What to know about the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of ‘Today’ show’s Savannah Guthrie
There has been no response to two separate pleas from “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie’s family for their mother’s apparent kidnapper to make contact, while investigators said Thursday they have no proof Nancy Guthrie is still alive after being taken from her Arizona home over the weekend.
The search has grown increasingly urgent because the 84-year-old grandmother has a pacemaker, heart issues and could die without her medication, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has said. But at a news conference Thursday, law enforcement said there still weren’t any notable suspects. A DNA test of blood found on the Tucson home’s front porch showed it came from Nancy Guthrie, the sheriff said.
A handful of media organizations were reportedly sent ransom notes related to her disappearance, and at least one appears to contain information only the abductor would know, the outlet reported.
Here’s what to know about the case:
Message to kidnappers
In a video posted Wednesday night, Savannah Guthrie sat between her sister Annie and her brother Camron as she read a prepared statement, her voice shaking.
“We are ready to talk. However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated,” she said, adding. “We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us.”
Cameron Guthrie posted a second video Thursday on behalf of the family, reiterating their pleas.
“We haven’t heard anything directly. We need you to reach out, and we need a way to communicate with you so we can move forward,” he said. “But first we have to know that you have our mom.”
Heith Janke, FBI chief in Phoenix, said Thursday that “time is of the essence” and announced a $50,000 reward for credible information about the abduction.
Ransom notes taken ‘seriously’
A note emailed Monday to the KOLD-TV newsroom in Tucson included information only the kidnapper could have, anchor Mary Coleman told CNN.
“When we saw some of those details, it was clear after a couple of sentences that this might not be a hoax,” she said Wednesday.
The note included a demand for money with a deadline set for 5 p.m. Thursday and a second one Monday.
Authorities made an arrest after one ransom note turned out to be fake, but the others are being investigated. Ultimately, the Guthrie family will decide how to respond to the demands, law enforcement said.
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Crime scene in a quiet neighborhood
Investigators say Nancy Guthrie was dropped off at home by a family member on Saturday evening. Four hours later, just before 2 a.m. Sunday, the home’s doorbell camera was disconnected. But she did not have an active subscription so the company was unable to recover any video.
Software data recorded movement at the home a few minutes later, the sheriff said, acknowledging that the motion could have come from an animal. Then at 2:28 a.m. the app on Guthrie’s pacemaker was disconnected from her phone. She was reported missing around noon Sunday when she didn’t show up to church.
Several personal items, including Guthrie’s cellphone, wallet and car, were still at the home when authorities searched it, according to a person familiar with the investigation.
Nancy Guthrie lived alone in the upscale Catalina Foothills neighborhood, where houses are spaced far apart and set back from the street by long driveways, gates and dense desert vegetation. The area appears to have little street lighting at night, making it less likely that security cameras captured helpful footage.
No clear motive
The sheriff said it’s possible Nancy Guthrie was targeted, but if she was, investigators don’t know if that’s because her daughter is one of television’s most visible anchors.
When asked by The Associated Press whether law enforcement knew the reason why, Nanos responded, “My guesswork is as good as yours.”
Strong mother figure
Savannah Guthrie, the youngest of three siblings, grew up in Tucson, graduated from the University of Arizona and previously worked as a reporter and anchor at KVOA-TV before joining “Today” in 2011.
In Wednesday’s video, she described her mother as a “kind, faithful, loyal, fiercely loving woman of goodness and light.”
Annie Guthrie added: “Mamma, If you’re listening, we need you to come home. We miss you.”
