Owner of Human Bone Found Near Nancy Guthrie’s House Officially Identified as Case Surpasses 100 Days
It has now been more than 100 days since Nancy Guthrie went missing, and while investigators believe they are close to cracking the case, nothing’s been confirmed yet.
Attention recently shifted to the remains discovered near her Arizona home. On May 7, 2026, a YouTuber named AJ Wysopal found a human bone a few miles from her house. Law enforcement immediately ruled out any connection to Guthrie, saying the bone was far older than the case.
They initially estimated it could be at least 50 years old, possibly even “prehistoric,” but on May 22, police and an archaeological expert said the bone may actually be around 750 years old.
James T. Watson, curator of bioarchaeology at the Arizona State Museum, examined the remains and stated that the bone dates between 650 and 1250 A.D. He believes it likely belonged to a member of the Hohokam people, an ancient group regarded as ancestors of present-day Native Americans in Arizona.
Watson said that while Wysopal, 38, was right to contact authorities, the situation highlights a major issue with amateur investigators stepping in. Watson explained that by getting involved directly, Wyspoal ended up disturbing a “culturally sensitive site,” and the attention that followed only made things more complicated and potentially put the human remains at risk.
“Whether it’s Nancy Guthrie or an ancient individual, you shouldn’t be poking at them with a stick. It’s common decency,” Watson said, per The New York Times. “Would you do that with your grandmother’s remains?”
Meanwhile, Wysopal claimed he was just “trying to help” and was “motivated by fear that the culprit could come for his loved ones.” He also noted that he wouldn’t have gone anywhere near the area if he knew it was a burial site. Wysopal added that if the tribe asked him to take down his YouTube video of the findings, he would do so without hesitation.
