“To suggest otherwise is not only wrong, it is cruel,” said Sheriff Chris Nanos on Monday, Feb. 16

Savannah Guthrie and mother, Nancy Guthrie.Credit : Savannah Guthrie/Instagram

Savannah Guthrie and her family members are not suspects in the disappearance of their mother Nancy Guthrie, according to authorities.

“To be clear … the Guthrie family — to include all siblings and spouses — has been cleared as possible suspects,” Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said in a statement on Monday, Feb. 16. “The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case.”

“To suggest otherwise is not only wrong, it is cruel,” the statement continued. “The Guthrie family are victims plain and simple … please, I’m begging you the media to honor your profession and report with some sense of compassion and professionalism.”

The family had never been officially identified as suspects by authorities.

However, speculation has run rampant in the case since Nancy, 84, was last seen after being dropped off at her home by family members on Jan. 31.

This appeared to come after authorities obtained a warrant and searched the home of Savannah’s sister Annie Guthrie and her husband Tommaso Cioni.

Officials believe a masked, hooded figure seen on Nancy’s doorbell camera kidnapped her in the early morning hours of Feb. 1.

DNA not belonging to Nancy or her family members was collected at the property, the sheriff’s office previously said in a statement to PEOPLE on Feb. 13.

“Investigators are working to identify who it belongs to. We are not disclosing where that DNA was located,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, a glove was found about two miles away that the FBI says “appears to match” the gloves worn by the intruder seen on the camera footage.

Meanwhile, local and national media outlets have received alleged ransom notes tied to Nancy’s disappearance.

On Saturday, Feb. 7, Savannah and her siblings posted an emotional video on Instagram saying, “We will pay” for Nancy’s return.

Savannah, co-anchor of NBC News’ Today, has been off the morning show for two weeks as she and her family remain in Arizona.

Anyone with information about Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance is asked to please contact 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or the Pima County Sheriff’s Department 520-351-4900.