“We need to know without a doubt that she’s alive and that you have her,” the “Today” cohost said in a plea posted to Instagram.
(Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
Savannah Guthrie posted a heartwrenching video message late Wednesday asking her mother Nancy’s apparent abductor for proof that she is still alive.
“We need to know without a doubt that she’s alive and that you have her,” Guthrie, flanked by her older siblings Annie and Camron, said in the video posted to Instagram. “We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us.”
The Today show host said their 84-year-old mother is in “constant pain” and needs her daily medication to survive.
“She has grandchildren that adore her and crowd around her and cover her with kisses,” Savannah Guthrie said. “She loves fun and adventure. She is a devoted friend. She is full of kindness and knowledge. Talk to her and you’ll see.”
Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her home in the Catalina Foothills just north of Tucson, Ariz., on Saturday, Jan. 31, at about 9:30 p.m., according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. Her family reported her missing at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 1, after she did not show up for church.
Annie Guthrie — who along with her husband Tommaso Cioni had dinner with Nancy Guthrie the night before she was reported missing — spoke directly to her mother in the video.
“Momma, if you’re listening, we need you to come home, we miss you,” Annie Guthrie said.
(Nathan Congleton/NBCUniversal/Getty Images)
The video came a day after three news outlets reported receiving ransom notes containing specific details about the night of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance and demanding millions of dollars in bitcoin for her safe return. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators are working to determine whether the notes are authentic.
Savannah Guthrie said that while the family is “ready to talk,” she also acknowledged that “we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated.”
Earlier Wednesday, the sheriff’s department issued a statement pushing back against a report that investigators had identified a suspect in Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance.
“At this point, investigators have not identified a suspect or person of interest in this case,” the statement said. “Detectives are working closely with the Guthrie family,” the statement said. “While we appreciate the public’s concern, the sharing of unverified accusations or false information is irresponsible and does not assist the investigation.”
Shortly before the family’s video plea was posted to Instagram, CNN reported that “an increased law enforcement presence,” including FBI agents, could be seen outside Nancy Guthrie’s home conducting what was described as a “follow-up” search of the property and neighborhood.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Nanos said that after processing her home, investigators believe Nancy Guthrie, who lives alone, was abducted.
“Nancy was taken from her home against her will,” he said. “We don’t know where she is.”
Both the sheriff and Jon Edwards, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI field office in Tucson, appealed to the public for any information that might help law enforcement solve the case.
“We are looking at this from every angle but need your help,” said Jon Edwards, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI field office in Tucson. “Every lead and tip is important.”
(Jan Sonnenmair via Getty Images)
Later Tuesday, the sheriff’s department acknowledged reports of a possible ransom note regarding Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance. “We are taking all tips and leads very seriously,” the department said in a post on X. “Anything that comes in goes directly to our detectives who are coordinating with the FBI.”
The Associated Press reported that investigators “found signs of forced entry” at the home. Nancy Guthrie’s personal belongings, including her cellphone, watch, wallet and car, were left behind.
According to CNN, Nancy Guthrie’s pacemaker stopped syncing with her Apple devices at roughly 2 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 1 — which could help authorities pinpoint the time she was taken.
Nanos said that Nancy Guthrie has limited mobility and would not have been able to leave her home on foot. “We know she didn’t just walk out of there,” he said. “She couldn’t walk 50 yards by herself.”
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
The Los Angeles Times reported that blood was found inside Nancy Guthrie’s home. At Tuesday’s press conference, the sheriff said that DNA samples were taken from and home and submitted for analysis, but would not say if those samples were blood.
Annie Guthrie, Savannah’s older sister, and her husband, Tommaso Cioni, had dinner with Nancy Guthrie on Saturday night, Nanos told the New York Times. Cioni dropped her Nancy Guthrie off at her home and “ensured she made it inside safely before leaving,” the sheriff told the paper.
A motive for Nancy Guthrie’s possible abduction remains unclear. Nanos said that there was “no credible information” indicating that shewas specifically targeted.
On a missing persons flier distributed by the sheriff’s department, Nancy Guthire is described as 5 feet 5 inches tall, with brown hair, blue eyes and weighing around 150 lbs. It’s unclear what type of clothing she was wearing when she disappeared.
On Sunday night, search and rescue ground crews and dog teams scoured the area around Nancy Guthrie’s home on foot, while drones, a helicopter and an airplane searched by air. As of Monday morning, the search and rescue mission has been shut down.
“We don’t see this as a search mission as much as we do a crime scene,” Nanos said.
The sheriff said detectives are depending on technology, such as license plate readers and camera systems, to aid in the search.
Nanos said investigators are asking Guthrie’s neighbors to go through their home camera footage. He also called on the community for help in locating Nancy Guthrie.
“We don’t need another bad, tragic ending,” he said. “We need some help.”
Nancy Guthrie has three adult children: Savannah, Annie and Camron. Her husband, Charles Guthrie, died of a heart attack at age 49, when Savannah Guthrie was 16, leaving Nancy Guthrie to raise their children on her own.
(Jan Sonnenmair via Getty Images)
Savannah Guthrie grew up in Tucson and graduated from University of Arizona in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Last week, she returned to the Today show after an extended break following vocal cord surgery.
She has been absent from coanchoring the Today show broadcast this week. Nanos said that she is in Arizona. Savannah Guthrie had been scheduled to travel to Italy to be part of NBC’s Winter Olympics coverage, but the network said Tuesday that she would remain in the U.S.
“Savannah will not be joining us at the Olympics as she focuses on being with her family during this difficult time,” an NBC News representative said in a statement.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday, President Trump said he planned to call Savannah Guthrie. The White House confirmed that the president spoke with her on Wednesday.
“I think it’s a terrible thing,” Trump told reporters of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance. “Very unusual situation, but we’re gonna find out.”
