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

[chefb265]

Does anyone know who dropped her off, and why so late? I wonder if it was a special celebration. Usually elderly people don’t stay up that late.

Her son in law dropped her off and waited until she was inside the house before he left. It’s odd that she lives alone out there in a neighborhood like that one. You’d think the family would have someone with her or that she would live with a relative.

 

[osu]

Former FBI top official doubts whether Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance was actually a kidnapping

February 9, 2026 7:03AM ET

A former top FBI official has raised doubts about whether Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mom, Nancy, is really still alive and being held by kidnappers.

“I’m very skeptical of this,” former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker told Fox News’ “The Big Weekend Show” on Sunday. “Is this really a kidnapping? Does somebody really have her, and is she really alive?” he said of the fiends claiming to have her.

The former FBI bigwig voiced his suspicions after Savannah Guthrie and her two siblings took to social media to plead with their mother’s apparent abductor to return her — as they agreed to pay up to the abductors demanding $6 million ransom.

“If this was a kidnapping, it would be a very simple matter to authenticate and provide proof of life,” Swecker said, noting that no evidence had been “credibly authenticated at this point.” “You have to allow for the possibility that this was something more or something other than a kidnapping.”

Swecker also pointed to the ransom demands being reported, which skyrocketed from $1 million to a reported $6 million in a matter of days. “Remember now, it was 1 million not too long ago. All of a sudden, it’s 6 million,” Swecker told the outlet. “I really think there’s a third party here that’s just playing with them, opportunists who think they can exploit this situation.”

[…]

More at link:
Former FBI top official doubts whether Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance was actually a kidnapping

 

[UltraViolet4545]

I go back and forth on a couple of theories because this case is so very unusual.

It’s very hard for me to get past statistics and the “usual suspects.” A lot hinges on whether the ransom note writer is the same person who disappeared NG. I am also considering the overarching themes here and how they compare to other crimes. No matter what, I have never felt the ransom demand is the point. Ransom money is not the goal.

If the notes are an opportunist and not the person who took NG, then I fall back on statistics and a close family member. An accidental heat of the moment crime with a panicked coverup.

If the notes are from the person who harmed NG, it gets trickier for me. The notes have been given a lot of weight by the people close to this investigation which leads me to believe they are indeed credible. If that’s true, I see strong themes of power and control, someone who is giddy to puppeteer this situation.

It makes me think of BTK. Power, control, and sending notes to toy with police via the media.

Is this a sexually motivated killer? Is this a thrill kill wanting to see if he can get away with it? Is this a grudge collector from long ago with seething rage for the Guthrie family?

 

[jillybean51]

So no warrant required?

If there’s a court case, it’ll be a nightmare!

 

[Emerald1328]

I believe this abduction was by the cartel. Someone knowing she was wealthy and Savannah was her daughter. From the blood spots on the porch, she was hurt in the abduction. Though they were spots, that’s a lot of blood. She may have tried to fight them. Maybe a knife was used. Sadly, I don’t think she survived this week. The stress, her health, all of that is against her.

The abductor knows how to transfer money using bitcoin. The SIL seems too risky. If he needed money and couldn’t handle his own, would he be smart enough to know how to transfer to bitcoin? This could have been planned by some workers in the neighborhood who are at least owing the cartel and was sizing up the neighborhood. Or could be the cartel working with or forcing the SIL.

The recent video of Savannah and her siblings and the words she used makes me think they know she’s gone and they just want her back for closure. Their stress has to be enormous. The only strange thing is asking her return so they can celebrate with her.

Checking the man hole in the yard is something that should have been done the first day. I truly don’t understand why the LE allowed family or reporters around the crime scene. I’m hoping they didn’t just lock in on the SIL because he is of a bad character.

It is strange to me that neither the SIL, nor Camron’s wife, if he has one, are part of the video asking for her return. But then maybe best to just have the three children handle it.

The cartels are very powerful in Arizona and Texas, and especially known in the Tucson area.

Praying for Mrs Guthrie’s safety and return.

I would be more inclined to say Russia than the cartel. I just personally can’t see the cartel operating this way but I have no problem seeing Russia operating this way.

 

[SMK777]

Former FBI top official doubts whether Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance was actually a kidnapping

February 9, 2026

A former top FBI official has raised doubts about whether Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mom, Nancy, is really still alive and being held by kidnappers.

“I’m very skeptical of this,” former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker told Fox News’ “The Big Weekend Show” on Sunday. “Is this really a kidnapping? Does somebody really have her, and is she really alive?” he said of the fiends claiming to have her.

[…]

“If this was a kidnapping, it would be a very simple matter to authenticate and provide proof of life,” Swecker said, noting that no evidence had been “credibly authenticated at this point.” “You have to allow for the possibility that this was something more or something other than a kidnapping.”

Swecker also pointed to the ransom demands being reported, which skyrocketed from $1 million to a reported $6 million in a matter of days. “Remember now, it was 1 million not too long ago. All of a sudden, it’s 6 million,” Swecker told the outlet. “I really think there’s a third party here that’s just playing with them, opportunists who think they can exploit this situation.”
[…]

More at link:
Former FBI top official doubts whether Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance was actually a kidnapping

Thanks for posting this; I agree.

 

[tkcrockett]

Yes I think she was hit after answering the door.That’s why the ring camera was removed.I also think that the interior camera that sensed a movement , was her going to answer the door.She was pushed, dragged etc , inside after answering the door.Shortly after her pacemaker sync disconnected.She was then taken out the back door.(thus the floodlights being disabled beforehand.)Hopefully the camera found on the roof shows something, but it could have been pitch dark.I think this is why they are still concentrating on the back of house and beyond .

i am trying to get my mind with yours...if she opened the door from inside, why go outside? I can imagine open it, get hit, bleed etc but she had to have been outside to bleed outside. If she was hit as soon as she opened the door, wouldn't the blood be inside? Further, and I am no blood expert...in fact, I'm no expert on anything!...the blood doesn't appear to be spread out. It looks like someone stood in one spot and dripped. How does that fit?

Now that you have me thinking on this, I also can't fathom it in reverse...if she was taken out of the house I guess she would have to have stood there bleeding maybe while someone was locking all 4 locks behind them?? I don't even know if the door was locked but if it was, who had the key? Hasn't it been said that her keys, wallet, phone etc were in the house? I just can't make the blood work for me. I appreciate the thought provoking discussion

 

[fsngruv]

So no warrant required?

No warrant is required when the search is consented to

 

[Deleted member 117884]

Yes I think she was hit after answering the door.That’s why the ring camera was removed.I also think that the interior camera that sensed a movement , was her going to answer the door.She was pushed, dragged etc , inside after answering the door.Shortly after her pacemaker sync disconnected.She was then taken out the back door.(thus the floodlights being disabled beforehand.)Hopefully the camera found on the roof shows something, but it could have been pitch dark.I think this is why they are still concentrating on the back of house and beyond .

I think she was hurt in the house and walked out the front door because a car was in that front driveway. In this scenario, there are likely two people.

Of course, 10 seconds from now I'll have a different rendition and then discard both of them to shimmy back on the fence.

 

[judithannegg]

I still don't believe the ransom notes are from the abductor. I was watching this case from the very beginning. There was no ransom note yet. ALL of the media people were saying "there's no way she could have wandered away. This must be a kidnapping of some sort." I think some people got into their head they could make money off of this and send in fake ransom notes and I imagine there have been multiple ransom notes. We already know one faker was arrested in California. It really seems the sheriff has been focused on kidnapping ever since the beginning, but I worry he relied on that theory too much. No cadaver dogs have been on the scene. It took them FOUR tries to find another camera on the roof. The sheriff's department put up and took down crime tape four times; should have kept it up continuously until they knew what actually happened and what they were looking for. I still think someone does not kidnap a 84 year old, physically fragile woman. IF this was done by kidnappers and were going to release her, they would have been sure she had her meds, had her cane, etc. Sometimes the answer is just the easiest one: family member. I don't think family member has made any ransom notes. And just because a ransomer "might" have some info only one who was in the house knew, well there have been dozens of people going in and out of her house since this happened. And all of the photographs might be downloaded somewhere and in offices where there are even more people looking at everything. Plus there are photos on Facebook of Nancy and possibly in her own home, so many ransomer saw something, like a picture on a wall in the background and pretended they saw it when they "kidnapped" her.

 

[Cassie P]

yet sophisticated enough to not be caught yet. Every day that goes by and the FBI hasn't tracked them down, makes me lean more towards it being real. How frustrating this must be for the family.

Yes the perpetrator has yet to be apprehended, so there was a degree of competence and sophistication for sure.

Of course LE could have identified a prime suspect and trying to get the evidence to make a solid case.

 

[Deleted member 117884]

I still don't believe the ransom notes are from the abductor. I was watching this case from the very beginning. There was no ransom note yet. ALL of the media people were saying "there's no way she could have wandered away. This must be a kidnapping of some sort." I think some people got into their head they could make money off of this and send in fake ransom notes and I imagine there have been multiple ransom notes. We already know one faker was arrested in California. It really seems the sheriff has been focused on kidnapping ever since the beginning, but I worry he relied on that theory too much. No cadaver dogs have been on the scene. It took them FOUR tries to find another camera on the roof. The sheriff's department put up and took down crime tape four times; should have kept it up continuously until they knew what actually happened and what they were looking for. I still think someone does not kidnap a 84 year old, physically fragile woman. IF this was done by kidnappers and were going to release her, they would have been sure she had her meds, had her cane, etc. Sometimes the answer is just the easiest one: family member. I don't think family member has made any ransom notes. And just because a ransomer "might" have some info only one who was in the house knew, well there have been dozens of people going in and out of her house since this happened. And all of the photographs might be downloaded somewhere and in offices where there are even more people looking at everything. Plus there are photos on Facebook of Nancy and possibly in her own home, so many ransomer saw something, like a picture on a wall in the background and pretended they saw it when they "kidnapped" her.

I suppose if there are no developments today, the second deadline day, the notes will be dismissed as hoaxes?

 

[tkcrockett]

I think she was hurt in the house and walked out the front door because a car was in that front driveway. In this scenario, there are likely two people.

Of course, 10 seconds from now I'll have a different rendition and then discard both of them to shimmy back on the fence.

I am really trying hard to wrap my head around the blood. Bear with me, please. If she was hurt in the house and walked out to a waiting car, why is there only one area of blood? No trail. If she and "bad guy/s" walk out the front door, who locked the door behind them? Wasn't it said that her keys were found in the house along with wallet and phone?

 

[Frig]

Now that you have me thinking on this, I also can't fathom it in reverse...if she was carried out of the house I guess she would have to have stood there bleeding maybe while someone was locking all 4 locks behind them?? I don't even know if the door was locked but if it was, who had the key? Hasn't it been said that her keys, wallet, phone etc were in the house? I just can't make the blood work for me. I appreciate the thought provoking discussion

What if the direction of bleeding was actually from the driveway towards the house? That would explain the increased blood by the front door as it was being unlocked. Exiting of the house could then have occurred from a car in the garage.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Former FBI top official doubts whether Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance was actually a kidnapping

February 9, 2026

A former top FBI official has raised doubts about whether Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mom, Nancy, is really still alive and being held by kidnappers.

“I’m very skeptical of this,” former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker told Fox News’ “The Big Weekend Show” on Sunday. “Is this really a kidnapping? Does somebody really have her, and is she really alive?” he said of the fiends claiming to have her.

[…]

“If this was a kidnapping, it would be a very simple matter to authenticate and provide proof of life,” Swecker said, noting that no evidence had been “credibly authenticated at this point.” “You have to allow for the possibility that this was something more or something other than a kidnapping.”

Swecker also pointed to the ransom demands being reported, which skyrocketed from $1 million to a reported $6 million in a matter of days. “Remember now, it was 1 million not too long ago. All of a sudden, it’s 6 million,” Swecker told the outlet. “I really think there’s a third party here that’s just playing with them, opportunists who think they can exploit this situation.”
[…]

More at link:
Former FBI top official doubts whether Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance was actually a kidnapping

And as I keep sayin....

oh my.... we are opening one huge Pandora's Box....

 

[Deleted member 117884]

I am really trying hard to wrap my head around the blood. Bear with me, please. If she was hurt in the house and walked out to a waiting car, why is there only one area of blood? No trail. If she and "bad guy/s" walk out the front door, who locked the door behind them? Wasn't it said that her keys were found in the house along with wallet and phone?

Perhaps no trail of blood because someone handed her a towel for the purpose of not leaving a trail of blood.

But if I knew all the answers, I'd join the team of investigators and solve the case.

jmo

 

[HoveringWombats]

Ok yes it just seems that many people here aren't really engaging the question in good faith of what's reasonable for NG based on what we know about her. Anecdotal stories about people in different circumstances (age, health, mobility, health issues) are, frankly, irrelevant. I've been speaking about what I know about NG based on reporting and on people I know who ARE in similar condition to her, and what would be considered reasonable in my opinion.

I wanted to address this, because I am one person who has spoken up about the assumptions around NG's abilities. Everything here, MOO of course. I am nowhere near NG's age (I am actually younger than SG), so this does not come from a place of defensiveness. Disagreement on matters of opinion does not imply bad faith. I think most of us here are doing our best to figure out what happened, based on our own personal experiences, which is about all we can do, given the lack of facts.

First, I completely respect your experience and knowledge as a lawyer. I can only speak for myself, but when I opine on the abilities of NG, I am neither making nor predicting any legal argument. We are so far away from this being in a courtroom that it seems pointless to speculate on, and I don't have the knowledge to do so anyway. I really don't think most of this discussion is about what would make for a sound legal argument at this point; it's about what the scant evidence we do have might suggest about what actually happened, with the goal of finding NG. This thread is about finding her, not building a case against any perp. All the legal stuff will play out later and is a separate question.

If we review all of the available information, I think we'll see that there are some conflicting perspectives on how mobile, active, and able NG is. My personal opinion (nothing more!) is that her frailty may be somewhat played up in the public communications to the ransom note writers and in the press conferences, to engender sympathy and humanize her. In these contexts, I do not think that it would help achieve anyone's goal to emphasize how strong and independent she is, and how she'll be just fine on her own. That's just not the narrative they want to be weaving at this point.

This is not to say that it's not clearly (IMO) true that she has mobility issues, and likely that she's on important medication, is injured easily, etc. But it's also not to say that she doesn't regularly move herself around town without assistance, drive a car, and generally lead an active life. These things can both be true.

The bottom line of my frustration with some of the discourse here is that it is framed as "because she is a frail old lady, it's simply impossible that she did X, and therefore the explanation must be Y." As outsiders, we do not know definitively what she can and can't do. We can talk all day about what we might consider reasonable for someone in a similar condition, but 1) we don't have a ton of details about what her condition actually is — just snippets of incomplete information, and 2) what might be reasonable for other people is not really conclusive evidence of what happened here.

I'm totally fine with "hey, given what we know about NG's age and condition, this scenario seems unlikely to me." I'm less ok with "no one in NG's age and condition could have done that, so obviously this is what happened." Maybe it seems like a subtle distinction, but I guess I'm just looking for some nuance, some acknowledgement that we're dealing with an individual human being rather than an abstract average statistic, and an understanding that we're all doing our best here with very limited information.

None of us truly know what happened, and whether we like it or not, the bits and pieces of information we have do not point in a single direction. It's not bad faith to share our own opinions based on the combination of life experience and the information we do have.

 

[flp]

Hi, Can someone think of a similiarly perplexing case to this one. Just thought it would be interesting to read about another case that is interesting as this one.

 

[Curiousobserver]

Former FBI top official doubts whether Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance was actually a kidnapping

February 9, 2026

A former top FBI official has raised doubts about whether Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mom, Nancy, is really still alive and being held by kidnappers.

“I’m very skeptical of this,” former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker told Fox News’ “The Big Weekend Show” on Sunday. “Is this really a kidnapping? Does somebody really have her, and is she really alive?” he said of the fiends claiming to have her.

[…]

“If this was a kidnapping, it would be a very simple matter to authenticate and provide proof of life,” Swecker said, noting that no evidence had been “credibly authenticated at this point.” “You have to allow for the possibility that this was something more or something other than a kidnapping.”

Swecker also pointed to the ransom demands being reported, which skyrocketed from $1 million to a reported $6 million in a matter of days. “Remember now, it was 1 million not too long ago. All of a sudden, it’s 6 million,” Swecker told the outlet. “I really think there’s a third party here that’s just playing with them, opportunists who think they can exploit this situation.”
[…]

More at link:
Former FBI top official doubts whether Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance was actually a kidnapping

One thing is true IMO- If this is a kidnapping, (and maybe even if it isn't) and the family pays, then it is open season on relatives of famous people in the US in a way that only Mexico and Brazil have experienced.

 

[jillybean51]

i am trying to get my mind with yours...if she opened the door from inside, why go outside? I can imagine open it, get hit, bleed etc but she had to have been outside to bleed outside. If she was hit as soon as she opened the door, wouldn't the blood be inside? Further, and I am no blood expert...in fact, I'm no expert on anything!...the blood doesn't appear to be spread out. It looks like someone stood in one spot and dripped. How does that fit?

Now that you have me thinking on this, I also can't fathom it in reverse...if she was carried out of the house I guess she would have to have stood there bleeding maybe while someone was locking all 4 locks behind them?? I don't even know if the door was locked but if it was, who had the key? Hasn't it been said that her keys, wallet, phone etc were in the house? I just can't make the blood work for me. I appreciate the thought provoking discussion

The outside metal door opens outward.Nancy sees someone she recognizes and opens the metal door outwards,maybe stepping down into the mat.The blood droplets are beside the mat.I think she was then taken back inside,killed and taken out the back door to be buried somewhere.I’m thinking strangulation if AG and TC didn’t see a lot of biological evidence.