As the search for TODAY anchor Savannah Guthrie’s mother enters its seventh day, chilling video footage reveals forensic evidence at the Arizona crime scene while authorities investigate multiple ransom demands
The investigation into the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie has taken an increasingly ominous turn, with newly released video footage showing a trail of blood outside her Tucson-area home and a conspicuously absent security camera that may hold crucial clues to her whereabouts.
Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC’s TODAY show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, was last seen on the evening of January 31, 2026, when family members dropped her off at her residence in the affluent Catalina Foothills community following a dinner gathering. When she failed to appear at Sunday morning church services the next day, concerned family members discovered alarming evidence that would transform a welfare check into a high-stakes federal investigation.
The Crime Scene: Blood and Missing Evidence
Video captured by NewsNation Senior National Correspondent Brian Entin reveals dried blood droplets and splatter patterns on the stone slabs outside Nancy Guthrie’s front entrance—visible even after investigators had cleared the scene and returned the property to her family. The footage, which has sent shockwaves through the tight-knit Arizona community, shows dark crimson stains leading away from the front door.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos confirmed Thursday that DNA testing conclusively identified the blood as belonging to Nancy Guthrie. “We did a rush through and got some of that back,” Nanos stated during a press conference. “The results were minimal.”
Perhaps equally troubling is what’s missing from the scene. A Ring doorbell camera that had been mounted near the entrance was gone by the time law enforcement arrived, prompting investigators to examine whether the perpetrator deliberately removed it to eliminate evidence. The camera’s absence represents a critical gap in the investigation, as doorbell cameras often capture crucial footage of individuals approaching homes.
Nancy Guthrie’s brick residence sits at the end of a gravel driveway, surrounded by prickly pear and saguaro cacti that make the front door difficult to see from the street—a geographic feature that may have provided cover for whoever took her.
A Minute-by-Minute Timeline of Terror
Authorities have pieced together a chilling timeline of the hours surrounding Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, revealing a methodical sequence of events that suggest careful planning:
Saturday, February 1:
∙ 5:32 PM – Nancy Guthrie takes an Uber to her daughter Annie’s home for dinner
∙ 9:48 PM – Family members drop her back at her residence; garage door opens
∙ 9:50 PM – Garage door closes
Sunday, February 2:
∙ 1:47 AM – Doorbell camera disconnects
∙ 2:12 AM – Camera software detects motion, but no video is available because the homeowner lacked a subscription service that would save footage
∙ 2:28 AM – Nancy Guthrie’s pacemaker app disconnects from her phone
∙ 11:56 AM – Family members arrive to check on her after she doesn’t appear at church
∙ 12:03 PM – 911 call placed to Pima County Sheriff’s Department
The 41-minute window between the doorbell camera disconnection and the pacemaker app losing connection has become a focal point for investigators trying to understand exactly when and how Nancy Guthrie was taken from her home.
Ransom Notes and Federal Investigation
The case has been further complicated by multiple alleged ransom communications sent to media outlets and the Guthrie family. NBC News has reviewed one note that authorities have described as potentially legitimate, with contents consistent with FBI descriptions.
The most credible communication was initially sent to Tucson television station KOLD News 13, then to another local station and TMZ. The message demanded millions of dollars in Bitcoin and included two deadlines: 5 PM local time on Thursday, February 5, and Monday, February 9, with warnings of “more serious consequences” if payment wasn’t made.
What caught the attention of federal investigators were specific non-public details included in the note—references to Nancy Guthrie’s Apple Watch location and a description of a backyard floodlight as “destroyed.” These details suggested the author possessed insider knowledge of the crime scene.
“A lot of it is information that only someone who was holding her for ransom would know,” KOLD anchor Mary Coleman told reporters.
However, the investigation has been muddied by impostor ransom demands. Derrick Callella, a 42-year-old California man, was arrested Thursday and charged in federal court with transmitting a ransom demand in interstate commerce and using a telecommunications device with intent to harass. According to the criminal complaint, Callella allegedly sent text messages to Nancy Guthrie’s daughter and son-in-law asking about Bitcoin shortly after the family published a video appeal—messages not connected to the original ransom note but designed to exploit the family’s anguish.
“Any impostors who send fake ransom letters will be held accountable,” warned FBI Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke.
As of Friday, authorities announced they were investigating the authenticity of yet another message sent to local media, the content and credibility of which remains under review.
A Family’s Desperate Plea
Savannah Guthrie has stepped away from her NBC duties—including plans to co-host the opening ceremonies of the 2026 Winter Olympics—to be with her family in Arizona during this nightmare. In emotionally charged videos posted to social media, she and her siblings have made direct appeals to whoever may be holding their mother.
“We are ready to talk. However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated,” Savannah Guthrie said Wednesday in a video alongside her brother Camron and sister Annie. “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.”
The family has emphasized Nancy’s fragile medical condition. The 84-year-old has limited mobility, requires daily medication for a chronic condition, and lives with constant pain without her prescriptions. Her pacemaker, which family members can normally monitor remotely, went offline in the early morning hours of her disappearance.
“Her heart is fragile,” Savannah explained tearfully. “She lives in constant pain and needs her medicine to survive.”
In a second video posted Thursday after the first ransom deadline passed, Camron Guthrie made another direct appeal: “Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you. 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. But first, we have to know that you have our mom.”
Investigation Challenges and Controversies
The investigation has not been without setbacks. Sheriff Nanos acknowledged Thursday that authorities made mistakes in the early stages, including releasing the crime scene back to the family prematurely and delays in deploying aerial search resources.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department had reassigned its only search plane pilot to patrol duties months before Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, leaving the critical aerial asset unavailable when it was needed most. The Pima County Deputies Organization criticized this decision, noting that the pilot had personally appealed to Sheriff Nanos to remain in his specialized role.
“We opposed the move at the time because it left a critical law enforcement asset understaffed,” the organization stated.
Nanos confirmed investigators initially believed they had completed processing the scene but later determined that conclusion was premature, necessitating returns to the property for additional evidence collection.
Despite these complications, approximately 100 Pima County Sheriff’s Department detectives are now working the case alongside FBI agents and multiple local, regional, and national law enforcement partners. Border Patrol’s BORSTAR unit—a special operations group with advanced tracking and emergency medical capabilities—has assisted in extensive desert searches around the property.
A Community and Nation Rally
The disappearance has generated national attention, with President Donald Trump personally calling Savannah Guthrie on February 4 to offer support. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: “I am directing ALL Federal Law Enforcement to be at the family’s, and Local Law Enforcement’s, complete disposal, IMMEDIATELY. We are deploying all resources to get her mother home safely. The prayers of our Nation are with her and her family.”
The FBI has announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s recovery and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.
Digital billboards featuring Nancy Guthrie’s photo and the FBI tip line have been erected in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and other nearby states to expand the search beyond Arizona’s borders. The White House has posted information about the case on its social media accounts, urging the public to report any relevant details.
Nancy Guthrie’s neighbors have posted messages of support on signs near her home, while Savannah’s colleagues and friends from across the entertainment industry have flooded social media with prayers and encouragement. Former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Kim Zolciak Biermann, actress Octavia Spencer, and Olympic athlete Lolo Jones are among those who have publicly expressed support for the family.
The Search Continues
As the investigation enters its seventh day, authorities maintain they believe Nancy Guthrie is still alive, though they have received no proof of life. No suspect or person of interest has been publicly identified, and investigators have stated they cannot determine whether she was specifically targeted because of her famous daughter or if this was a random crime of opportunity.
Sheriff Nanos stated he has no plans to schedule further press conferences unless significant evidence emerges. “It’s pretty pointless to just keep hounding the same things over and over,” he said Thursday.
Meanwhile, investigators continue analyzing evidence, following up on hundreds of tips, and working with technology companies to attempt recovery of any available surveillance footage. The Catalina Foothills neighborhood—a rural area with approximately 50,000 residents, sparse street lighting, and few security cameras throughout the terrain—presents unique challenges for the investigation.
“It is an unincorporated area, very secluded, so it’s easy in and easy out for a bad guy,” explained Jeff Hynes, a retired Phoenix Police commander.
For Savannah Guthrie and her family, each passing day without answers brings fresh anguish. In their video messages, they have spoken not just to potential captors but directly to their mother, expressing unwavering faith and determination.
“You are God’s precious daughter, Nancy,” Savannah said. “We believe and know that even in this valley, he is with you. Everyone is looking for you, Mommy, everywhere. We will not rest. Your children will not rest until we are together again.”