TODAY show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie and her relatives have initiated a deliberate public request for help as the probe into her missing 84-year-old mother moves into its eighth week — a “deliberate” tactic, analysts say, intended to overcome what looks like an investigative deadlock.
Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson, Arizona residence in the Catalina Foothills area on Jan. 31. Despite an extensive multi-agency effort involving local police and the FBI, authorities have been unable to find the woman, who needs daily medication that could be life-threatening if missed for more than 24 hours.
The family’s renewed effort comes as Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators are handling “workable” DNA evidence and reviewing thousands of video clips. With nearly eight weeks gone and 40,000 tips pouring in, the matter has become increasingly urgent.
The family also urged neighbors to check memories and recordings from the late evening of Jan. 11 — a previously unreported date of interest that officials have not publicly explained, but which implies the suspect may have been surveilling the property weeks prior to the disappearance.
The details of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance resemble a crime drama. Family members dropped her off at her home at about 9:45 p.m. on Jan. 31. Later, at 1:47 a.m., her doorbell camera disconnected and was taken down. Shortly after, at 2:28 a.m., the pacemaker app on her phone lost connection. When she missed a virtual church gathering at a friend’s home the next day, relatives went to check and discovered she was gone.
Federal agents are also exploring whether intentional internet outages in Nancy Guthrie’s neighborhood that night are linked to the disappearance. Several neighbors said their home security footage from that evening is missing or shows “not available,” and investigators have questioned residents about unusual connectivity issues around Feb. 1.
Investigators recovered unsettling doorbell video of a masked figure, estimated between 5 feet 9 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall, carrying a 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack. Blood on Guthrie’s porch tested positive for her DNA. Search teams found 16 gloves, though most were from volunteers assisting in the search.
Sheriff Nanos told Newsweek on Friday, March 20 that the inquiry is far from dormant. “We’re working with the FBI. We’re working with several labs around the country on this. We’re working with forensics, examiners, digital video and media analysts. There’s just a lot going on,” Nanos said.
In a notable update, Sheriff Nanos told NBC Nightly News that investigators now think they know why Nancy Guthrie’s home was targeted, though he would not provide details publicly, suggesting the act may have been more premeditated than earlier thought.
The case shifted when multiple outlets received apparent ransom notes requesting cryptocurrency. NBC News reviewed one such message, but no law enforcement agency has confirmed its legitimacy. Investigators and former FBI officials following the case have been puzzled by the lack of direct contact and the ambiguous ransom claims.
In what seemed like a tactical reply to the alleged ransom communications, Savannah Guthrie issued a statement that appeared intended to prompt proof of life: “We received your message and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us … This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”
The family has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s recovery. Combined with $100,000 from the FBI and $102,500 from 88-CRIME, the total reward now exceeds $1.2 million.
Authorities briefly detained a man on Feb. 10 but released him the same day. They executed a search of a residence on Feb. 13 and questioned someone during a traffic stop, but no arrests have been made. All Guthrie siblings and their spouses have been cleared as suspects.
President Donald Trump has shown interest in the investigation, phoning Savannah Guthrie to offer federal help and telling reporters aboard Air Force One that investigators have “very strong” clues. The FBI has deployed substantial resources, with Director Kash Patel publicly sharing surveillance images of the masked suspect on social media in early February — a move criticized by some investigators who wanted to keep certain details confidential.
Sheriff Nanos told the BBC he believes Nancy Guthrie is still in the Tucson area. He described her as being in “not good physical health” and said she “did not leave on her own.”
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department continues to analyze evidence at multiple labs and review images and videos from cameras across the neighborhood. Despite numerous leads, tips have come from as far away as Australia, and investigators acknowledge their frustration at the lack of a breakthrough.
The family’s public approach — directly addressing possible captors while appealing to the community — is a calculated risk. By combining a large financial reward with emotional appeals, they hope someone with information will step forward.
NBC News reporters Liz Kreutz and Tom Winter have tracked the case closely, and TODAY has provided frequent updates as the probe continues. The national spotlight has kept pressure on investigators, even as the investigation becomes more complicated each day.
