Did A Foreign Cartel Kidnap Nancy Guthrie? How Are Kayla Day And Luke Daley Related To Traffic Ring?

The search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has stretched on into its 3rd week, and there is still no trace of her. More than 100 law enforcement officials, including the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, the FBI, and the SWAT, are working day and night following all possible leads about the elderly woman.

As is often seen in high-profile investigations, Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance has sparked waves of social media speculation and theories about her whereabouts. Amid the fruitless search, the internet has started wondering whether a foreign drug cartel could be behind her disappearance. Here’s why social media users don’t want to rule out this possibility. 

How did the foreign cartel theory come up in Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance?

Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported missing from her Tucson home in Arizona’s Catalina Foothills area on February 1, 2026, after allegedly being taken against her will overnight. Evidence found at the scene, including traces of blood and doorbell camera footage, has convinced law enforcement officials that Nancy was abducted. But even after 16 days, no suspect or person of interest has been arrested or publicly named.

Amid rising curiosity about Nancy’s mysterious disappearance and limited official updates, social media users have come up with their own theories about the Guthrie matriarch’s whereabouts. One of the popular theories dominating platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit is that Nancy has been taken across the border to Mexico. Several users have pointed to Tucson’s proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border, suggesting that the abduction could very much be a cross-border crime. 

Many internet users have taken a step further and mentioned the Sinaloa Cartel, the transnational criminal organisation infamously known to be one of the world’s most powerful drug-trafficking syndicates. One user wrote on Facebook, “I believe the Nancy Guthrie disappearance may be a retaliatory abduction perpetrated by a cartel. Tucson is only 70 miles North of Mexico.” Another voiced the cartel connection and wrote, “Nancy Guthrie lives only 60 miles from Mexico. Could the Sinaloa drug cartel gang be responsible for her kidnapping?”

The confusion deepened after locals of Tucson, along with other users, spotted law enforcement vehicles at Rio Rico region, even detaining the first person of interest in Nancy Guthrie’s case from the area. On social media, users shared screenshots of a medical helicopter making rounds between Rio Rico and Tucson, leading many to speculate that Nancy had been transported after a “high-risk operation.”

Who are Kayle Noel Day and Luke Daley, and what’s their alleged cartel connection?

Image: channel2now.com

The cartel theory again emerged after the detention of two individuals, Kayla Noel Day and Luke Daley, who were taken in after a gray Range Rover was seized from a Culver’s Restaurant parking lot in the late hours of February 12, 2026. While law enforcement has not disclosed the specific charges against them, some unverified reports circulating online claim that the two individuals were previously linked to a 2025 indictment related to drug trafficking. 

An X user going by the name @ChrisRoach513 highlighted a screengrab of an unverified report that claimed Luke Daley and his associate, Kayla Noel Day, were arrested in 2025 for their alleged involvement in drug trafficking charges. While there has been no official evidence to confirm the allegations, their names and possible cartel connection have raised many eyebrows. Many users are now wondering if their backgrounds could help link Nancy Guthrie. Authorities have not confirmed these claims. 

How valid are these claims in Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapping case?

Let’s break down the facts from speculation. Contrary to popular public claims that Nancy Guthrie’s residence is located in proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border (around 60 to 70 miles), geographically, Tucson is around 568 miles away from the area, and even further away from Mexico’s key cartel strongholds. Regarding the medical helicopter scouting the area, local reporters later confirmed from officials that it was unrelated to Nancy Guthrie’s case.

The curiosity around a cross-border cartel involvement heightened after the cops detained a delivery driver, Carlos Palazuelos, as the first person of interest in Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance. Carlos was detained during a traffic stop near the U.S.-Mexico border, following which the officials searched his home in Rio Rico. However, he was later released after questioning, and no involvement was found.

What officials are saying about these claims

So far, law enforcement has fielded more than 30,000 tips surrounding Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapping. The FBI is also analysing the four ransom notes sent to media outlets to date, and one individual has already been detained for sending a fake note. For now, there is no official confirmation about anything regarding a foreign cartel in the ongoing investigation.

On Friday, February 12, 2026, the same question was raised to Donald Trump during a press meet outside the White House. Trump was reportedly asked if the drug cartels or another “nation state” could be potentially involved in Nancy Guthrie’s abduction. The President said it was still too early to determine. He said:

“You can’t say that yet. It’s a little bit early. But it’s somebody [who] either knew what they were doing very well, or they were rank amateurs. Either way, it’s not a good situation”.

For now, officials are urging the public to rely on verified updates, not viral theories. There is no confirmed evidence linking any cartel, cross-border group, or foreign body to Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance. Meanwhile, the Guthrie siblings, along with Savannah’s husband, Michael Feldman, and Annie’s husband, Tommaso Cioni, have been cleared of being labelled suspects in the case. Sheriff Chris Nanos, who has been actively involved in Nancy Guthrie’s investigation, has publicly pushed back against the various pieces of misinformation circulating online.

For now, Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapping case remains active, with more speculation than facts. Authorities have not announced formal conclusions regarding motive or definitive links.

Also Read: Who Are Kayla Noel Day And Luke Daley? New Names Emerge In Nancy Guthrie Kidnapping Case