Nancy Guthrie Update: Retired Detective Says Wanted Woman Could Hold Key Information
A retired homicide detective is weighing in on why investigators may still want to speak with a woman wanted in a separate Arizona kidnapping case, even as officials stress it is not connected to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department is searching for a 40-year-old woman named Coral Michelle Smith who is "wanted on kidnapping and assault charges involving an unidentified female victim," according to Fox News Digital's Mike Ruiz. Although the sheriff's department has confirmed that Smith's case is not related to the Guthrie case, retired homicide detective Chris McDonough says individuals tied to unrelated cases may still be approached as part of standard investigative procedure.
"In any major missing person or abduction-type of investigation, the investigators are going to cast a wide net," McDonough said on Jesse Weber Live. "This would be a very standard protocol to try to find [Smith] and see if they can connect her in any way, shape or form [to the Guthrie case]," he continued, adding, "They're going to ask her about any familiarity around the Guthrie home. What's the word on the street?"
McDonough said that while the two cases are not connected, there's always a possibility that Smith "may have information that may connect something."
Details surrounding Smith's case remain unclear, but Ruiz has reported that the unidentified female victim has been located. Smith, however, remains at large.
Guthrie, 84, has been missing since Sunday, Feb. 1. Authorities believe that she was abducted from her home in Arizona in the middle of the night. Anyone with information is asked to call Tucson's 88-Crime hotline at 1-520-882-7463 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
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This story was originally published June 11, 2026 at 10:25 AM.