Tucson, AZ – The search for Nancy Guthrie, mother of “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie, intensified Thursday as law enforcement officials confirmed the receipt of a ransom demand and revealed the 84-year-classic may be without crucial medication. The FBI announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to her safe return or the arrest of those involved in her disappearance.
At a press conference, Heith Janke, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Phoenix division, stated that while they are “taking the ransom letter seriously,” there has been “no proof of life.” The letter, sent to both local and national media outlets, included deadlines for payment – one expiring Thursday evening and another next Monday – though Janke declined to detail any potential consequences of non-compliance. CNN reports the FBI is in constant communication with the Guthrie family regarding potential ransom decisions, deferring to their judgment.
The case took a public turn Wednesday when Savannah Guthrie and her siblings released a video plea, appealing directly to her mother’s potential captors. “We live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to grasp, that she is alive and that you have her,” Savannah Guthrie said in the video shared on Instagram. “We want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us.” Her brother, Camron Guthrie, also issued a video statement Thursday, urging those holding his mother to make contact.
Authorities have pieced together a timeline of events, beginning Saturday night. According to Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, Nancy Guthrie was last seen by family members at approximately 9:45 p.m., coinciding with the opening and closing of her garage door. At 1:47 a.m. Sunday, her doorbell camera disconnected, and at 2:12 a.m., motion was detected by a security camera, though the footage itself remains unrecoverable. Crucially, at 2:28 a.m., her pacemaker app registered a disconnection from her phone – a signal authorities believe indicates when she left her home. The BBC reported on Savannah Guthrie’s public appeal for support.
Family members discovered Nancy Guthrie missing Sunday around noon, after she failed to arrive at church. Officials noted the unusual circumstance that her cellphone, wallet, car, and essential medications were left behind. A trail of blood was found near an entrance to the home, and preliminary DNA testing confirmed it belonged to Nancy Guthrie, though further analysis is pending.
Adding a layer of complexity to the investigation, authorities in Los Angeles arrested a man Thursday for making an “impostor ransom demand,” sending text messages to the Guthrie family requesting a bitcoin payment. This individual is not believed to be connected to the original ransom note sent to media outlets.
Retired LAPD Lt. Adam Bercovici, a kidnapping expert, noted the unusual nature of the case, particularly the decision to publicly disclose details of the investigation and the ransom note’s delivery to the media. “This is like something from [the] 1940s with a very public kidnapping playing out in the media,” Bercovici said, as reported by local news sources. Sheriff Nanos defended his department’s approach, stating that multiple agencies are now involved and revisiting the crime scene to ensure thoroughness.
Authorities continue to emphasize the urgency of the situation, citing Nancy Guthrie’s need for daily medication. “This is Day 4 or 5 and still we don’t know that she’s getting her medication and that could in itself be fatal,” Nanos said. The FBI is urging anyone with information to approach forward, stating, “You still have the time to do the right thing,” and return Nancy Guthrie home.
