Authorities have identified the battered body of a woman who was found dead near a canal in Phoenix — and it’s not Nancy Guthrie.
The remains were found Friday, more than 100 miles from Tucson — where the 84-year-old mom of “Today” show star Savannah Guthrie was kidnapped five weeks ago.
The woman has been identified as Alex Fleming, 42, according to KTAR.
Fleming’s body showed signs of trauma and she was declared dead at the scene. Her death is being investigated by Phoenix homicide detectives.
The grim discovery briefly sounded the alarm for those who have closely followed Guthrie’s kidnapping — but the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, which is leading the search for Nancy, said that it had not been alerted that there was any connection to the case.
Guthrie has not been seen or heard from since she is believed to have been kidnapped from her home in the early morning hours of Feb. 1.
No suspects have been identified 37 days later despite tens of thousands of tips, doorbell footage of a masked man on her front porch and assistance from the FBI.
The slow pace of the investigation has frustrated Guthrie’s loved ones who have offered a $1 million cash reward for information leading to her mother’s safe return or recovery.
