The Pima County Sheriff’s department arrested an individual in front of Nancy Guthrie’s home Thursday evening. However, the arrest did not appear to be tied to the disappearance of “Today” anchor Savannah Guthrie‘s missing mother.
“On June 11, 2026, just before 5 p.m., deputies with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department arrested 54-year-old Alexander Zabel Jr. in front of Nancy Guthrie’s home,” the sheriff’s department shared in a statement posted to X. “PCSD had received several complaints regarding Mr. Zabel’s behavior. At the time of the incident, Mr. Zabel was live streaming from outside the residence. Deputies made contact with him and, during the arrest process, a PCSD sergeant was knocked to the ground.”
The statement continued: “Mr. Zabel was subsequently taken into custody without further incident and booked into the Pima County Adult Detention Complex. He is facing charges of resisting arrest (Class 6 felony) and public nuisance (Class 2 misdemeanor).”
The update came hours after the sheriff’s department also addressed a search for a grave site in Mexico prompted by an anonymous tip claiming to know the whereabouts of Guthrie’s alleged remains.
“We are aware of reports regarding an anonymous tip related to the Nancy Guthrie investigation that was provided to a group in Mexico,” the sheriff’s office said earlier on Thursday. “At this time, we have not been contacted by Mexican authorities.”
They continued: “This investigation remains active and ongoing, and we will continue to follow up on any credible information.”
Ramona Guadalupe Ayala Ortiz, the head of Buscando Corazones Nogales, a group known for assisting in locating missing people in Mexico, previously told El Imparcial that they received a tip on Wednesday relating to the “Today” anchor’s 84-year-old mother. Specifically, Ayala Ortiz shared that the group was given an anonymous tip-off that the Guthrie matriarch, who was seemingly taken from her Tucson, Ariz. home back in February, was buried in an unmarked grave near the border.
However, the search for Guthrie came up empty.
The Guthrie matriarch was last seen on the evening of Jan. 31, when family dropped her off at her Tucson home following a dinner and a game night. However, by late-midday on Feb. 1, the elder Guthrie was reported missing after she didn’t show up at a friend’s place to watch a virtual church service. Pima County investigators later shared that they believed Guthrie was taken against her will.
Guthrie’s security camera, which had been disabled, later revealed images of a man in a ski mask, jacket, gloves and a backpack outside her property. FBI Phoenix later described the suspect “as a male, approximately 5’9” – 5’10” tall, with an average build.”
Savannah, along with her siblings, have made several public pleas for their mother’s safe return.
No one has been arrested or named a suspect in connection with Guthrie’s disappearance, despite multiple searches, analyzed DNA, alleged ransom notes and more.
