An Arizona fifth-grade teacher says his family has been living in fear after online sleuths wrongly identified him as a suspect in the mysterious kidnapping of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, turning his life into what he described as a “nightmare.”
Dominic Evans, 48, a married father of three from Tucson, revealed that he and his wife spent nights hiding inside their home with the lights turned off, terrified they were being watched or followed.
The panic began after Evans’ name started circulating on social media in connection with the high-profile disappearance, despite authorities never naming him as a suspect.
Evans told investigators he had only met Guthrie once, more than a decade ago, but amateur online investigators linked him to the case after discovering he played in a band with her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni — the last known person to see her before she vanished on February 1.
Soon after, Evans’ address was shared online, and strangers began showing up outside his house late at night, believing he was involved in the alleged abduction.
“I feel like someone’s taken my name,” Evans said, expressing anguish over the online speculation. His wife, Andrea, a school principal, said the experience left her “scared numb,” adding that the family was too frightened to even pick up their children out of fear someone might follow them home.
Authorities later interviewed Evans once during the investigation but never considered him a suspect. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos condemned the rumors, saying Evans was “going through hell” and suggesting he consider legal action against those spreading false claims.
Online rumours fueled by coincidence and old arrest
The speculation gained traction after online sleuths claimed Evans resembled a masked individual seen tampering with Guthrie’s doorbell camera in surveillance footage released by investigators.
Others pointed to a decades-old minor arrest in 1999, when Evans drunkenly stole a calculator from a bar, to support their baseless theories.
The rumors intensified further when a SWAT team operation in the area drew crowds near Evans’ home, with some mistakenly believing authorities were targeting him. In reality, the police were searching a different location nearly 30 minutes away.
As fear and stress mounted, Evans was forced to take time off work and remained largely confined to his home. His family members were eventually cleared of any involvement, along with Guthrie’s relatives, but the emotional toll remains significant.
Meanwhile, the search for Nancy Guthrie continues to intensify. Her daughter, Savannah Guthrie, has announced a reward of up to USD 1 million for information leading to her recovery, as authorities and the FBI pursue fresh leads.
Investigators have not identified any suspects so far, and the case has now entered its fourth week, with officials still hoping for a breakthrough in the baffling disappearance.
