The FBI is now offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, nearly two weeks after she was abducted from her Tucson, Arizona home. The increased reward comes as scrutiny intensifies over the handling of the case by local authorities and the pace of the investigation.
Guthrie was reported missing on February 1, after failing to appear at a friend’s home for a church service. She was also without her necessary heart medication, raising immediate concerns for her well-being. Initial media coverage highlighted her medical condition, adding urgency to the search.
While, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, led by Sheriff Chris Nanos, faced criticism for decisions made in the early stages of the investigation. Just one day after Guthrie was reported missing, Nanos declared the crime scene clear and released the home back to the family, a move he later acknowledged may have been premature. Forensic workers had processed the home, but were unable to retrieve images from a Ring camera due to the family’s lack of a subscription for video storage, according to Nanos.
Following the release of the home, reporters and others were able to freely access the property, including photographing drops of blood on the front porch, later confirmed by the FBI to be Guthrie’s. The scene was subsequently secured for a second, more thorough search by the FBI.
The investigation took a turn with the discovery of ransom notes demanding between $4 million and $6 million in bitcoin, delivered to two Tucson television stations and the celebrity news website TMZ. The notes contained details about Guthrie’s home. Authorities also investigated a separate, fraudulent ransom demand sent to the Guthrie family by a man in Hawthorne, who has since been charged with a federal crime.
The FBI released surveillance footage on Tuesday showing a person approaching Guthrie’s door wearing a holstered gun, ski mask, and a black “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack” backpack. The release of the video generated over 4,000 tips within 24 hours.
A 36-year-old man was briefly detained following a traffic stop south of Tucson, and his home was searched. However, he was released the following day after investigators found no evidence linking him to the abduction. He maintains his innocence. A subsequent search of a home in Tucson and a parked Range Rover on Friday also yielded no arrests.
Sheriff Nanos has acknowledged the challenges of the investigation, describing it as “exhausting.” He has stated that investigators are preparing to detain and question additional individuals in the area. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department released a statement Friday seeking to dispel rumors of a rift between local and federal investigators regarding evidence handling, stating that all forensic evidence is being sent to the same out-of-state lab.
On Thursday, authorities released images of individuals with backpacks near cars and homes, and announced the discovery of several gloves near the Guthrie residence, all of which are being analyzed for DNA. Investigators have confirmed that DNA found at the home does not match Guthrie or anyone in close contact with her.
Nanos told local station KOLD that investigators will continue to pursue all leads. “Maybe it’s an hour from now. Maybe it’s weeks or months or years from now. But we won’t quit. We’re going to find Nancy. We’re going to find this guy,” he said.
