The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie has become one of the most closely watched missing persons cases in the United States, with investigators still searching for answers months after she vanished from her Arizona home. Now, a veteran homicide prosecutor who specialises in so-called 'no-body' murder cases believes a prosecution could still move forward even if Nancy's remains are never recovered.
Tad DiBiase, who is dubbed 'The No Body Homicide Guy', also questioned the Pima County Sheriff's Office's decision to call off searches five weeks after Nancy went missing. Other criminal justice experts have said publicly that the evidence suggests a fatal outcome.
Why Veteran Prosecutor Tad DiBiase Believes Nancy Guthrie's Case Could Go To Trial
Speaking with NewsNation journalist Brian Entin, veteran prosecutor Tad DiBiase said he believes the case could potentially be tried without human remains if investigators gather sufficient circumstantial evidence.
DiBiase has spent the last 20 years educating police officers and prosecutors on how to bring 'no-body' murder cases to court successfully. While he acknowledged that recovering remains would be preferable, he said it is not always necessary to pursue charges, TV Insider reported. However, the expert said it would still be best to find the remains, as they would reveal the circumstances behind the incident.
'That said, it is always, always better to have a body, without a doubt, because ... if you get remains, it tells you this person left these remains here. These remains are from this long ago. ... How did she die? Did she die of natural causes because of her medical issues? And I don't mean that she walked away and died; I mean, someone kidnapped her and then all of a sudden she passed away,' he told Entin. 'So having the body gives you all of that critical, critical information. So even though my area of expertise is when you don't have a body, I always counsel [investigators to] continue to look for the body.'
DiBiase also stressed that extensive search efforts can strengthen a future prosecution by helping investigators eliminate alternative explanations for a disappearance. Prosecutors would want to show jurors that investigators conducted exhaustive searches and ruled out other explanations. 'Because you don't know that unless you've done a very thorough search and you were able to say to the jury, we can knock out these other possibilities of things happening,' he explained.
According to DiBiase, the case also stands out because it does not resemble the typical pattern seen in most 'no-body' homicide investigations. The expert said most no-body murder cases involve people who know each other, with more than half occurring within domestic relationships. He noted that a case involving an adult victim allegedly targeted by a stranger would be 'highly unusual' compared with the patterns typically seen by investigators and prosecutors.
Where Nancy Guthrie's Remains Could Be If Investigators Confirm Foul Play
During the interview, DiBiase outlined two locations where victims are most commonly concealed in no-body murder cases.
'Even given the suspected circumstances of this case...the most common disposal area for a "no body" murder is in water. Second most is what I call, sort of buried in the woods or left behind in the woods,' he explained to Parade.
DiBiase also expressed concern about the decision to end cadaver dog searches, saying there are two reasons why it is problematic. 'One is, because you overlook the opportunity to find the body, which is critical.' He added that comprehensive searches allow prosecutors to rule out scenarios such as suicide, accidental death or voluntary disappearance before presenting a case to a jury.
Why Several Experts Believe Nancy Guthrie May Already Be Dead
Nancy Guthrie, 84, has been missing for four months. Other criminal justice experts have offered sobering assessments of the case.
Retired FBI criminal profiler Jim Clemente previously suggested Nancy may have died during the alleged ransom ordeal. A second ransom note received by Savannah Guthrie and her family was an apology letter stating that Nancy had 'gone to be with God' following a heart-related medical emergency. The note expressed regret and attributed the outcome to her undisclosed heart condition.
Meanwhile, forensic psychologist Dr Gary Brucato told TMZ that Nancy may have been 'killed somewhere' else entirely. He suggested the primary crime scene may not have been her residence, raising further questions about what happened after she disappeared.
As investigators continue pursuing leads, experts remain divided on how the case will ultimately unfold. However, DiBiase's analysis highlights a growing reality facing authorities: that a homicide case could still be pursued even if Nancy Guthrie's remains are never found.
