Topline: Authorities deployed experimental tracking tools to detect the pacemaker of the 84-year-old woman missing from her Tucson home.
Published: February 19, 2026 8:45 am ET
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Left: Unknown masked assailant on surveillance video, Right: Nancy Guthrie (via Pima County Sheriff’s Department/Instagram)
TUCSON, AZ — Pima County sheriff’s deputies are consulting with a medical manufacturer to analyze pacemaker data and using a “signal sniffer” in the search for Nancy Guthrie.
Investigators are working with experts to locate the device and establish an timeline of Guthrie’s last known movements. Law enforcement sources told CBS News that officials are using a “signal sniffer” on a helicopter to detect electronic pulses from the pacemaker.
David Kennedy, a former National Security Agency hacker who provided the signal-tracking technology, told CNN that helicopters must fly low to the ground to detect the device. Kennedy noted the distance required to ping a signal is very low.
Tracy Walder, a former CIA and FBI agent, told People Magazine the “signal sniffer” technology is experimental. Walder said a helicopter must hover near the pacemaker to be effective.
“I don’t know how effective it’s going to be in finding Nancy’s pacemaker because you have to be just 30 to 100 feet from the pacemaker, it’s hard to detect,” Walder said. “So a helicopter has to hover low and slow in one particular area to look for it. I don’t think that’s practical. They need to know where they are looking.”
Nancy Guthrie, the mother of journalist Savannah Guthrie, was last seen on Jan. 31. Her family dropped her off at her Tucson residence at 9:48 p.m. that evening. Guthrie’s garage door closed two minutes later at 9:50 p.m. That was the last time she was seen.
Several hours later, at 1:47 a.m. on Feb. 1, her doorbell camera was disconnected. The camera briefly detected a person at 2:12 a.m. Authorities believe an armed, masked man seen on the camera video abducted Guthrie during the early morning hours.
At 2:28 a.m., Guthrie’s pacemaker disconnected from a monitoring app on her cellphone. Investigators are now using this data to possibly narrow the geographic scope of the search.
In an X post, the FBI’s Phoenix office described the suspect as a male between 5 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall with an average build, as per an X post. He was armed and wearing a black 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has stated that investigators have ruled out Guthrie’s relatives as potential suspects. The department continues to follow leads regarding the unidentified intruder.
On Feb. 17, the sheriff’s department announced on X that DNA evidence found on gloves two miles from the home did not yield a match. Authorities ran the profile through national databases without success.
The gloves were similar to those worn by the person seen on the doorbell camera. Despite the lack of a DNA match, the search remains focused on the area surrounding the residence.
Savannah Guthrie used Instagram on Feb. 15 to appeal for information regarding her mother’s whereabouts. She urged anyone with knowledge of the case to contact law enforcement.
A $100,000 reward is available for information leading to Guthrie’s recovery or an arrest. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI are managing the tip lines for the ongoing investigation.
Anyone with actionable information is asked to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Pima County Deputies Deploy ‘Signal Sniffer’ to Find Nancy Guthrie
Authorities deployed experimental tracking tools to detect the pacemaker of the 84-year-old woman missing from her Tucson home.
By Kate Byrd
Published: February 19, 2026 8:45 am ET
Left: Unknown masked assailant on surveillance video, Right: Nancy Guthrie (via Pima County Sheriff’s Department/Instagram)
TUCSON, AZ — Pima County sheriff’s deputies are consulting with a medical manufacturer to analyze pacemaker data and using a “signal sniffer” in the search for Nancy Guthrie.
Investigators are working with experts to locate the device and establish an timeline of Guthrie’s last known movements. Law enforcement sources told CBS News that officials are using a “signal sniffer” on a helicopter to detect electronic pulses from the pacemaker.
David Kennedy, a former National Security Agency hacker who provided the signal-tracking technology, told CNN that helicopters must fly low to the ground to detect the device. Kennedy noted the distance required to ping a signal is very low.
Tracy Walder, a former CIA and FBI agent, told People Magazine the “signal sniffer” technology is experimental. Walder said a helicopter must hover near the pacemaker to be effective.
“I don’t know how effective it’s going to be in finding Nancy’s pacemaker because you have to be just 30 to 100 feet from the pacemaker, it’s hard to detect,” Walder said. “So a helicopter has to hover low and slow in one particular area to look for it. I don’t think that’s practical. They need to know where they are looking.”
Nancy Guthrie, the mother of journalist Savannah Guthrie, was last seen on Jan. 31. Her family dropped her off at her Tucson residence at 9:48 p.m. that evening. Guthrie’s garage door closed two minutes later at 9:50 p.m. That was the last time she was seen.
Several hours later, at 1:47 a.m. on Feb. 1, her doorbell camera was disconnected. The camera briefly detected a person at 2:12 a.m. Authorities believe an armed, masked man seen on the camera video abducted Guthrie during the early morning hours.
At 2:28 a.m., Guthrie’s pacemaker disconnected from a monitoring app on her cellphone. Investigators are now using this data to possibly narrow the geographic scope of the search.
In an X post, the FBI’s Phoenix office described the suspect as a male between 5 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall with an average build, as per an X post. He was armed and wearing a black 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has stated that investigators have ruled out Guthrie’s relatives as potential suspects. The department continues to follow leads regarding the unidentified intruder.
On Feb. 17, the sheriff’s department announced on X that DNA evidence found on gloves two miles from the home did not yield a match. Authorities ran the profile through national databases without success.
The gloves were similar to those worn by the person seen on the doorbell camera. Despite the lack of a DNA match, the search remains focused on the area surrounding the residence.
Savannah Guthrie used Instagram on Feb. 15 to appeal for information regarding her mother’s whereabouts. She urged anyone with knowledge of the case to contact law enforcement.
A $100,000 reward is available for information leading to Guthrie’s recovery or an arrest. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI are managing the tip lines for the ongoing investigation.
Anyone with actionable information is asked to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Pima County Deputies Deploy ‘Signal Sniffer’ to Find Nancy Guthrie
Authorities deployed experimental tracking tools to detect the pacemaker of the 84-year-old woman missing from her Tucson home.
By Kate Byrd
Published: February 19, 2026 8:45 am ET
Left: Unknown masked assailant on surveillance video, Right: Nancy Guthrie (via Pima County Sheriff’s Department/Instagram)
TUCSON, AZ — Pima County sheriff’s deputies are consulting with a medical manufacturer to analyze pacemaker data and using a “signal sniffer” in the search for Nancy Guthrie.
Investigators are working with experts to locate the device and establish an timeline of Guthrie’s last known movements. Law enforcement sources told CBS News that officials are using a “signal sniffer” on a helicopter to detect electronic pulses from the pacemaker.
David Kennedy, a former National Security Agency hacker who provided the signal-tracking technology, told CNN that helicopters must fly low to the ground to detect the device. Kennedy noted the distance required to ping a signal is very low.
Tracy Walder, a former CIA and FBI agent, told People Magazine the “signal sniffer” technology is experimental. Walder said a helicopter must hover near the pacemaker to be effective.
“I don’t know how effective it’s going to be in finding Nancy’s pacemaker because you have to be just 30 to 100 feet from the pacemaker, it’s hard to detect,” Walder said. “So a helicopter has to hover low and slow in one particular area to look for it. I don’t think that’s practical. They need to know where they are looking.”
Nancy Guthrie, the mother of journalist Savannah Guthrie, was last seen on Jan. 31. Her family dropped her off at her Tucson residence at 9:48 p.m. that evening. Guthrie’s garage door closed two minutes later at 9:50 p.m. That was the last time she was seen.
Several hours later, at 1:47 a.m. on Feb. 1, her doorbell camera was disconnected. The camera briefly detected a person at 2:12 a.m. Authorities believe an armed, masked man seen on the camera video abducted Guthrie during the early morning hours.
At 2:28 a.m., Guthrie’s pacemaker disconnected from a monitoring app on her cellphone. Investigators are now using this data to possibly narrow the geographic scope of the search.
In an X post, the FBI’s Phoenix office described the suspect as a male between 5 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall with an average build, as per an X post. He was armed and wearing a black 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has stated that investigators have ruled out Guthrie’s relatives as potential suspects. The department continues to follow leads regarding the unidentified intruder.
On Feb. 17, the sheriff’s department announced on X that DNA evidence found on gloves two miles from the home did not yield a match. Authorities ran the profile through national databases without success.
The gloves were similar to those worn by the person seen on the doorbell camera. Despite the lack of a DNA match, the search remains focused on the area surrounding the residence.
Savannah Guthrie used Instagram on Feb. 15 to appeal for information regarding her mother’s whereabouts. She urged anyone with knowledge of the case to contact law enforcement.
A $100,000 reward is available for information leading to Guthrie’s recovery or an arrest. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI are managing the tip lines for the ongoing investigation.
Anyone with actionable information is asked to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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