More than seven months after 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson, Arizona, home, one of the biggest questions surrounding the investigation is no longer simply where is Nancy?

It is this:

Could prosecutors ever build a homicide case if Nancy’s remains are never found?

For now, there is no public answer to what ultimately happened to Nancy. She remains missing, no suspect has been publicly charged in connection with her disappearance, and investigators continue to seek information that could help locate her or determine who was involved. The FBI has offered a reward for information leading to her recovery and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible.

But legal experts say the absence of a body would not automatically make a future homicide prosecution impossible.

THE DISAPPEARANCE THAT LEFT INVESTIGATORS WITH A DISTURBING TRAIL

Nancy was last seen at her residence in the Catalina Foothills area of Tucson on the evening of January 31, 2026. She was reported missing the following day.

The FBI describes Nancy as a vulnerable adult who has difficulty walking, uses a pacemaker and requires daily medication for a heart condition.

Those circumstances have made her disappearance particularly concerning to investigators and her family.

Authorities have also released surveillance footage connected to the investigation.

The FBI says one video shows an individual appearing to interfere with a camera at Nancy’s front door around the time of her disappearance. Investigators are asking the public for information that could help identify that person.

THE EVIDENCE — AND THE QUESTIONS IT DOESN’T ANSWER

Evidence reportedly recovered from Nancy’s home has become an important part of the investigation.

But even potentially significant forensic evidence does not automatically answer every question.

Investigators still need to establish a reliable timeline.

Who entered the home?

What happened after Nancy was last seen?

Was she taken somewhere else?

Who may have had access to the property?

And most importantly — where is Nancy now?

Until those questions are answered, investigators must continue examining multiple possibilities while following the evidence.

CAN A HOMICIDE CASE EXIST WITHOUT A BODY?

Yes, in principle.

A homicide prosecution does not necessarily require prosecutors to recover a victim’s remains.

In a so-called “no-body” homicide case, prosecutors may attempt to establish that a person died through a combination of circumstantial, forensic, digital and other evidence.

But that does not make such a case easy.

Prosecutors would generally need to present evidence strong enough to establish that a death occurred and connect a specific defendant to the crime beyond the applicable legal standard.

That is very different from simply proving that someone disappeared.

WHY NANCY’S CASE COULD BE ESPECIALLY CHALLENGING

The lack of a publicly identified suspect is one of the major unanswered questions.

Evidence suggesting that someone may have entered a home or interfered with a camera could potentially become important to investigators, but it does not by itself identify who was responsible for Nancy’s disappearance or establish her ultimate fate.

That distinction matters.

A missing-person investigation and a homicide prosecution require different kinds of proof.

Investigators must first determine what happened before prosecutors could potentially build a criminal case around those facts.

FINDING NANCY WOULD CHANGE EVERYTHING

Legal experts have emphasized that recovering Nancy’s remains would provide investigators with potentially crucial evidence.

Depending on the condition and circumstances, remains can help investigators establish identity, timing and other facts relevant to a death investigation.

But even without that evidence, investigators can continue building a case through other sources.

The FBI notes that forensic DNA evidence can be used to establish associations between crime-scene evidence and individuals, while DNA databases can also assist in identifying unknown profiles or unidentified remains.

That is why every piece of evidence can matter — from surveillance footage and digital records to forensic testing and witness accounts.

THE SEARCH REMAINS CRITICAL

For investigators, continued searches are about more than simply finding Nancy.

A successful search could potentially provide evidence capable of answering questions that currently remain unresolved.

Even when searches do not immediately produce a breakthrough, investigators can use the process to examine possible locations and test competing explanations.

The FBI continues to ask the public to submit photographs, doorbell-camera footage and other digital information that could help establish Nancy’s whereabouts.

RUMORS HAVE ALSO SURROUNDED THE CASE

As public interest has grown, unconfirmed reports and theories have circulated online.

But speculation is not evidence.

Reports claiming that Nancy may have been found elsewhere have not resulted in an official confirmation that she has been located.

For that reason, the distinction between confirmed facts, investigative theories and online rumors remains extremely important.

Nancy is still officially considered missing.

A FAMILY STILL WAITING FOR ANSWERS

While investigators examine evidence and legal experts discuss what could happen in a future prosecution, Nancy’s family continues to face the uncertainty of not knowing what happened to her.

Her daughter, Savannah Guthrie, has publicly continued to appeal for information and has spoken about the family’s desire to bring Nancy home.

For the family, the legal question is secondary to a much more personal one:

Where is Nancy?

THE BIGGEST MYSTERY REMAINS UNSOLVED

Could prosecutors eventually pursue a homicide case without recovering Nancy’s body?

Legally, it is possible.

But whether such a case could actually be built would depend entirely on the evidence investigators are able to establish.

At this point, authorities have not publicly confirmed Nancy’s fate, and no suspect has been charged in connection with her disappearance.

So the biggest questions remain unanswered:

Who was the person seen near Nancy’s home?

What happened after she disappeared?

Where is Nancy Guthrie?

And perhaps most importantly:

Will investigators find the evidence needed to finally explain what happened?

For now, the search continues — and every new piece of information could become critical to solving the mystery.