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

[flakesofsnow]

Early on i heard someone report that the family had been alerted by someone who said she did not show up to church. i then read that she does not physically go to church. I assume nobody actually said this or they would be a suspect

 

[TheDinks]

As we get closer to the deadline indicated in the purported ransom letter, it occurred to me that although they said in the latest video that they were going to pay the ransom, why haven't they paid it sooner than the deadline tomorrow so they can get their loved one back sooner? Unless the purported kidnapper stated in his letter that NG wouldn't be given back until that time, it doesn't make any sense to not pay as soon as they said they would.

I have been and still am fairly convinced that this is an actual kidnapping and ransom demand scenario, but the family not paying it thus far (that we know of) - particularly after saying they would be doing so - is chipping away at my confidence in my own eyes and ears right now.

Guess we'll just have to see what the deadline brings.

JMO.

I just wouldn't be assuming it hasn't been paid already.

It really isn't something that would be broadcast but rather kept on the dl

 

[Friday Fan]

Likely not. But it should be alarming for anyone within a days drive from the border.

That's like everyone in the US. And them cartel guys don't take sleep breaks! In 24 hours they can take someone all the way from Milwaukee to Nuevo Laredo. Or from Minnesota or even Ohio because Texas has like 80 mph speed limits. Yee-ha...Everyone be afraid.

Maybe we should make this easy and blame every disappeared person in the US on cartels. Because most of the US is within 24 hours of the southern border. There. All crimes solved.

 

[Absoluterubbish]

I just wouldn't be assuming it hasn't been paid already.

It really isn't something that would be broadcast but rather kept on the dl

Glad to see another kiwi here (from one of your previous posts)

 

[Strangeworld]

As we get closer to the deadline indicated in the purported ransom letter, it occurred to me that although they said in the latest video that they were going to pay the ransom, why haven't they paid it sooner than the deadline tomorrow so they can get their loved one back sooner? Unless the purported kidnapper stated in his letter that NG wouldn't be given back until that time, it doesn't make any sense to not pay as soon as they said they would.

I have been and still am fairly convinced that this is an actual kidnapping and ransom demand scenario, but the family not paying it thus far (that we know of) - particularly after saying they would be doing so - is chipping away at my confidence in my own eyes and ears right now.

Guess we'll just have to see what the deadline brings.

JMO.

Possibly LE have told them they are confident its a scam? Or they have evidence that it is and they are continuing to engage to hopefully identify them.

 

[Kemug]

It must have been paid already, it must! Surely!

 

[Kemug]

Possibly LE have told them they are confident its a scam?

I'd pay anyway, if it was my mother!

 

[Ninety Nine]

Did any of you sleuthers ever hold back a comment on a thread because you thought maybe the perp or in this case kidnappers may be reading these posts?

Well I have an idea and I'm not going to post it because I think it's likely the kidnappers are reading this. I don't mean to open up a can of worms, I just care about NG and the family and don't want to possibly help the criminals.

Just throwing that out there.

 

[Strangeworld]

I'd pay anyway, if it was my mother!

Even if LE said we are very confident we know what happened to your mother and it has nothing to do with the ransom request?

And even if the people requesting a ransom did kidnap Nancy, are they really going to be the sort of people the family can trust to honour their side of an agreement to return her? There is a real risk they could be identified by returning Nancy, alive or otherwise

 

[Chainspell]

Did any of you sleuthers ever hold back a comment on a thread because you thought maybe the perp or in this case kidnappers may be reading these posts?

Well I have an idea and I'm not going to post it because I think it's likely the kidnappers are reading this. I don't mean to open up a can of worms, I just care about NG and the family and don't want to possibly help the criminals.

Just throwing that out there.

Not going to lie, have had the same thought for the last hour. Could be nothing/wrong but I just don't want to risk it. JMO.

 

[Trino]

Hey Everyone.
Tonight at 10:30 PM Eastern, I'll be going live on our Websleuths YouTube Live channel to discuss the case.
We would love to have you join us. Click HERE or click on the video below.
Thanks,
Tricia

 

[Moonstrawbs]

Early on i heard someone report that the family had been alerted by someone who said she did not show up to church. i then read that she does not physically go to church. I assume nobody actually said this or they would be a suspect

She attended online which was something she transitioned to during COVID times. I'm at work so can't find a link so I'll add, jmo.

 

[MollyHarps]

I just don’t believe the ransom theory - I feel for the ransom to be true the deadlines would’ve been much quicker.

This is an 84 year old women we are talking about with a heart condition - I doubt in these stressful conditions with no medication that time is really on her side.

 

[Trino]

Sure seems like the abductor is real, and the ransom demand has enough info to convince that it's real. So, isn't it time to profile? (Assuming SIL is not involved.)

Here's my take:
Male
Educated
Smart
Ages 25-55
Single
Bitcoin very experienced. Must know how to delink from his identity.
Financial advisor? Corporate?
Has spent time researching property, NG, habits
Is familiar with the property w/o anyone knowing
Familiar with Tucson
Did not take NG far from Tucson, maybe Phoenix
Would he leave immediately after gaining ransom? Big mistake on his part. Mistake maybe to stay too.

 

[shonyakay]

That's my question, too. Why did she go other there? If she told LE that it was for the purported reason we've heard that a family member said (eg church member called her because she was concerned mom wasn't at church), that's a huge red flag.

And AG would know that her mother didn't go to church in-person so this adds to the strangeness. Doesn't make sense she would have said something that even she knew couldn't be true. Unless family members were so got off guard coming up with a reason why they were at NG's that they just blurted out the first thing that came to their mind.

LE reported that it was obvious immediately that this wasn't a missing person's case and that it was the scene of a crime. MO

You stated previously that NG's pastor stated that she attended church online. Can you please provide us with where you obtained this information?

@HoveringWombats shared the DC arrest complaint and it states, "On the morning of February 1, 2026, a friend of N.G.'s contacted the victim's family and notified them that N.G. had not attended church that morning." https://www.justice.gov/usao-az/media/1426976/dl?inline

 

[Trino]

I just don’t believe the ransom theory - I feel for the ransom to be true the deadlines would’ve been much quicker.

This is an 84 year old women we are talking about with a heart condition - I doubt in these stressful conditions with no medication that time is really on her side.

We don't know her heart condition. Surgery? Previous heart attack? Heart disease? Depends on medication. Probably on beta blocker and blood thinner as basics. If she is on Eloquis (blood thinner) and now off it, that is definitely a problem.

 

[simlyme]

That doesnt even look like a septic tank to me, it looks like a grid top with no lock and it looks like it’s open to the air,(it would smell wouldnt it) thats not even safe. Compare to the other one which is a septic tank. Or look here for Tucson About Us ( 3rd picture)
The one hes poking in looks like it’s to catch rain or do they have flash floods?

I think this is some sort of water catchment system. They are very popular in Tucson and all desert areas , used for watering plants and trees.

 

[shonyakay]

I was just re-reading the DC complaint. It's a short document. Everyone should read it to have first-hand information rather than just relying on recaps from others.

I don't find this to be compelling evidence that DC was working with AG or TC. I think it's just clumsy wording of a demand for bitcoin. This does not look like a smoking gun to me at all, IMO.

Also, I notice that it says, "On the morning of February 1, 2026, a friend of N.G.'s contacted the victim's family and notified them that N.G. had not attended church that morning." Criminal complaints are of course not perfect documents, but I'd be somewhat surprised if this detail was included without them being fairly sure it's true as of the time of writing (Thursday, Feb 5). I continue to be somewhat skeptical of the church member phone call, but this is evidence in favor of it having happened, and being left off of the sheriff's timeline for some other reason. MOO.

Thank you. So not only the NYT (which is quite reputable) has stated this as recently as yesterday, we have an "official" document dated (February 5) relaying that a church attendee called Nancy's family when she was noticed to be absent.

It makes sense that a church attendee would call family if they noticed Nancy was unusually absent. That is just being a good fellow perishoner checking to see if all is well.

 

[Happyfrog111]

This case has had me puzzled and I’ve only read but not posted to this point but I just woke up with an idea. What if the second video by the family was not in response to any letter at all? “We got your message”. Maybe message doesn’t refer to either of the supposed two letters from the “kidnappers”. But rather “message” refers to the heinous act of murdering their innocent loved one? I.e- someone “sending a message”. I have no clue what that message was or why it would have been sent and won’t speculate. But the family is stating to whatever person/entity out there like “hey we got your message, message understood” (paraphrasing). But this theory may better explain why LE went back to the homes of NG and AG and basically re-canvased, re-investigated each location (as potential homicide scenes as opposed to NG’s house as the site of a kidnapping as previously thought). It may also explain the shift in tone and wording between the two family videos. By the time the second video came out, family and LE no longer believing any of the ransom notes were legitimate and instead the case was more likely a murder than a kidnapping.

 

[threeflight]

New poster and hello everyone. I have followed this since the beginning and the entire thing has always struck as very odd. There is just no logical reason for anyone to 'kidnap' NG.

I am a big believer in Occam's razor and to me the simplest explanation is whoever saw NG last either knows something or is directly responsible. What are the odds that some random guy would just happen to abduct/hurt/kidnap NG an hour or 2 after she got home from being out to dinner with family members? Seems very unlikely to me. And from what I know of the situation, her son in law is the last person to see her. Which I also understand is he is in a situation where he and his wife (NGs daughter) were in debt and financial distress.

Everyone should watch the video of Anthony Aiello on youtube. 90 year old man who murdered his daughter in law inside her home....for money. The pizza murder. This situation with NG completely reminds me of that.

I really have a hard time believing any of these ransom notes are serious. IMO they are coming from someone who is trying to buy time. IMO probably the son in law. IMO he tried to get money from NG, she refused, he ended up hurting/ending her.

I really hope I am wrong but it seems pretty clear to me.