Sheriff says all relations of Nancy Guthrie cleared over her disappearance: ‘victims plain and simple’ | EUROtoday

All members of Nancy Guthrie’s household, together with NBC News’ Savannah Guthrie, her siblings, and their spouses, have been cleared as potential suspects, in keeping with the Pima County Sheriff’s Office.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos made the announcement on Monday afternoon.

He stated in an announcement that the Guthrie household has been “nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case.”

“To suggest otherwise is not only wrong, it is cruel,” he stated. “The Guthrie family are victims plain and simple.”

The sheriff’s division stated in an earlier assertion that there aren’t any scheduled information conferences relating to the case as we speak.

The memo issued by the division doesn’t seem to have been in response to any new proof or breakthroughs, however moderately as a common assertion on the standing of the Guthrie household.

Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported lacking from her residence in Arizona on February 1. Local investigators and the FBI have been trying to find her for greater than two weeks.

While legislation enforcement has been busy working down leads, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have been making emotional pleas on social media asking the supposed kidnapper to succeed in out and supply proof of life and additional directions for a way they will get their mom again.

Earlier on Monday, TMZ founder Harvey Levin introduced that his publication had obtained a fourth letter from a person claiming to have data of who kidnapped Nancy Guthrie. The particular person reportedly is refusing to disclose the knowledge with out cost first.

Levin stated he had been involved with the FBI and posted a video telling the tipster to supply the knowledge to him, and that he would work with the FBI to safe a cost. The TMZ founder believes that the person who despatched Monday’s letter is identical one who has despatched three earlier letters demanding cost for details about Nancy Guthrie’s whereabouts.

“A fourth letter from the same person who says he knows where Nancy Guthrie is, and he wants money in return for the information,” Levin said. “Essentially, he wants the reward.”

During his deal with, Levin additionally learn a chilling line from the letter.

”‘I know what I saw five days ago south of the border, and I was told to shut up, so I know who he is, and that was definitely Nancy with them,’” he learn.

Meanwhile, the Pima County Sheriff’s Office is reportedly working with Walmart after it found the model of backpack the suspected kidnapper wore on the night time Nancy Guthrie disappeared was offered solely on the retailer.

The backpack is a 25-liter “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack.” The “Ozark Trail” brand is a private, Walmart-owned outdoor brand that is only sold in its stores and on its website. However, it is possible the individual bought the pack from a private seller or from a second-hand sports retailer.

“This backpack is exclusive to Walmart and we are working with Walmart management to develop further leads,” Nanos said.

The clothing the suspect was wearing the night of the alleged abduction may also have been purchased at Walmart, but investigators noted that the clothing isn’t exclusively offered by Walmart.

“This remains a possibility only,” the sheriff’s workplace stated in an announcement on Monday.

Investigators looking out close to Guthrie’s residence have collected a number of gloves and has despatched them to a forensics lab for testing, in keeping with the Pima County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies famous that lots of the gloves discovered within the space have been from volunteers who have been trying to find Guthrie. It’s unclear what sort of gloves have been despatched for additional evaluation.

The FBI and the sheriff’s workplace are additionally nonetheless amassing suggestions concerning the case. According to the FBI, it has collected mofe than 13,000 calls about Guthrie since February 1, and the sheriff’s division stated it has taken at the least 18,000 calls.

Investigators haven’t stated whether or not any of these calls have confirmed useful to the search.

Guthrie has been lacking for greater than two weeks, leading to some criticism of the investigation. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos instructed the Daily Mail on Sunday that he does not care concerning the “haters” who say the division launched the crime scene too early.

“My officers were there for almost 20 hours, and they processed their scene, got it done, and brought in all the evidence,” he instructed the outlet. “Then the FBI came and did their thing.”

He additionally instructed the publication that claims he was blocking the FBI from accessing vital proof have been incorrect.

“Why would I do that?” he stated. “It makes no sense.”