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

[shonyakay]

A domestic/personal/acquaintance murder committed in the home may result in crime scene staging to make the death look like an accident, suicide, robbery gone wrong, kidnapping, etc. So you may see a suicide or ransom note, fake break in etc.

In the case of a fake kidnapping, the body has to be removed from the home.

JonBenet Ramsey is the only case we've seen where a body and a ransom note was at the same location.

 

[Kemug]

For sure can be different in different countries. I’m in the US.

I now need to apologise! I just looked it up, and everyone was right except me! I once knew a lady with a pacemaker, and that's what she told me. But that was decades ago, maybe things were different then. Sorry!

 

[shonyakay]

Can I ask how readily available Nancy’s address would have been prior to the incident? Im not American but I know you guys have public record websites. Is it something a person would have been able to easily retrieve? In my country that data is somewhat protected.

Yes. There are many websites where you can easily access this information and for free. It's quite alarming.

 

[submarine7]

Every theory I have collapses fast under scrutiny. This is so baffling and I wish I knew more about Nancy because I know such a tiny fragment of her life. For instance, until today I didn't know she had any close church friends etc.

 

[GlobeFireCandle]

Just checked the timeline, the pacemaker ‘stopped syncing’ with the phone at 2.28am. The phone was found on the kitchen counter. So it seems like she must have had the phone with her in bed but then brought it downstairs (I think most of us would bring our phone with us if we heard a disturbance in the night).

 

[shonyakay]

Just checked the timeline, the pacemaker ‘stopped syncing’ with the phone at 2.28am. The phone was found on the kitchen counter. So it seems like she must have had the phone with her in bed but then brought it downstairs (I think most of us would bring our phone with us if we heard a disturbance in the night).

Do you have a source for the phone being found on the counter?
Nancy's home is all only on one floor.

 

[Starkville]

I agree a phone call is a fixed point which means it may not have been a phone call but some other contact i.e. contact in-person for instance. Or since the church service was online the contact might have been via email.

Not having this information is frustrating and causing speculation like wild fire through social media.

Those are good points! Maybe it was email or in-person.

 

[shadowsc]

Just reading reports from the initial press conference on February 3.

Interesting to read the early thoughts... or lack of them.

The motive remains a mystery. Investigators do not believe at this point that the abduction was part of a robbery, home invasion or kidnapping-for-ransom plot, the person said.

Searchers used drones and search dogs and were supported by volunteers and Border Patrol. The homicide team was also involved, Nanos said Sunday. The FBI has offered to help, sheriff's department spokesperson Angelica Carrillo said.

On Monday morning, Nanos said search crews had been pulled back.

"We don't see this as a search mission so much as it is a crime scene," the sheriff said.

WATCH: Sheriff holds news conference on search for Savannah Guthrie's missing mother

Nancy Guthrie must be found soon because she could die without her medication, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said Tuesday, urging whoever has her to free her.

www.pbs.org

 

[K9Enzo]

This has been cleared up and also the New York Post has stated that the friend called Annie to ask about Nancy.

Yes. I’m wondering what was NG normal mode of transportation. Was it a mix? Did she ever drive herself - did she Uber often - did family take her, etc. NG vehicle is now in LE possession , along with presumably AG, or A vehicle from AG home. IMO

 

[Starkville]

Just checked the timeline, the pacemaker ‘stopped syncing’ with the phone at 2.28am. The phone was found on the kitchen counter. So it seems like she must have had the phone with her in bed but then brought it downstairs (I think most of us would bring our phone with us if we heard a disturbance in the night).

Nancy’s house doesn’t have a second storey; there isn’t a “downstairs”.

 

[Starkville]

8 days of Search & Rescue; and the majority of LE now believe the kidnapping was another hoax. What's left? A missing woman, possible foul play involved... much like so many other cases that do not get solved

How frustrating it would be if this case remains unsolved! JMO

 

[shonyakay]

Those are good points! Maybe it was email or in-person.

Thanks. We have since learned in the last few hours via The New York Post that it was a phone call and the friend called Annie.

 

[Cassie P]

JonBenet Ramsey is the only case we've seen where a body and a ransom note was at the same location.

Yes indeed. Someone wrote a RN with a body still in the home, hidden away. Quite fascinating.

 

[apeXperience]

[...]

In other news, what about the fact the FBI Director is now in Arizona fueling expectations (hopes) that a possible arrest is looming.

Different people see things differently.
To me, the FBI Director Kash Patel is running to Arizona because ... results are slow to come and higher up supervision is needed to motivate the foot soldiers with their work.
It is strange how slow the FBI came to fore given that the very day there was a bitcoins ransom demand, fake or legitimate, it was a FBI case because bitcoins transactions are interstate banking transactions.
When interstate banking transactions are used in a criminal act (missing person or murder or kidnapping), FBI should be involved presto!
What took the FBI so much time before they got involved?
Even after the dully elected chief executive officer of the United States of America committed publicly that DOJ and FBI resources are mobilized in this case, it seems the FBI is sluggish. Why?
As recently as yesterday Feb 9th, the FBI made a statement that they are not aware about some communication between local lawmen and the family Guthrie in one side with the criminals demanding ransom in the other side. Why?

 

[investigatoroffacts]

Just checked the timeline, the pacemaker ‘stopped syncing’ with the phone at 2.28am. The phone was found on the kitchen counter. So it seems like she must have had the phone with her in bed but then brought it downstairs (I think most of us would bring our phone with us if we heard a disturbance in the night).

I believe this is a one story home?

 

[ShouldBWorking]

Interesting, I’ve been wondering about that. I kinda figured it had to be specific and not in a general/common area but you never know

Choosing TMZ is curious and possibly telling. My gut reaction is that the letter author is younger, like no older than 30. Not entirely excluding a boomer, gen x, or elder millenial but it wasn’t even sent to TMZ and NBC (which would be the more obvious/logical choice), it was sent to a celebrity gossip site that doesn’t have the classiest reputation — why? I mean that’s weird, it just is. Strikes me as teenage behavior honestly (or someone trying to pose as one)

moo

I love this site because everyone has such creative thinking.

I believe that they used TMZ because they were confident they would release the information. Reliable news, sources may not have.

 

[GussiedCanoodler]

Interesting, gang initiation???

Have not seen that come up but very plausible indeed

Yep! I guess part of the initiation was they needed to sexually assault someone. I will say that this occurred in an area with a high rate of violent crime/gang violence, which doesn’t seem to be the situation with NG. But you really never know

 

[GussiedCanoodler]

Thank you. But that doesn't sound like a 911 call. That sounds like a APB or BOLO to me, which is after the fact. Do you know if the 911 call to LE was released by chance?

JMO.

Oh shoot you’re completely right. I could have sworn I’d heard/seen the actual 911 call but now I can’t find it anywhere so maybe it was just this and I’m getting confused

 

[academyrd]

Yes indeed. Someone wrote a RN with a body still in the home, hidden away. Quite fascinating.

The parents wrote it, obviously

 

[CrimeDawg123]

I love this site because everyone has such creative thinking.

I believe that they used TMZ because they were confident they would release the information. Reliable news, sources may not have.

They used TMZ because they watch TMZ. They used the others because they are local to Tucson and they probably watch them too.