As the search continues for Nancy Guthrie, Tuesday also marks National Missing Persons Day, a reminder that her disappearance is just one of many cases still waiting for answers in Southern Arizona and across the country.
For volunteer search and rescue teams in the region, their work can sometime take them from the elements of mother nature to urban neighborhoods.
“Sometimes we are called out for these more urban searches,” said Amy Di Miceli with the Southern Arizona Rescue Association. “These are typically involving dementia walkaways or someone with special needs who may have wandered away from their home.”
The Southern Arizona Rescue Association assisted the Pima County Sheriff’s Department over the weekend as deputies continued searching for Guthrie, whose case has drawn national attention and prompted a strong response from the local community.
Neighbors near Guthrie’s home say they quickly stepped in to help once word spread.
“I’m a neighborhood watch lead so we sent out an alert to all the neighbors in our neighborhood,” said Jan Henry, who lives nearby.
While Guthrie’s case has captured widespread attention, data from the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System shows the issue extends far beyond a single search. Nearly 300 people have gone missing or been murdered in Tucson since 1980, with many of those cases still unsolved.
Search teams say time is one of the most critical factors in any missing person case.
“Time is of the essence, of course,” Di Miceli said. “We want to find that person as soon as possible.”
Despite a common myth, there is no required waiting period to report someone missing, especially when every second matters.
As the search for Guthrie continues, authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward.
“We make a plea to anyone who knows anything about this, who has seen something, heard something to contact us,” said Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos.
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Kenny Darr is a reporter for KGUN 9. He joined the team in January 2023. Before arriving in Arizona he was an Anchor and Reporter at KADN in Lafayette, LA. Share your story ideas with Kenny by emailing kenny.darr@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
