Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos acknowledged the search for Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy, could take “years.”
After several deadlocks in the investigation, the exhausted sheriff vowed his team would remain focused on finding Guthrie, even if the search took longer than expected.
“Probably an hour from now,” Nanos told The New York Times on Friday. “Maybe weeks, months, years from now. But we’re not quitting. We’re going to find Nancy. We’re going to find this guy.”
The update came shortly after authorities thought the investigation had been halted after they detained delivery driver Carlos Palazuelos for questioning on Tuesday.
But the euphoria was short-lived, as Palazuelos allegedly told law enforcement authorities he knew nothing about the Today show host or his 84-year-old mother. He was released immediately.
“This has to be it, the evidence, everything is there,” Sheriff Nanos told the outlet on Friday, recalling the temporary elation of the 13-day search.
“Then you talk to people, you learn, you search, and you think, ‘Maybe it’s different.'”
The sheriff continued, “It’s exhausting because there are so many ups and downs,” and promised to continue the investigation. “But we keep moving forward.”
Officials said Friday that authorities had collected DNA evidence from Nancy’s residence that did not belong to someone who had “close contact” with her grandmother.
A Pima County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson declined to say where the evidence was located, but said, “Investigators are working to determine who the evidence belongs to.”
Earlier this week, it was reported that legal authorities had taken DNA samples from workers employed around Nancy’s residence.
At least four people were detained for questioning Friday night as the investigation into Nancy’s alleged kidnapping enters its second week.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department SWAT team swarmed a home and vehicle near Nancy’s property and executed a search warrant after receiving a tip.
As a result, two men and their mother were detained. An additional man believed to be connected to the home was taken in for questioning after police stopped his Range Rover in Culver’s parking lot.
All four were released from custody and no arrests were made.
The grandmother was last seen on January 31 at around 9:45 p.m. after having dinner with several family members. She was reported missing on February 1 after failing to show up for Sunday church services.
Police had previously speculated that Nancy may have been taken from her home while she was sleeping, but on Tuesday they released a description of the suspect as a man, approximately 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-10, with an average build.
The FBI also announced an increased reward of up to $100,000 for “information leading to the location of Nancy Guthrie or the arrest and conviction of those responsible for her disappearance.”
