NANCY GUTHRIE CASE: THREE POTENTIAL LEADS — AND NONE HAS YET REVEALED WHO TOOK HER

Six months after 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Arizona home, investigators are still searching for the breakthrough that could explain what happened to her.

And several developments that initially appeared promising have failed to provide the answer.

THE HAIR EVIDENCE

Investigators recovered a hair sample from Nancy’s home and subjected it to forensic testing.

But the result was inconclusive.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said the testing produced no result that pointed investigators toward a suspect.

That meant another potentially important piece of evidence did not identify the person investigators were looking for.

THEN CAME THE RANSOM NOTES

Authorities later released two ransom notes publicly in an effort to generate new leads.

Investigators believe the wording, grammar and phrasing could potentially be recognizable to someone who knows the person who wrote them.

The first note demanded money.

The second claimed Nancy had died and had been “buried in nature.”

Authorities have not confirmed that claim as fact and continue investigating Nancy’s disappearance as a kidnapping.

HUMAN REMAINS CREATED ANOTHER MOMENT OF UNCERTAINTY

In August, human remains were discovered in a desert area roughly 15 miles from Nancy’s home.

For a brief moment, the discovery raised obvious questions about whether investigators had finally found a clue to Nancy’s whereabouts.

But authorities said there was no indication the remains were connected to her disappearance, and the remains appeared to have been at the location for an extended period.

SO WHERE DOES THE CASE STAND?

Nancy remains missing.

Investigators have surveillance footage, forensic evidence and the ransom communications to work with, but publicly there is still no identified suspect.

The sheriff’s department continues asking the public to examine the ransom notes and consider whether the writing, language or other details are recognizable.

THE HAIR DIDN’T IDENTIFY A SUSPECT.

THE REMAINS WEREN’T LINKED TO NANCY.

THE RANSOM NOTES HAVE RAISED QUESTIONS — BUT NOT AN ARREST.

And that leaves the central mystery exactly where it has been for months:

Who entered Nancy Guthrie’s home that night — and where is she now?