Investigators searching for missing Arizona grandmother Nancy Guthrie are now working directly with Mexican authorities as they widen the hunt for her suspected kidnapper beyond the U.S. border.
Law enforcement sources say the FBI has contacted federal and local agencies in Mexico to circulate information about Guthrie and the masked man believed to have taken her from her Tucson-area home in the early hours of 1 February.
Officials stress there is still no confirmed evidence that the 84-year-old was moved across the border, but they say the possibility cannot be ruled out because of southern Arizona's proximity to Mexico and recent tips suggesting a cross-border connection, according to 6ABC.
The latest outreach comes after a series of ransom notes, some sent to media outlets, claimed Guthrie was seen alive in Mexico and urged investigators to "go international" in their search for the suspect.
TMZ reported receiving a new message in which the writer insisted Guthrie had been taken south of the border and hinted that more than one person was involved, claims investigators are treating with caution as they try to verify the source's credibility.
Authorities say they have already checked Border Patrol cameras and other electronic data from the hours after Guthrie was abducted, but have found no clear sign of her crossing into Mexico at that time.
Even so, officials note there are ways to evade detection at the border and say the expanded coordination with Mexican counterparts is part of a broader effort to "shake the trees" for any lead that could identify the kidnapper.
Doorbell camera images released last week showed an armed man wearing a mask, gloves, and a backpack approaching Guthrie's front door shortly before she vanished, a key piece of evidence that helped trigger a nationwide appeal for tips.
Investigators have since focused on DNA recovered inside the home and on clothing items believed to match those seen in the footage, including gear sold at big-box retailers.
Guthrie, the mother of "Today" show anchor Savannah Guthrie, has now been missing for nearly three weeks, and officials warn that each passing day heightens concern for her safety.
The sheriff leading the case has pleaded publicly with the abductor to release her and insists the investigation remains active, not cold, even as it stretches into a third week without an arrest, as per ABC News.
