More than 48 hours have elapsed since the mother of U.S. news anchor Savannah Guthrie was reported missing, and law enforcement officials are continuing their search for the 84-year-old from her Tucson, Arizona, home.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has indicated that authorities believe Nancy Guthrie was abducted and did not leave her residence willingly.
At a recent news conference, when asked if investigators were proceeding with the assumption that they were searching for a living person, given that Nancy Guthrie has been without essential medication for several days, Sheriff Nanos stated, “We hope we are.”
He declined to comment on whether a ransom demand had been received or to speculate on a possible motive. He also noted that investigators have been unable to access footage from the home’s surveillance system.
Following Tuesday’s briefing, where Sheriff Nanos also acknowledged uncertainty as to whether multiple individuals may have been involved in the abduction, his office confirmed reports of potential ransom demands.
“We are aware of reports circulating about possible ransom note(s) regarding the investigation into Nancy Guthrie,” the Pima County Sheriff’s Department posted on X, adding that it was “taking all tips and leads very seriously” and that its detectives were coordinating with the FBI.
Sheriff Nanos informed the briefing that his department is collaborating with technology companies to attempt to retrieve footage from Saturday night, after family members dropped Nancy Guthrie off at her home at approximately 21:30 local time.
Members of her church alerted her family when she did not attend Sunday services, around 11:00 the following day.
Upon arrival at Nancy Guthrie’s property, authorities were met with a scene that caused “grave concern,” according to Sheriff Nanos.
While there was no initial indication that she might have been targeted due to her name, the sheriff stated, “we can’t dismiss that.”
“We do believe that Nancy was taken from her home against her will. And that’s where we’re at,” Nanos told reporters on Tuesday.
He urged the public to provide any leads or tips, assuring that investigators would thoroughly investigate each one, and announced that media briefings would be held every few days moving forward, unless significant developments arise.
According to CBS, the BBC’s U.S. partner, police discovered blood in Nancy Guthrie’s home and are conducting tests to identify its source.
When questioned about the blood at the news conference, Sheriff Nanos responded, “I’m not saying saying there’s blood inside that house or outside that house.”
Physical evidence samples, including fingerprints and DNA, have been submitted for analysis, but thus far, none of the lab’s findings “would tell us ‘this is who did this’,” Sheriff Nanos explained.
The FBI is assisting with the investigation, and Customs and Border Protection are providing tracking dogs, according to Sheriff Nanos.
The specific evidence at Nancy Guthrie’s residence that prompted such concern from authorities remains unclear.
The Guthrie family previously released a statement to NBC News stating, “We can confirm this is a missing persons case, and the family is working closely with local law enforcement.”
On Monday evening, Savannah Guthrie shared on social media: “We believe in prayer. we believe in voices raised in unison, in love, in hope. we believe in goodness. we believe in humanity. above all, we believe in Him.
“Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant.”
Search teams were dismissed to rest on Monday after conducting an overnight search for Nancy Guthrie, who is described as “not in good physical health” but without any reported cognitive impairments, according to Sheriff Nanos.
Authorities employed drones, aircraft, helicopters, heat sensors, and infrared technology in the search, with the sheriff stating, “Everything we have, we’ve thrown at this.”
In a prior press conference, Sheriff Nanos mentioned that homicide detectives were called to the scene, which he noted was not standard protocol in a missing person case.
Savannah Guthrie, who hosts the Today show, has been absent from the program this week.
She was originally scheduled to co-host the Winter Olympics opening ceremony for NBC on Friday, but will no longer participate in the coverage to focus on being with her family, an NBC spokesperson confirmed to the BBC.
“Our hearts are with her and the entire Guthrie family as the search continues for their mother,” NBC stated. “We will share additional information about our Opening Ceremony coverage plans soon.”
On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump indicated his intention to call Savannah Guthrie later and expressed his willingness to commit additional federal agents to assist with the investigation.
“I think it’s a terrible thing,” he remarked at a White House event.
“I always get along very good with Savannah,” he added. “Very unusual situation.”