Nancy Guthrie Case: Missing Damaged Utility Box Probed as Search Goes Into Week 5

A damaged utility box may hold a key clue in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today host Savannah Guthrie, as investigators continue searching for answers five weeks after she vanished.

The vandalized box was discovered near Nancy’s home in the Catalina Foothills, located in Pima County. Authorities are now investigating whether the damage could have disrupted internet service in the neighborhood, possibly interfering with security cameras.

On Sunday, March 8, a spokesperson for the Pima County Sheriff's Department confirmed to News 4 Tucson that investigators are aware of the potential evidence.

"It is being reviewed as part of the ongoing investigation. At this time, we do not have any more information to release,” the spokesperson said.

Nancy was last seen on January 31, and investigators have been steadily following every possible lead.

As OK! previously reported, NBC reporter Liz Kreutz shared an update on Friday, March 6, revealing that detectives returned to Nancy’s neighborhood on Thursday, March 5, to knock on doors again.

Investigators were asking residents if they noticed "any issues or disruptions with their internet service” the night Nancy disappeared.

Liz said she spoke to "three different homeowners," who explained that investigators told them "that several people in the area mentioned glitches with their internet" that evening.

She also revealed she asked Sheriff Chris Nanos during a Monday, March 2, interview whether the masked suspect captured on surveillance video at Nancy’s home could have used a Wi-Fi jammer.

"All he would say is that his investigators, along with the FBI, are looking at every angle of that surveillance video," she said.

However, the neighbors Liz spoke with couldn’t provide much insight. Many told her they were "either asleep or not home" the night Nancy vanished, so they didn’t notice any possible internet outages.

Chris later shared another update during an interview that aired on Today on Monday, March 9.

According to the sheriff, investigators are “definitely closer” to identifying the suspect seen in the surveillance footage.

"There’s so much that everybody wants to know, but I would be very neglectful, irresponsible as a police, law enforcement leader, to share that with everybody," Chris said.

Meanwhile, another development sparked concern online over the weekend.

An adult woman’s body was discovered along a canal in Phoenix, roughly 100 miles from Nancy’s home. After the discovery, speculation quickly spread on social media suggesting the remains could belong to the 84-year-old.

However, officials with the Pima County Sheriff's Office quickly shut down those rumors.

Authorities told TMZ they have "not been notified of any connection reference that case to the Nancy Guthrie case.”

Police also shared more details about the discovery.

“Details on the call indicated that an adult female was on the nearby canal bank and was unresponsive,” the police said in a statement. “When officers arrived, they located the woman, who was ultimately pronounced deceased on scene.”

The investigation into Nancy’s disappearance remains ongoing.