The family of Nancy Guthrie are not suspects in her kidnapping, the sheriff has confirmed.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said her family, including “all siblings and spouses”, had been cooperative and gracious as authorities investigated the kidnapping.
Mr Nanos said: “To suggest otherwise is not only wrong, it is cruel. The Guthrie family are victims plain and simple.”
It comes as the case involving the mother of Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie entered its third week.
On Sunday, investigators said they had obtained a DNA sample from a glove found near the Arizona home of Nancy, 84, which appears to match the pair worn by a masked prowler seen in doorbell camera footage before she was abducted.
Nancy was last seen on 31 January when her family dropped her off at her home near Tucson following dinner with them.
Relatives reported her missing the following day, authorities said.
Mr Nanos added that Nancy, who has a pacemaker, was extremely limited in her physical mobility and could not have left her home unassisted, leading investigators to believe she had been taken against her will early on.
Since her disappearance, at least two purported ransom notes have surfaced.
Both were initially delivered to media outlets, but there has been no known direct contact between Ms Guthrie’s presumed captors and her family, or with authorities.
Read more:
FBI releases details about Nancy Guthrie suspect
America holds its breath as search for Nancy Guthrie enters third week
Traces of blood on her front porch were later confirmed by DNA tests to have come from Ms Guthrie, officials said last week.
She is described by law enforcement and family members as being in frail health and in need of daily medication to survive.
Savannah, 54, is co-anchor of the popular NBC show and has shared several video messages along with her brother, Camron Guthrie and sister, Annie Guthrie.
Together, they have been pleading for their mother’s return and are appealing for information from the public.
Mr Nanos said there had been no proof of life since the abduction but added “there’s not been any proof of death either”.
He added that his working assumption is that she remains alive.
