Confusion and outrage erupted after a social media post from the Pima County Sheriff’s Department appeared to suggest a breakthrough in the high-profile disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. For a brief moment, many believed the missing 84-year-old had finally been found. Instead, the update referred to a completely different person. The lack of clarity sparked widespread backlash online. Now, the department is facing renewed criticism over its handling of the case.
The controversy began when the department posted a brief message late Thursday stating, “Update: Nancy has been located.” The post was actually about Nancy Radakovich, an 82-year-old missing woman who bears a resemblance to Guthrie, the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie.
However, the absence of a last name in the caption led many to assume it referred to the still-missing Nancy Guthrie. The confusion was compounded by an unclear image stamped with the word “LOCATED,” making it difficult for users to immediately distinguish between the two cases.
The reaction online was swift and emotional. “I LITERALLY THOUGHT THIS WAS NANCY GUTHRIE. THE WAY MY HEART JUST DROPPED!” one user wrote. Another blasted the department, saying, “you guys have to be absolutely brain dead to not know people would think this was Nancy Guthrie.”
Others accused the sheriff’s office of being misleading, even calling the post “clickbait” for omitting the surname. One user pointed out inconsistencies, noting that previous updates about missing persons typically included full names, asking why “THIS ONE” did not.
"You knew what you were doing with that title. What the hell!" an X user suggested.
The backlash comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the department’s handling of the Guthrie investigation. Critics have already questioned decisions such as releasing the crime scene just days after her disappearance and sending DNA evidence to a private lab in Florida instead of directly to the FBI.
Authorities responded Thursday with their first update in weeks, emphasizing that they have “worked with the FBI since the beginning” and that DNA analysis remains ongoing, including evidence such as hairs recovered from Guthrie’s home.
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Naman is a copy editor at Times Now, with over three years experience in covering US News, politics, global affairs, sports, and other domains. Apart...View More
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