The search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC’s TODAY show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has entered its seventh day, with investigators treating the case as a suspected abduction.
Nancy was last seen on the evening of January 31, 2026, when she was dropped off at her Catalina Foothills home near Tucson, Arizona, after spending time with family. By the next morning, she had vanished.
A Chilling Timeline
According to authorities, Nancy arrived home around 9:48 PM on January 31. Her garage door opened and closed shortly after, and investigators believe she went to bed normally.
But in the early hours of Sunday morning, something went terribly wrong.
At 1:47 AM, her doorbell camera was disconnected. At 2:28 AM, her heart pacemaker monitoring app lost connection with her phone. When family members arrived to check on her after she didn’t show up for church on Sunday, they found an alarming scene: blood on the front porch, signs of forced entry, and Nancy nowhere to be found.
Evidence Points to Abduction
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has been clear about his assessment of the situation.
“This isn’t somebody that just wandered off,” Sheriff Nanos told reporters. “She couldn’t walk 50 yards by herself.”
Nancy’s wallet, medication, and other personal belongings were left behind — items she would need if she had left voluntarily. Her frail health and limited mobility make it nearly impossible that she left on her own.
DNA testing has confirmed that the blood found at the scene belongs to Nancy.
A Daughter’s Desperate Plea
Savannah Guthrie, who was preparing to travel to Italy for the Winter Olympics when she received the devastating news, immediately flew to Arizona to be with her family.
In an emotional video message, Savannah and her siblings — Annie and Cameron — addressed the public and anyone who might have information.
“We need you,” Savannah said through tears. “Bring her home.”
She emphasized her mother’s fragile condition: “She has heart problems. She’s in constant pain. She’s not on any medicine — she needs it to survive.”
The Investigation Continues
Authorities are focusing on a critical 41-minute window between 1:47 AM and 2:28 AM, when the doorbell camera was disabled and Nancy’s pacemaker lost connection.
One person has been arrested in connection with the case — but not for the abduction itself. The individual was charged with sending a fraudulent ransom demand to the family. However, investigators are taking other potential ransom communications seriously.
Sheriff Nanos stated that while they haven’t ruled out the possibility that Nancy’s disappearance is connected to her daughter’s high-profile career, there are currently no indications she was specifically targeted because of it.
“I believe she is still alive,” Nanos said. “There’s nothing to say she isn’t.”
Community Rallies
Candlelight vigils continue outside Nancy’s home as the community rallies around the Guthrie family. The case has drawn national attention, with people across the country following every development and hoping for Nancy’s safe return.
As the investigation enters its second week, one question remains: Where is Nancy Guthrie?
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department immediately.
