The Family's Continued Search
Savannah Guthrie has continued to publicly plead for information throughout the investigation, and her family has offered a $1 million reward for any intelligence leading to Nancy Guthrie's recovery. The Pima County Sheriff's Department continues to lead the case.
What's Next
It remains unclear whether further forensic testing will be conducted to identify the newly discovered remains, though initial assessment from investigators at the scene points away from any link to the Guthrie case. For continuing updates, see CNN's coverage.
With Nancy Guthrie's disappearance still unresolved more than six months later, investigators continue pursuing DNA and ransom-note leads even as this particular discovery appears to be an unrelated, separate matter.