Thirty days after 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her Tucson, Arizona home, her daughter Savannah made her first confirmed public appearance since the disappearance — laying yellow flowers and a handwritten note at a growing tribute outside her mother's home. The emotional milestone came on the same day that Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos personally declared his belief that Nancy is alive, and a former FBI special agent publicly signaled that a federal takeover of the investigation may be imminent.

Savannah and Siblings Leave Flowers, Heartfelt Note

According to NBC News, Savannah Guthrie visited the tribute outside her mother's Catalina Foothills home alongside her sister Annie and brother Camron on Monday, March 2. The siblings left a handwritten note that read in part: "Momma, We miss you so much! Our hearts are broken. We are standing on ash, scorched earth! But, mom, though we are surrounded by so much darkness and uncertainty, our love burns bright."

Savannah subsequently shared a photo of the tribute on social media, writing: "We feel the love and prayers from our neighbors, from the Tucson community and from around the country... please don't stop praying and hoping with us. bring her home."

It was the first time Savannah had been seen publicly since her mother was reported missing on February 1, when Nancy failed to appear at a friend's home for an online church service. The TODAY co-anchor was last seen with her family on the evening of January 31.

Sheriff Makes Personal Plea: 'I Believe Nancy Guthrie Is Alive'

In a Monday interview, Sheriff Nanos offered his most explicit statement yet about Nancy's fate. "I personally believe Nancy Guthrie is alive," he told NBC News. "That's my personal opinion, but that's because I put faith in. That's just who I am." Nanos also expressed confidence in the trajectory of the investigation, saying, "I think the investigators are definitely closer" and that he has "full faith, full confidence, they're going to solve this."

Nanos noted that investigators have been working through "thousands" of leads since Nancy's disappearance, and added that DNA remains a key area of focus. "We're looking at a lot of DNA, but that's still being researched and worked," he said, according to NBC News.

Former FBI Agent: Federal Takeover May Be Near

One of the most significant developments of the day came from outside the official investigation. Former FBI Special Agent Jennifer Coffindaffer publicly declared that the presence of federal prosecutors at Nancy's home is "great news," writing on social media that it means prosecutors "are engaged in this case and that they're looking for federal charges in the future," according to Men's Journal.

Coffindaffer stated she believes the FBI is moving to "oversee Nancy's case in a Task Force setting" and called the U.S. Attorney's Office presence "a pretty darn good indication" of an impending FBI case takeover. She cited 18 USC 1201 — the federal kidnapping statute's 24-hour presumption — as the "clear federal nexus" for such a move.

Coffindaffer also pointed to what she described as friction between the agencies involved, noting: "I think there is a certain amount of incongruency with what has gone on between the sheriff's office, perhaps, and federal authorities... It might be time for a change in command." Fox 10 Phoenix reported that over the weekend, the Pima County Sheriff's Department said it was "refocusing resources" in the case, which has reportedly been handed to a task force of homicide detectives and FBI agents.

Detained Man Breaks His Silence

Luke Daley, 37, publicly broke his silence Monday about being detained during a SWAT operation on February 13. Speaking to People magazine, Daley emphatically denied being the masked individual seen in doorbell camera footage released by the FBI. "It is absolutely not" him in the video, he said.

Daley described the lasting personal toll of the detainment on his daily life. "I can't go anywhere. Everyone gives me dirty looks. I'd like to be able to go about my life and not have this shadow of doubt casted over me," he said. He also expressed hope for Nancy's safe return, adding: "I just want to say again that I hope that [Nancy is] safe. I hope they find her."

The Pima County Sheriff's Department confirmed to E! News that a federal search warrant was obtained and served to Daley, and that the investigation continues. No arrest has been made and no suspect has been publicly identified in connection with the abduction.

Backpack Lead Expands Beyond Walmart

Investigators are also widening their search for the distinctive Ozark Trail backpack seen in the doorbell camera footage. The black 25-liter pack had previously been described as exclusive to Walmart when purchased new, leading investigators to focus on the retailer's in-store and online sales records. Sheriff Nanos confirmed Monday that his team is now also considering whether the backpack may have been purchased through a resale website. "What I'm saying is, there's all kinds of angles," he told NBC News.

Background: What We Know

Nancy Guthrie, described by the FBI as a "vulnerable adult" who has difficulty walking, has a pacemaker, and requires daily medication for a heart condition, vanished from the Catalina Foothills home she shared with her daughter Annie. Blood confirmed as hers was found inside the residence, alongside signs of forced entry, according to IBTimes. The FBI has released footage of a masked, armed man appearing to tamper with her doorbell camera in the early morning hours of February 1.

A combined reward of approximately $1,202,500 is currently being offered for Nancy's recovery, including a $1 million family reward — payable in cash and anonymously — and a $100,000 FBI reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction, according to NBC News. The family has also pledged a $500,000 donation to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The FBI has said it is looking for a male suspect between 5 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall with an average build. Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

What to Watch For Next

With a former FBI agent publicly suggesting a formal federal takeover of the case may be imminent, attention will focus on whether the U.S. Attorney's Office takes any formal action and whether the FBI assumes command through the reported task force structure. The status of DNA evidence being processed — previously described as presenting "challenges" at a private Florida lab — is another key development to watch. Sheriff Nanos's statement that investigators are "definitely closer" raises the question of whether that confidence will translate into a named suspect or an arrest in the days ahead.