Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos admitted the search for Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy, could take “years.”
After hitting several dead ends in the investigation, the weary sheriff promised that his team would remain dedicated to finding Guthrie — even if their search goes on for longer than intended.
“Maybe it’s an hour from now,” Nanos told the New York Times on Friday. “Maybe it’s weeks or months or years from now. But we won’t quit. We’re going to find Nancy. We’re going to find this guy.”
The update arrived shortly after authorities believed they had received a break in their investigation after they detained a delivery driver, Carlos Palazuelos, for questioning on Tuesday.
However, the high was short-lived after Palazuelos allegedly told law enforcement officials he had no knowledge of the “Today” show host or her 84-year-old mother. He was released shortly after.
“This has to to be it, the evidence, everything’s there,” Sheriff Nanos told the outlet on Friday, reflecting on what he called a fleeting high in the 13-day search.
“Then you talk to people, you learn, you do your search, and you think, ‘Maybe not.’”
“It’s exhausting, these ups and downs,” the Sheriff continued before promising that the investigation will continue on. “But we will keep moving forward.”
In the most recent updates, authorities revealed on Friday that officers collected DNA evidence from Nancy’s residence that did not belong to anyone in “close contact” with the grandmother.
Without sharing where the evidence was located, a spokesperson for the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said “Investigators are working to identify who it belongs to.”
Earlier this week, it was reported that law officials took DNA samples from hired workers around Nancy’s residence.
On Friday night, at least four people were detainedfor questioning as the investigation into Nancy’s purported abduction drags on into its second week.
A SWAT team with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department swarmed a home and vehicle located near Nancy’s property and executed a search warrant on the home after receiving a tip.
As a result, two men and one of their mothers were taken into custody. An additional man believed to have connections to the home was brought in for questioning after police stopped his Range Rover at a Culver’s parking lot.
All four people were released from custody and no arrests were made.
The grandmother was last seen on Jan. 31 around 9:45 p.m. after having dinner with some family members. She was reported missing on Feb. 1 after she failed to show up for church services that Sunday.
Police, who previously speculated that Nancy was taken from her home while sleeping, released a suspect description for a male who’s approximately 5-foot-9 or 5-foot-10, with an average build on Tuesday.
The FBI also announced an increased reward of up to $100,000 “for information leading to the location of Nancy Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.”
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