Questions Grow Over Just Three Arrests In Nancy Guthrie Case

The small number of arrests made in Nancy Guthrie‘s mysterious disappearance has raised fresh questions. For months, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has faced scrutiny over how investigators have handled the case.

Several ransom notes surfaced in the days after Guthrie’s abduction, with one demanding a Bitcoin payment and warning that Nancy would be killed if the deadline was missed.

Nancy Guthrie’s mysterious disappearance from her Tucson, Arizona, home has remained unsolved for nearly six months, prompting renewed questions about how law enforcement has handled the investigation.

Even more surprising are reports claiming that only three people were detained as investigators searched for answers, but all were later released.

The revelations came from Arizona-based true crime reporter Briana Whitney during the July 22 episode of Crime Junkie with host Ashley Flowers, fueling doubts about whether investigators did enough in the early stages of the case.

“When we’re talking about the missteps and just like the weirdness of it all… In that first month, there were three people detained in the case,” Whitney said.

“One of them was a DoorDash driver that lived south, like an hour south of Nancy Guthrie’s home. His name was Carlos. He was detained, questioned, and then released.”

Mother And Son Were Detained Then Released

Whitney said the other two people detained were a mother and son, Mary and Luke Daley, who still do not know why they were questioned other than living near Nancy’s home.

“They lived pretty close to Nancy Guthrie’s home,” she explained. “I interviewed them both, and they still don’t understand why they were detained. We still don’t know why they were detained.”

In the days after the disappearance, security footage from Nancy’s doorbell camera captured an armed, masked man standing at her front door, but investigators have struggled to identify him.

Whitney noted that many online believe Luke Daley resembles the so-called “Porch Guy,” though she emphasized that Luke strongly denies being the individual seen in the footage.

“We still don’t know why these three people were detained. They were all released. There’s been nothing more that has come of that. And there has been, as far as we know, no other detainments.”

Mixed DNA Samples Remain Key To Nancy Guthrie Investigation

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Law enforcement swarmed Nancy’s home following her disappearance and collected multiple DNA samples. Concern for the 84-year-old grandmother intensified after the Pima County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that blood found outside the front door matched Nancy.

Additional DNA evidence was also recovered from inside and around the property, including a glove that appeared similar to those worn by the masked suspect.

Elsewhere in the conversation, Whitney revealed that testing on the DNA evidence remains ongoing.

“More DNA?” Flowers asked. “Yes,” Whitney replied.

She continued: “We do know that they were able to get mixed DNA from inside Nancy’s home. There are multiple profiles in this DNA sample, whatever it is, wherever it’s from. And so, they need to separate that. Obviously, we expect Nancy’s DNA to be part of that, but who else’s DNA could be part of that?”

First Ransom Note Revealed In Full

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Several ransom notes have surfaced in the investigation, with the writers demanding money from Nancy’s famous daughter, Savannah Guthrie.

During the podcast, Whitney read the contents of the first ransom letter, in which the alleged kidnappers warned the NBC host not to “play games” because her mother’s life depended on her response, per PEOPLE.

“Hello, Savannah. We have your mother, Nancy. She is safe but scared. She will be held for ransom, and once payment is received, she will be released unharmed. We will be holding her for a maximum of seven days.”

The letter also included a Bitcoin wallet address where millions of dollars in ransom were to be deposited.

Ransom Letter Threatened Nancy Guthrie’s Life

The writer warned that if payment was not made by the Monday, February 9, deadline, Nancy “will be killed.”

“Your mother is aware of this and her life is in your hands. It is in the best interest of everyone to have this completed as soon as possible. You will not be able to contact me from here on out. There will be no negotiation. Do not play games. Law enforcement will not be able to help you,” Whitney read.

In an apparent effort to make the letter seem credible, the sender included details about Nancy’s home that had not been widely discussed.

“They said she had a white smartwatch that was on the floor near her bed, like at the foot of her bed, and that there was a floodlight in the backyard that had been destroyed,” Whitney said, adding that the FBI is still investigating whether the note is authentic.