Guthrie family offers $1 million reward as FBI continues search

PHOENIX — The family of Nancy Guthrie has announced a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to her recovery as federal and local authorities continue their search.

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Savannah Guthrie said Tuesday that the reward is being offered in hopes of generating new leads in the case of her 84-year-old mother, who remains missing. The family also plans to donate $500,000 to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

In a video posted to social media, Savannah Guthrie acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding her mother’s disappearance.

“We also know that she may be lost, she may already be gone, she may have already gone home to the Lord that she loves,” she said, while urging the public to keep her mother in their prayers.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been assisting the Pima County Sheriff’s Department in the investigation for more than three weeks.

Retired FBI Special Agent John Iannarelli said the newly announced reward is likely to keep significant federal resources focused on the case.

“As long as there are leads to pursue, this is going to remain a priority, because there’s a person’s life that can be in jeopardy,” Iannarelli said. “The FBI will continue working it to the full extent.”

He said the bureau can assign hundreds of personnel to an investigation when necessary and will continue its involvement as long as viable leads exist. If leads diminish, agents may return to other duties, but resources can quickly surge again if new information emerges.

“If leads were to diminish and there’s not as much to pursue, from the investigation standpoint, agents may go back to their normal duties,” Iannarelli said. “But the first time that new leads or new information appears generating other investigation to follow, there’ll be a surge in resources once again.”

Iannarelli said the increased reward could prompt someone with information to come forward.

“There’s a good chance that somebody who’s been on the fence thinks they might know who the person is,” he said. “Hopefully, this reward will push them off that fence and they’ll want to pick up the phone, call the FBI, call the sheriff’s department, if it turns out to be nothing, so be it, but somebody out there might just have that piece of information that can solve this case.”

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