Nancy Guthrie, 84, (mother of TODAY Show host Savannah Guthrie) missing - last seen in the Catalina foothills area on Jan 31, 2026

[TheDinks]

It’s misdirection. Say, for instance, this was a familial murder. The criminal is thinking “I’ll make it look like she was kidnapped by a stranger and held for ransom, so the police don’t look at me.”

And it worked, for a little while. But it won’t work in the long run.

In the consensus of theories, this is the no. 2 thought of many people who have spoken out on the broadcasts I've watched on YT.

No. 1 theory is an opportunist extortion - low life heard about possible abduction and began planning how to use it to gain $$

 

[Cassie P]

The only fact is and verifiable by law inforcement is she got an Uber ride .

Yes, we have no idea what happened once she exited the Uber.

 

[mikeshanty]

I can't imagine going thru this kind of week without my husband at my side. Haven't heard whether Camron is married (?) but I'm surprised SG's husband isnt there. Kids, school, work, I know, but come on - this is a traumatic life event for SG.

We don't know much about the personal circumstances for good reason. SG could very well be surrounded by her family wherever she is staying, but identities and locations undisclosed for security reasons.

 

[Springplease]

Sorry if I did that wrong it’s the first time I’ve attempted to attach a photo.

 

[shadowsc]

"Ms. Guthrie, whom friends have described as a devoted Christian, was expected at church that Sunday morning. But when someone at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian did not see her in the pews, they called her family to check in.

Alerted, Ms. Guthrie’s family rushed to her home, the authorities said. They found her phone, wallet, hearing aid, daily medication and car. But they did not find her. They called 911."

7 Days, No Suspects: The Disappearance of Nancy Guthrie

The mother of the “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie has not been heard from since an evening of dinner and games with family members.

www.nytimes.com

Interesting. That seemed to be from the sheriff's first press conference.

Here is the transcript:

Sheriff: We were told she was left at her home by the family. At 11:00 in the morning the family got notice from somebody at church that she was not at church. They went to the home found her to be missing. That's that's the timeline. From Saturday night 9:45 we'll say to Sunday morning 11:00.

Question: Have you interviewed the people that reported her missing? The people from the church?

Sheriff: That's the family. Oh, from the church as well. We're doing all kinds of interviews. Yes, I'm sure we have.

And then, the Megyn Kelly and Brian Entin exchange:

MK: Two other quick questions. The Daily Mail today is reporting that Nancy Guthrie did not attend a church in person and that she hadn't been for years since the COVID pandemic. That instead she'd been participating in the live stream into this church. And then they had one source at the church who told them that the church for the record is not saying that on the record.

Um but they're saying there'd be no way for anybody to know who is participating in the live stream. It's not it's not like a thing where you can see who's joining um you know people live stream in or they don't. Now that would be a material change from the story that the sheriff told which was that somebody at church noticed Nancy wasn't there. She was a religious churchgoer and um that that person called the family out of concern. Have you heard anything on this either way?

BE: So, the church near her house that we went to, the pastor told uh my producer the same thing that the Daily
Mail is reporting that she switched to online after COVID and was didn't come to church on Sundays. I just assumed
maybe she also went to a different church.

 

[louvillian08]

The church told Brian Entin's producers that she had started attending virtually during COVID and never returned. Most things went remote and if Nancy's mobility was limited, that was likely just easier for her. There may have been a livestream, but it wasn't like a "Zoom" call where you have all the participants shown in squares. It seems unlikely that someone would have noticed she wasn't present online, unless someone texted her. But that's not what the sheriff had originally said, so who knows.

It takes two second to look up this information.
You need an account to log in and watch the service. Using Vimeo you can see the attendees and there is a live chat as well.

Church Online | St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church

www.sapctucson.org

 

[stmichael]

With all due respect...if it isnt a kidnaping, where the hell is she? A kidnaping is the unlawful taking or confinement of a person. They havent found her in the house or in the neighborhood. Unless they think she wandered off....I just don't understand why people still think she wasnt kidnapped?

Murder is not kidnapping.
Can you definitively prove she was not first murdered and the body disposed of?

Can you definitively link the emailed ransom note (which we know so little about from second hand sources) to this case? We know fake ransoms happen in national cases like this and we know one fraudster was already arrested in this case.

Right now we just don't know given what's out there, and it seems the investigators are not sure yet either.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

Murdered that night and dumped in the desert. The kidnapping is just a red herring to draw attention away from the murder. And possibly to collect a larger insurance payout.

Insurance doesn't make much sense. There has to be a body to collect. Why even take the risk? Why not just wait it out with an elderly person in poor health?

 

[Puzzles8]

Didn’t they say no press conference until Tuesday unless something significant happens?

There are no scheduled press conferences going forward. There is nothing scheduled for Tuesday.

[...]
"The Nancy Guthrie investigation is ongoing. Follow-up continues at multiple locations. No suspects, persons of interest, or vehicles have been identified. No scheduled press briefings. If any significant developments occur in the case, a press conference will be called," the statement reads.
[...]

Authorities Issue New Statement On Nancy Guthrie's Disappearance | WBZ NewsRadio 1030

Authorities have issued a new statement on Nancy Guthrie's disappearance.

wbznewsradio.iheart.com

JMO

 

[missy1974]

A veteran Navy Seal Commander who was involved in many, many kidnap situations (Iraq etc) was a 'best guest" on today's STS Live and he states he personally believes NO way is this a genuine kidnap for ransom.

He claims it appears to be Extortion. The way it's played out just doesn't fit with a genuine kidnap for ransom situation.

I keep thinking though... how very lucky it is for them that she has not been found yet.

They gave the family a week. If they were using it as extortion, they have been VERY lucky that she has not been found. IF the perp (s) are not the same as the note senders... how would the note sender know they would have week? Must be a gambler IMO

 

[Charlot123]

IIRC after.

And as one former FBI agent said it was very atypical conduct in that it was sent to the media (TMZ, TV stations) rather than directly to the family. He theorized that they want the attention to play out in the public (for revenge, a targeted grudge against SG whatever)

IF the ransom is legit and IF the goal is money, than this is not the way to do it. You don't want that kind of heat on you, you don't want to be in possession of the kidnapped for a week+. You want direct quick communication to the family, provide proof of life, and quietly get your money and move on. Many ransoms don't make the media at all. Companies provide and pay out ransom insurance (NBC might even do it).

Another take on "Why SG Should Not Pay Ransom Yet" by former FB agent:

Why Savannah Guthrie shouldn’t pay mom Nancy’s ransom yet, according to FBI agent — even as time ticks down

“Proof of life is everything,” Michael Harrigan, who oversaw the FBI National Academy, told The Post.

nypost.com

There are some other unusual things. If someone kidnapped for ransom, ransom would be the goal. They know people would consult negotiators. They would take good care of the kidnapped ones.

Not like here, it seems.

 

[Luna20]

I haven’t heard them reporting much on the family dynamics. The most that we have is the sil writing poetry, being from Italy, and having been in a band. That’s about it. That was easily found doing a quick Google search.

They aren’t saying much but I think they would have info from sources that haven’t been disclosed. Whoever the church person is that alerted to Nancy’s mia has to have been interviewed by now, unless there isn’t any truth to that.

Given the ransom nature of this situation LE can’t be careful enough with what is made public. I wish we knew more!

 

[DS2021]

If the FBI Director is going there tomorrow, I think that will be to announce an arrest with all that media

This was pre scheduled

 

[TheDinks]

Do you have a link?

 

[Curiousraccoon]

I’m pretty sure at this point because I’ve been trying to place it all day and couldn’t until now. This isn’t a great pic (source Fox News drone) but it’s the hvac and wall that didn’t match with NG house. Other source is Google Maps. NG’s property is immaculate. The other is messy.

Indeed

So here is a screenshot I took myself from Google maps just now of the neighbor house and then a screen grab from this news report

So the septic tanks are by the neighbor (the one on the side of the casita)

 

[CaseZero]

Bringing the timeline again for all of our memories:

5:32 p.m.	Guthrie takes an Uber to her daughter Annie's home for dinner.
9:48 p.m.	Guthrie is dropped off by her son-in-law and Annie's husband, Tommaso Cioni.
9:50 p.m.	Guthrie's garage door is closed at 9:50 p.m. Tommaso reportedly drives off at this time.

Saturday, January 31, 2026

​

1:47 a.m.	A doorbell camera at Guthrie's home disconnects.
2:12 a.m.	Software detects someone on one of the other cameras, but no video is available.
2:28 a.m.	Guthrie's pacemaker app is disconnected from her phone.
~11 a.m.	A churchgoer calls Guthrie's family to report that Guthrie never made it to church.
11:56 a.m.	Relatives arrive at Guthrie's home and discover that she is missing.
12:03 p.m.	Guthrie's family calls the police.
12:15 p.m.	Police from the Pima County Sheriff's Department arrive.

Sunday, February 1, 2026
More here:

A timeline of the disappearance of and search for Nancy Guthrie

Five days into the desperate search for 84-year-old Guthrie, the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, investigators on Thursday released a detailed timeline.

www.pbs.org

​

Bringing the timeline again for all of our memories:

5:32 p.m.	Guthrie takes an Uber to her daughter Annie's home for dinner.
9:48 p.m.	Guthrie is dropped off by her son-in-law and Annie's husband, Tommaso Cioni.
9:50 p.m.	Guthrie's garage door is closed at 9:50 p.m. Tommaso reportedly drives off at this time.

Saturday, January 31, 2026

​

1:47 a.m.	A doorbell camera at Guthrie's home disconnects.
2:12 a.m.	Software detects someone on one of the other cameras, but no video is available.
2:28 a.m.	Guthrie's pacemaker app is disconnected from her phone.
~11 a.m.	A churchgoer calls Guthrie's family to report that Guthrie never made it to church.
11:56 a.m.	Relatives arrive at Guthrie's home and discover that she is missing.
12:03 p.m.	Guthrie's family calls the police.
12:15 p.m.	Police from the Pima County Sheriff's Department arrive.

Sunday, February 1, 2026
More here:

A timeline of the disappearance of and search for Nancy Guthrie

Five days into the desperate search for 84-year-old Guthrie, the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, investigators on Thursday released a detailed timeline.

www.pbs.org

​

I was considering the possibility that the person who dropped NG off at home had escorted her inside and never left. I wondered if a conversation happened at dinner that didn't go as hoped for, and whoever dropped Nancy off went inside to continue the discussion. She could have said she was tired and heading to bed, so let yourself out. This timeline says SIL "reportedly" drives off, but what if they didn't? Or, they look like they are driving away and park elsewhere? IMO
The ransom demand is strange, though, unless it's outside actors, or a plan was in place in case NG didn't cooperate.

 

[pulaskiatnight]

DBM for privacy

 

[submarine7]

It’s misdirection. Say, for instance, this was a familial murder. The criminal is thinking “I’ll make it look like she was kidnapped by a stranger and held for ransom, so the police don’t look at me.”

And it worked, for a little while. But it won’t work in the long run.

So like a misguided delay tactic? I guess desperate people could go there. I guess LE could see through that but still have to divide sources to deal with it. Thanks for your response.

 

[MommaV]

I can't imagine going thru this kind of week without my husband at my side. Haven't heard whether Camron is married (?) but I'm surprised SG's husband isnt there. Kids, school, work, I know, but come on - this is a traumatic life event for SG.

How do you know he’s not with her?

 

[MCB1151]

Who wrote the extortion email? How do we know these are the abductors?


Anyone can write an email asking for money. That doesn't mean they are kidnappers. They could be scammers and totally unrelated to this.

My take from jump was this was 2 separate crimes occurring concurrently. NG was met with foul play it seems & then another person(s) decided to jump on a sad situation in a pathetic attempt to milk some money out of a tragedy. With a kidnapping for ransom, that first communication would have been considered pretty late. Usually kidnappers want to get the message to get the money as soon as possible and get any other message they want the public to know out ASAP, whether to intimidate or in an attempt to apply more pressure for payment.