It has been a week since 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie was last seen. She joined family for dinner, returned home that night and has not been heard from since. Investigators continue to probe the disappearance of the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie.
Who is Nancy Guthrie?
Nancy Guthrie, 84, lives alone in the Catalina Foothills community north of Tucson, Arizona. She is the mother of three children — Annie, Camron and Savannah — and a grandmother. Her husband, Charles, died in 1988. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, whose office is leading the investigation, has said officials do not believe Guthrie wandered off and that she was taken by force. Nanos and family members have described her as sharp mentally, not dementia-related, though she has health issues, relies on a pacemaker and needs medication that could be fatal if missed.
Timeline of the disappearance
According to the sheriff’s department timeline, Guthrie took an Uber Saturday evening to one of her daughters’ homes for dinner and games. Around 9:48 p.m., a family member dropped her back at home. Early the next morning, at 1:47 a.m., Guthrie’s doorbell camera disconnected. About a half hour later the camera detected movement, but officials said the footage could not be retrieved. At 2:28 a.m., Guthrie’s pacemaker disconnected from its app. On Sunday afternoon, when she failed to appear at church, parishioners alerted her family and police were called.
Investigators say a security camera is missing from the front of her home, and DNA testing confirmed blood splatter on the front porch belonged to Guthrie. Five days into the search, officials said they remained hopeful she could be found alive.
Suspect, ransom notes and rewards
Police have not identified a suspect or person of interest. The FBI announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to Guthrie’s recovery and the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
Authorities have been investigating ransom notes, including one sent to several media outlets that referenced specific details such as an Apple Watch and a floodlight at Guthrie’s house and included two deadlines — one that expired Thursday at 5 p.m. and another set for Monday. Officials have not disclosed whether the note contained demands or consequences. The FBI said it is taking the note seriously. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department later said it was inspecting a new message to verify authenticity. Officials determined at least one ransom demand was fraudulent and arrested a person in connection with that message.
Family appeals and responses
Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have made public appeals to whoever may be holding their mother, asking for an open line of communication and proof that Nancy is alive. Camron Guthrie, in a video posted to Savannah’s Instagram, urged the alleged captor to reach out so the family could communicate and move forward. The family has said they are willing to pay a ransom for Nancy’s return and have requested undeniable proof of life, noting that images and audio can be manipulated.
Next steps
Law enforcement officials say they are working tirelessly to secure Guthrie’s return and have urged anyone with information to come forward. Federal resources have been offered to assist in the investigation. Authorities continue to follow leads and verify communications related to the case.
NPR’s Chandelis Duster contributed to this report.
