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

[Deleted member 117884]

She was driven home; for whatever reason she was already bleeding or started to bleed leaving the vehicle, innocently or not.

But how does that tie in with the garage door opening?

Not knocking the theory, just trying to place it in the timeline of known events.

 

[LAborn]

And I sort wish they would put up tents and/or screens while they worked to keep the news out of the way. Of course, I find the drone footage interesting but I also feel yucky that the crime scene is exposed while they work. I know they can't tent the whole yard, but at least sections where they are working.

I want to be wrong and that in the end we'll all be impressed eventually.

jmo

Good point, why not put up a tent?!? They know how high profile this case is, have some discretion. It just seems everyday they are proving how bungling they are. I mean, anyone could go to the store and get cameras to place down there on those long sticks. Even if they didn't have the equipment on hand. I thought of that with zero experience. Yes, I'm hoping we're all proved wrong and they have been cracker jack the entire time.

 

[korncrasy]

This door looks like it would be heavy and APITA to unlock.

Were all the locks on those doors still locked when LE arrived?
Also, when my camera needs charging I bring it in.Did NG bring the doorbell in because the batteries were dead and discovered the entire thing needed replacing and tossed it.
The blood on the walkway could be from her fidgeting with it and getting hurt.My husband bleeds doing everything.

 

[rosesfromangels]

And I sort wish they would put up tents and/or screens while they worked to keep the news out of the way. Of course, I find the drone footage interesting but I also feel yucky that the crime scene is exposed while they work. I know they can't tent the whole yard, but at least sections where they are working.

I want to be wrong and that in the end we'll all be impressed eventually.

jmo

I’m with ya. There are people genuinely interested from a forensics perspective, and then there are ghouls. I find the latter despicable.

Amateur opinion and speculation only

 

[Trino]

Must take into consideration also that there are no footprints in the blood which falls within the walking path...

No footprints to smear the blood is definitely strange. And, was there blood to the septic tank?

 

[Ashley74]

Found this interesting. Think this points to the ransom being written by someone outside the country.


“But some experts remain wary of the ransom note, which specified that the payment be made in the equivalent of US dollars, which some said could indicate the sender was not in America — and could be someone trying to scam the Guthries out of millions as they search for their mother.”

“If you’re domestic, why would you ever put ‘USD?’ You put 6 million,” former FBI agent Michael Harrigan told The Post.”

The tiny detail in the Nancy Guthrie ransom note that makes FBI experts think the writers aren’t even in US

 

[tkcrockett]

May I pose a question?

From what I saw, and I may be mistaken, the door had a metal gate. Where I am from, we have the metal gate for security reasons, and if we answer the door we usually stand behind it and look around to see who is ringing.

Now, and bear with as I am slow in the mornings (and not much faster the rest of the day), the doorbell camera lets you know who it is, and you go to open IF you recognize the person, ESPECIALLY late at night.

My point, and I do have one if you give me a moment to get to it, is that if NG went to the door, she KNEW who it was. If she didn't and she opened, she did it cautiously (one hopes), and the metal gate would be (again, one hopes) locked. It will, as is the case with storm doors, open out towards the porch, and she would have been behind the door that opens IN towards the house.

This scenario would indicate that, if she indeed opened the front door, she knew the person who rang, and was welcoming them into the house. Forcing their way in would require a key for the gate, and if they have a key for the gate, WHY RING?

Again, my own thoughts, and I meander, but I grew up in a household of old people (raising me as a child) and we had gates and doors, and old people habits (which I now obviously exercise in an age-appropriate manner.)

Oh, and we have solar powered security cameras that announce people on the driveway, the walkway to our door, our porch, our side gate and our back door...unless we are expecting someone, or recognize who is on our property, we do not open.

My own opinions and thoughts and it's time for a second cup of coffee so forgive me if I've been nonsensical.

if she opened the door from inside, why go outside? If she went outside to open the door wide to let someone in, isn't the blood on the wrong side of the mat? The way the blood appears, she would have stood right in the way of anyone intending to enter. I also need more coffee!

 

[rosesfromangels]

I think this too, she was attacked and when she was removed from her home, she was no longer living.

I think there is a strong possibility that you are right. She was in fragile health to begin with.

Amateur opinion and speculation only

 

[maskedwoman]

Psychiatry calls interesting choices of words such as these "word salad."

A word salad is a "confused or unintelligible mixture of seemingly random words and phrases", most often used to describe a symptom of a neurological or mental disorder. Often, the person is unaware that they did not make sense.

In response, clinicians often maintain a calm, patient demeanor, echoing or validating the person's feelings rather than focusing on the incoherence.

I don't know what the post you were responding to is about, since it's so short, but I don't know why you went that direction in your response. In my experience, word salad is more often used in politics, when politicians are talking out of their you-know-what. It appears to afflict all political parties world wide, and does not necessarily indicate any sort of neurological disorder. Unless you count talking out of someone's you-know-what to be a disorder. In which case a large percentage of the world's population is affected.

 

[SRWCF]

To those who keep posting about how their 90 year old relatives are "totally fine and like a 25 year old!", we are all truly happy for you and wish them many more years of health and no sudden changes unfortunately typical for most elderly people (and which should and can be prevented with realistic lifestyles and safety measures).

That said, legally and logically, the question isn’t ‘can a 90-year-old be out late?’ It’s ‘what’s typical or expected for a person of this age with documented mobility issues, a pacemaker, and reliance on daily medications.’ Anecdotes about healthier individuals aren’t comparable. Courts look at whether something would stand out to a reasonable person given the same facts, not whether exceptions exist.

Source: I'm a lawyer

THANK YOU for this voice of reason! People have been screaming "ageism!" and clutching their pearls. Lol. I know that NG is "sharp as a tack" (according to LE), but that is not the norm for people of her age. My mom is 77 and I recently was awarded emergency guardianship / conservatorship over her after she got lost twice (and hospitalized twice) after driving approximately 1,600 miles. She is now in memory care, thankfully. She has Dementia and I am keenly aware of just how vulnerable and fragile our seniors can be, with or without cognitive decline.

 

[tkcrockett]

Maybe she was knocked conscious? Maybe she was slung over the perp's shoulders and the blood dripped from her nose onto the pavement.

who locked the 4 locks back?

 

[CandyKiss]

Please be kind in your responses. I mean well and do my best to be clear, but this is not my first language and I am getting older every day.

Not many can speak a second language nor write it so beautifully.

 

[jillybean51]

i can almost see this. I just got up and walked to my front door to try it. Doorbell rings. She sees someone she knows at the door. She opens house door. Mine goes inward as does hers. Opens metal door. Mine goes outward as does hers. I step outside near or onto the mat to let the person in. Something happens to cause blood. If she planned to let the person in and steps out of the way to do that, isn't the blood on the wrong side of the mat? Granted, I am making an assumption that she intended to let them in. Otherwise, why step outside at all? Maybe she stepped outside...in the dark of night, in her nightclothes (taken from her bed in first sherif statement) to chat? I am stumped but I think your way is as close as I can get

I think if she were holding the door open she would have been facing the mat and blood drop area?(if she was pulling the door to close it behind her, after the person entered)Just as she was turning to step back inside she was hit.(likely in the nose area)

 

[Barry]

The "cartel" as most people would define it, is a non-starter for me. Too high of a risk and attention for what in their world would be a relatively small amount of money.

 

[txsleuth70]

I think this too, she was attacked and when she was removed from her home, she was no longer living.

Highly possible because the Sheriff said she did not walk out of there on her own. She did not leave the house afoot. Interpreted as she was carried. Understandably, alive or dead wasn't included in the statement because they're trying to catch the ransom author(s) and the perp(s), who may or may not be one and the same.

 

[Deleted member 117884]

Tricia has invited WSers to the Daily Thread to discuss elder care.

 

[Napoli]

Good morning to everyone!

I just wanted to chime in with some thoughts I've been mulling over:

1) It is tempting to think that this is all hingeing on SG and her work, and I would think -if that is the tack being taken- that it's more a fan of someone she's "grilled" during an interview.
2) The cartel theory is not convincing to me because there is a degree of patient drawing-out of the notes that doesn't match the usual "kidnap, ransom request and here's the body, you took too long."
3) Also, the cartel theory seems to feed into a more political aspect (that immigrants, or foreign bad actors are involved), and this seems personal.
4) The timeline is very suspect; it would be helpful to know the time for the service that NG supposedly (and I say this because the matter hasn't been clarified to satisfaction) missed, the time of the call, and so on and so forth.
5) Everyone's finances have been investigated; it might take time to get everything they need, but the basics are clear to LE by now...it HAS been a week, and there must have been discussions about who and how the ransom would be funded.
6) Speculating about family relationships, I think, is excessively intrusive. The situation is already fraught for them, and I don't doubt there have been copious discussions and arguments about big or small grievances from time immemorial. That part should be left for the investigators to dissect as part of their process, but we sitting on the bleachers can't pretend we know what is going on behind closed doors among these relatives.

These are all my own opinions on the subject, and I apologize if they seem silly or naive. I fear that there are two separate narratives here, and one of them (the ransom demands and the "wild goose chases" being triggered by messages we are unaware of) will be what brings the whole thing to a head for the real perpetrator(s).

I just pray that NG is found even though I seriously doubt that, at this point and with all the emotional, psychological and physical trauma she's endured, she is still alive.

Please be kind in your responses. I mean well and do my best to be clear, but this is not my first language and I am getting older every day.

If you object to the term cartel because you are feeling an ethnic connotation, might i suggest organized crime group? Cartel, mafia, syndicate, ..all can be synonyms for some consortium of people that are known to be nefarious. I agree that the whole family thing is not only intrusive but is getting waaayyyyy off the subject. POA, family debt, the non existent trip to a bar, what they did for 45 minutes at the home once the mysterious unnamed church lady informed them Mom wasnt seen at the church service etc etc. Why are some family members more suspect in posters minds than others? NO ONE HAS BEEN CLEARED ..NOT EVEN SG. imo, THIS IS EITHER A GRUDGE, REAL OR PERCEIVED, against SG, A FORMER OR CURRENT CONTRACTOR WHO IS CONNECTED TO A LARGER MORE EXPERIENCE GANG, CARTEL, (PICK YOUR NOUN) AND EVERYONE HAS LONG SINCE DISAPPEARED FROM ARIZONA. I do not believe she will be found alive and may not even be found period. Why are billboards going up in Texas? According to the map the TMZ guy put up last week she could be in Nevada, Idaho, Colorado etc etc.. Why does anyone think this will even be solved? Anyone remember the Deorr Kunz case? Basically, totally unsophisticated bunch and baby and perp was never found. JMO. I agree with most of your post.btw. Good post. MOO

 

[Starkville]

I just don't think it's the sister's husband. Your sister-in-law is a major public news journalist and you're going to orchestrate a kidnapping, or a coverup to look like a kidnapping, and you are truly going to send, or have other people send, ransom notes to TMZ while the FBI is literally surveilling you? Most kidnappings for ransom are kept quiet, out of the media, try to steer away from authorities being called, and the culprits just want their money. This way would be awfully bold and risky and reckless.

But, we could go in circles. Nothing would really surprise me anymore in this case.

Some thoughts about the ransom and the videos of the family… when I see the odd wording of the videos made by the Guthrie family, I think that the “ransomer” is enjoying making them dance to his/her tune. I think this person likes making Savannah beg and grovel and obey. JMO. This crime forced Savannah to leave her job and husband and children and now they are making her suffer and possibly come up with a LOT of money. This goes beyond money, IMO. I think there’s an element of sadism in the ransom portion of this crime. JMO.

I go back and forth on whether there’s family involved in this.

 

[Trino]

Found this interesting. Think this points to the ransom being written by someone outside the country.


“But some experts remain wary of the ransom note, which specified that the payment be made in the equivalent of US dollars, which some said could indicate the sender was not in America — and could be someone trying to scam the Guthries out of millions as they search for their mother.”

“If you’re domestic, why would you ever put ‘USD?’ You put 6 million,” former FBI agent Michael Harrigan told The Post.”

The tiny detail in the Nancy Guthrie ransom note that makes FBI experts think the writers aren’t even in US

NY Post: No proof that Nancy is alive or that the authors have her has been provided, but details from inside her house were included in the note. If the "details" are true, perhaps this is why the family is paying the ransom. They must feel this is legit. Don't see how the SIL can be solely involved. He's not going to be sending ransom notes with LE all over him.

 

[LAborn]

Found this interesting. Think this points to the ransom being written by someone outside the country.


“But some experts remain wary of the ransom note, which specified that the payment be made in the equivalent of US dollars, which some said could indicate the sender was not in America — and could be someone trying to scam the Guthries out of millions as they search for their mother.”

“If you’re domestic, why would you ever put ‘USD?’ You put 6 million,” former FBI agent Michael Harrigan told The Post.”

The tiny detail in the Nancy Guthrie ransom note that makes FBI experts think the writers aren’t even in US

Because bitcoin isn't necessarily in USD amount because it's global "currency". This only proves the person asking understands cryptocurrency. They want the value to be specific because other places have lower currency value.