Two men detained and subsequently released in connection with the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie are still considered persons of interest, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said in a recent interview. The individuals were not formally charged and were released after questioning.

Nanos clarified that releasing individuals does not equate to clearing them, stating, "Because we didn’t make an arrest, or released some people, it just means that we don’t have enough to hold you." He indicated that investigators' radar still includes these men.

One person of interest, identified as delivery driver Carlos Palazuelos, was questioned for eight hours on February 10 in Rio Rico, near the Mexican border, and his home was searched. Another unnamed man was stopped on February 13 near Guthrie's neighborhood, with his vehicle impounded during an overnight operation. On the same night, authorities raided a house and questioned three individuals inside.

The sheriff emphasized that evidence obtained, including that leading to search warrants, remains viable. "The evidence we’ve obtained, who knows, maybe a day from now, a month from now, a year from now, somebody might call in and say, ‘Oh you missed this.’ And guess what? We’ll go back," Nanos told ABC 15.

When asked if detectives are actively investigating the two men, Nanos declined to comment. These statements appear to contrast with earlier assertions from the sheriff's office that suggested the detained men and the three others questioned were fully cleared.

Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie, vanished on February 1. This upcoming Saturday will mark six months since her disappearance, with few clues and no official suspects. Security camera footage reportedly shows a masked man at her door in the early hours of February 1, 2026, and DNA evidence was reportedly found in her home.

Nanos expressed continued optimism about solving the case. "We have so much DNA to sort through. We have so much in terms of video evidence to look at. So I’m still positive that we’re going to resolve this case," he told NBC, responding to a recent plea from Savannah Guthrie to the abductors to "do the right thing."