he search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC’s “Today” show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has entered its second harrowing week, with authorities and her family clinging to hope amid a blizzard of unanswered questions, ransom notes, and mounting public concern. Guthrie vanished from her home in the Catalina Foothills, north of Tucson, Arizona, late on January 31, 2026, and was reported missing the following afternoon after she failed to appear at church—a routine she never missed. Since then, investigators have been racing against time, combing through physical evidence, analyzing digital trails, and responding to a series of ransom demands with looming deadlines.
Authorities have described the case as a possible kidnapping, and the details are as chilling as they are perplexing. According to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and corroborated by NBC News, Guthrie left her home at 5:32 p.m. on January 31 via Uber to visit family, returning at 9:48 p.m. Later that night, her home’s doorbell camera was disconnected at 1:47 a.m., and a person was detected on another camera at 2:12 a.m.—though no video footage exists. By 2:28 a.m., her pacemaker, which is monitored through a phone app, lost its connection. When family members visited at 11:56 a.m. on February 1, they discovered she was gone. Her cellphone was left behind, and blood found on her front porch matched her DNA. Authorities have not confirmed or denied whether there was forced entry.
Guthrie’s health is a major concern. Sheriff Chris Nanos told reporters that she requires daily medication and has a pacemaker. “She lives in constant pain. She is without any medicine. She needs it to survive, and she needs it not to suffer,” Savannah Guthrie pleaded in a video posted to Instagram, flanked by her siblings. “We believe our mom is still out there.”
The case took a dramatic turn with the arrival of ransom notes. At least two notes were sent to Tucson newsrooms and TMZ, demanding money in exchange for Guthrie’s safe return. The first deadline passed on Thursday, February 6, and a second was set for Monday, February 9. FBI Special Agent Heith Janke confirmed that one note referenced an Apple Watch and a floodlight, and both notes included deadlines but lacked a clear method for communication. Jessica Bobula, news director at local station KOLD, said the first note claimed Guthrie was fine, while the second, which did not ask for money, was “certainly not a ransom demand” and differed in almost every way from the first. Still, the second note ominously indicated that Guthrie could be harmed if the Monday deadline was missed.
Despite the chilling nature of the notes, their legitimacy remains under investigation. The FBI is taking all threats seriously, warning that impostors sending fake ransom letters will be “held accountable.” In fact, a man in Los Angeles was arrested for sending unrelated fake ransom texts to the Guthrie family, according to a federal criminal complaint cited by NBC News.
The public appeals from the Guthrie family have been frequent and heartrending. In a series of videos posted over the weekend and on Monday, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings pleaded directly to whoever might be holding their mother. “We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay,” Savannah said, echoing the family’s willingness to meet the demands for her safe return. In another message, she thanked the public for their prayers and urged anyone with information to contact authorities, emphasizing, “We are at an hour of desperation, and we need your help.”
Behind the scenes, law enforcement agencies have been working around the clock. The FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department are jointly investigating, analyzing both the physical crime scene and digital evidence. DNA collected from the porch matched Guthrie’s, and her car was towed from her residence as agents processed the home. Investigators are also scouring bank information, social media, and phone records for any digital footprint that might provide a lead.
Tim Roemer, a former CIA agent and former director of the Arizona Department of Homeland Security, told FOX 10 that the investigation may hinge on a single “human error” by whoever is behind the abduction and ransom notes. “We as the good guys only need them to be wrong once,” Roemer said. He explained that while encryption and digital subterfuge can slow down investigations, the existence of a physical crime scene offers unique clues. “Those are the clues and the mistakes that will lead to finding those responsible.” Roemer also noted that public appeals, like those made by Savannah Guthrie, help keep lines of communication open with potential captors, but admitted his optimism fades as time passes without proof of life or sustained contact.
Meanwhile, a Pima County Sheriff’s deputy remains stationed outside Guthrie’s home, and detectives have conducted follow-up work at multiple locations in the area. Despite these efforts, no suspects, persons of interest, or vehicles definitively connected to the case have been identified. The sheriff’s office has stated, “We’re actively looking at everybody we come across, in this case, everybody.”
The case has drawn national attention, even prompting President Donald Trump to personally call Savannah Guthrie, offering words of support and pledging the full resources of federal law enforcement. The FBI has announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s recovery or the arrest and conviction of those responsible. Tips can be submitted to 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov, and a special community tipline has also been set up.
Despite the best efforts of local and federal authorities, and the outpouring of support from the public, the mystery of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance remains unsolved. Each passing day without answers deepens the family’s anguish and the nation’s concern. Yet, as Savannah Guthrie expressed, hope persists: “We believe that somehow, some way, she is feeling these prayers and that God is lifting her even in this moment and in this darkest place.”
For now, the search continues, with investigators and loved ones holding out for the one break—the single mistake, the crucial tip, or the overdue communication—that could finally bring Nancy Guthrie home.
