Human remains have been discovered in a desert area near Tucson, Arizona, United States, but authorities say there is currently no indication they are connected to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said its Search and Rescue deputies responded on Monday to reports of human remains near West Ajo Way and South La Cholla Boulevard in southwest Tucson.

The location is about 15 miles from the home of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, who has been missing since February.

According to authorities, the remains appear to have been at the location for an extended period. Investigators have not identified the remains or established how the person died.

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“At this time, there is no indication they are connected to the Nancy Guthrie investigation,” the sheriff’s department said.

Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson-area home on February 1, but investigators believe she was taken against her will and have treated the case as a suspected kidnapping.

Her disappearance has remained unsolved for more than six months, with no arrests or publicly identified suspects.

The case has attracted widespread attention because of Guthrie’s connection to the NBC television personality. Savannah Guthrie has repeatedly appealed for information about her mother’s whereabouts, while authorities continue to investigate evidence recovered from the home.

The latest discovery briefly renewed attention on the case, but investigators stressed that the remains found in the desert do not currently provide a new lead in the search for Guthrie.

Authorities are continuing efforts to identify the remains and determine the circumstances surrounding the death.