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

[su5ie]

Something about SG’s latest Instagram appeal is odd. This is not designed as a criticism of her personally, but from a purely practical, “what would be the most effective appeal?” perspective.

If the goal is to generate new information, I’m not convinced Instagram is the strongest channel:

1. Her audience likely skews toward major urban areas and national media markets (e.g. New York, California), rather than the specific local area where relevant sightings or information are most likely to come from.

2. There is risk with a mass-audience appeal that it produces a large volume of speculative responses, thereby diluting useful tips and make triage harder for law enforcement.

3. The appeal does not seem to be directed at specific groups who are statistically more likely to have seen something. For example local residents, drivers, delivery workers, neighbours, or people travelling through the immediate area at relevant times.

4. Instagram’s algorithm prioritises engagement. So posts end up circulating more widely based on likes and shares but not necessarily geographic relevance.

5. It seems well intentioned but kind of pointless in a way - as has been pointed out, we haven't even been told what NG was wearing on the day she was abducted and SG hasn't elaborated - so how is anyone meant to spot her without basic details?

Would a more effective approach be to do outreach through regional news outlets, if this is a genuine appeal for information?

I'm not trying to suggest there is some strategy happening with this post, or that the appeal is fake. It just strikes me as not particularly effective and to be honest - a bit bizarre - a nationwide anchor asking millions of followers if they saw something strange to report it?

Just my personal observation, trying to look at this logically rather than emotionally.

Maybe if the fbi think a person stalking savannah is responsible they are wanting to see a pattern from views or the number of times it's watched by the one person if they are a stalker of savannah they are a follower on her IG

 

[Sadi]

I keep changing my mind about this case.

Maybe there really has been an abduction.

There was a very odd case in my country in 2007. A plot to abduct and unalive a famous pop star reached its final stages. Many people thought the story was BS at the time, but then criminals were found and received lengthy jail sentences.

And in 2023, there was a plot to abduct and unalive a morning show anchor. It was a real plot and the plotter received a significant jail sentence.

These things do happen unfortunately.

What’s the likelihood more ransom demands are coming? This could happen to anyone famous and wealthy, and it probably happens all the time, but not reported on? This could be nightmare for LE if it starts others to think the same (and act on it (copycat )?

 

[BUF]

SG may mean that Nancy can feel the prayers in the afterlife.

Yes, I get the feeling that she has maybe accepted that mother may no longer be alive, but still holds out hope that she may still be alive. Such a sad, sad situation to have to go through.

 

[Hanoi2009]

They could offer something (a memory, a nickname) only Nancy would know.

I thought the same thing, but they could’ve gotten several nuggets of authenticity like this before they killed her. At this point, it would prove they had had her at one time alive, but that does not guarantee she’s still alive.

 

[nightowl2728]

I read it was of consent, so no warrant needed

Maybe SIL and AG knew a warrant would look bad - both optically and the probable cause disclosed to a judge - and chose to go the "consent" route because they knew it would happen regardless ?

 

[txsleuth70]

What’s the likelihood more ransom demands are coming? This could happen to anyone famous and wealthy, and it probably happens all the time, but not reported on? This could be nightmare for LE if it starts others to think the same (and act on it (copycat )?

One final plea at 4:59?

 

[su5ie]

It's not just about Instagram. The second this post went up, every major news outlet reported on it. Tonight, this will be the lead story on all the nightly news broadcasts. It's already all over Twitter, all over Facebook, and all over TikTok.

Every local affiliate and newspaper will also be broadcasting/writing about this.

I get your point with focusing on the outlets in the immediate area and surrounding regions, but you're going to have a similar result, only in reverse.

There's a ton of resources on this, and law enforcement knows how to prioritize tips, ie, people saying "I saw this online," as opposed to "I saw this that night."

The latter is what they'll focus on.

Epstien who

 

[mikeshanty]

Have we passed the 5PM deadline?

 

[birdbox]

That isn't proof of life though? NG could have told them that a week ago and no longer be around? It's the classic "hold up a copy of today's newspaper" solution I think, or maybe they send a video of Nancy watching SG's latest video?

Yes, her response would have to be immediate, but yeah, they could still kill her. But at least you could deposit money knowing she was alive when you asked 12 hours ago.

 

[HoveringWombats]

JMO, the previous video from SG and family pretty directly addressed the perps. If she wanted to address them again in this one, I think she would have been similarly direct, if not more so. I have a hard time reading anything she said in the most recent video as a message to them.

 

[nightowl2728]

Maybe there's infighting amongst a group of perps who had different motives and roles - and that's why the "responses" have been frayed and confusing

 

[ms-t]

Have we passed the 5PM deadline?

I think it is MST, which is about 1 hour 10 mins away.

 

[Bodhi]

Alas, it seems the "ransomers" wanted this public disclosure and pain.

As one detective said "they sent the ransom note first to freakin' TMZ". They wanted this to play out in the public, still could be an opportunistic sicko/stalker and unrelated to the real disappearance of NG

They didn't send it to TMZ first, though. 2 local stations received identical messages, contacted the sheriff's office, and did not reveal anything publicly. A day or so later (source linked earlier today by another person), TMZ received the same message and published it before contacting law enforcement.

Regardless, it's possible the method was chosen because the one-way submission form on the news sites limited LE's ability to trace it back to the sender. Publicizing their bitcoin wallet information is not in their interest, after all. They method they chose to communicate has been effective. Professional journalists would not be party to criminal extortion. They'd contact law enforcement first and not publish criminal threats. TMZ or tabloids are not journalists and I don't hold them to professional standards. I'm realistic.

My outrage over TMZ's action today is not about revealing the message, however. It is that they publicly reported in real time whether a transaction was occurring in the final hours before the final deadline. If they reported on it later, fine. Publication in real time inserted the outlet into a crime that was underway while a victim or the return of her body was hanging in the balance. As I've made clear, this is how I see it. It's my opinion. Others may not find TMZ's action today so reckless.

 

[crhedBngr]

Current time in Tucson.

Current Local Time in Tucson, Arizona, USA

 

[mikeshanty]

In a "normal" abduction and ransom, would the perps treat the victim well? For example, could we imagine they would be cooking for NG, maybe letting her read books, play some cards, maybe scrolling TikTok? In the best-case scenario she is still with us?

 

[submarine7]

Good points made here about this whole kidnapping thing, being suspicious.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2020974135602561024

Is he suggesting she wandered off? If she wasn't taken alive, she was still taken but I agree kidnapping may have been an afterthought.

 

[stmichael]

What’s the likelihood more ransom demands are coming? This could happen to anyone famous and wealthy, and it probably happens all the time, but not reported on? This could be nightmare for LE if it starts others to think the same (and act on it (copycat )?

It's always likely. I many high profile cases it happens and you need to weed it out. One historically famous nationally covered kidnapping story was the Charles Lindbergh baby kidnapping in 1932. It captivated the country at the time. There were 5 fake ransom notes determined in that case.

Today with AI deepfakes fake proof of life ransoms for faked kidnapping using people's altered social media are such a thing that the FBI even released a PSA about it in Dec. 2025.

 

[rosesfromangels]

I’ve never believed that any of the family is involved, and I’m angry of the posts that slandered people are written. Honestly, this is not a game of clue but of real life gut wrenching reality. Websluthers would bounce ideas of how to help solve, instead of this social media free for all of opinions and bashing.

Thank you for reminding us all of the desperate nature of this situation. I try to put myself in SG's shoes and it's so painful I have to stop that exercise. I'd literally have to be medicated to get through that. For those who believe in the power of prayer, now is a good time to surround SG with it. I'm afraid her beloved Mom crossed over that first night. How I hope I'm wrong.

Thank you Donswife. We need to be more like those walking Monks spreading peace, praying over people, and handing out flowers...and less like a warped reality show.

Amateur opinion and speculation only

 

[Chimera]

They'd also probably be unable to work if they're holding her, so they would have to have a means to sustain themselves. They would have gone "all in" on getting $$ from the abduction because their livelihood is gone/diminished. Even losing one client (NG) would be a substantial loss in income, no matter how slight that income. In neighborhoods like this, I bet 90-100% of households have people helping with their households, and the neighborhood would typically be filled with workers throughout the day. I know mine is.

I guess my point - the local hired help would be losing everything -- and not even demand a ransom for multiple days?

Makes sense. ^^^

Still leaning largely towards someone known to Nancy.
Who wanted her just ... gone ?
Omo.

 

[shadowsc]

Today Brian Entin on Megyn Kelly. The Sheriff's office sounds inexperienced:
MK: Here's what I want to know. Um I want to know whether anybody's been asked to give and or has given a polygraph. Not a peep about that. Is that correct? No one's saying a word.

BE: Not a word. I interviewed yesterday uh a former homicide detective for Pima County uh who was there for 20 years and is now retired. And it's interesting what you were reporting in the beginning of your show. I mean, he says the same exact thing that the there's been so much turnover there that it's a mess at the sheriff's office. Uh and that most of the homicide detectives have like two years experience. And so he's concerned a lot of the veterans like him have left just because they've been upset with the with the department for different reasons. and there was a different sheriff and then another sheriff came back and it's it's been a mess there. Uh but he was telling me that in his 20 years there he never they never once administered a polygraph. That wasn't something that they did as a sheriff's office ever, not even once. But I, yeah, I know.

About the 4:10 mark: