Human remains discovered near the Tucson-area home of Nancy Guthrie have been confirmed as ancient and unrelated to her ongoing disappearance.
On May 7, a local YouTuber searching for the missing 84-year-old mother of “Today” host Savannah Guthrie found a bone less than five miles from her home sparking national interest.
However, experts quickly clarified that the find is not part of a criminal investigation.
University of Arizona anthropologist James T. Watson, who examined the scene revealed that the site contained an entire skeleton rather than just a single bone.
He estimates the remains belong to a Native American individual buried between several hundred and 1,000 years ago.
“All of that contextual evidence allowed me to be pretty sure that this individual was in fact Native American,” Watson explained noting that nearby ceramic artifacts “really sort of drove home that point.”
Emphasizing the gravity of the find despite its age, Watson noted, “Whether it is a thousand years old or 50 years old, these are human remains.” The skeleton has been transferred to the Tohono O’odham Nation.
Meanwhile, the search for Nancy Guthrie continues with authorities maintaining that the high-profile case remains active and that they are pursuing all available leads.
