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

[Inthedetails]

It was sent to a local Tucson news station first. Was also sent to another news station (can't remember the name). Then was sent to TMZ on Tuesday.

I think it may be more about accesibility. TMZ has an easy to use tip form and they probably monitor it all the time. I did a quick search of email NBC.. I got a lot of emails come up and it says, depending on your needs.

I have thought that they maybe were concerned the News stations didn't receive the ransom letter, because LE kept saying that there was none. TMZ posted about there copy shortly after the press briefing by the Sheriff on Tuesday.

This is interesting. I didn't realize the news stations got the ransom note first. It makes sense they would go to LE and not publicize it, and perhaps that frustrated the ransom-note writer. Maybe he wanted attention and/or wanted to know the Guthrie family received the note, so he then sent it to TMZ, correctly assuming TMZ would publicize the story.

Interesting.

jmo

 

[Cassie P]

Not OP but I don’t believe it’s a kidnapping either. I believe it’s a murder and hidden body. That happens much more often than kidnapping an aduly and holding them for ransom.

I’m basing this on odds and the victim’s profile. I’m surprised talking heads are even discussing the ransom notes. I’m sure they strongly suspect they are BS but it gets clicks and the case is moving slowly.

There was recently a high profile double murder in Ohio, where local LE looked befuddled and incompetent in public. But what we did not know is that they had identified a suspect right away who was clever and a flight risk. Behind the scenes the LE wheels were turning at a rapid pace. LE made a successful out of state arrest, and the case looks solid.

 

[steff13]

intersting. Love them or hate them or no opinion either way, they often have things pretty accurate.

I don't think they're the most scrupulous, but their info is usually if not always correct. For instance, if they say that a celebrity has died I know that person is dead. If they said I was dead I would probably believe them.

 

[Starkville]

Do we really know that the Saturday evening dinner was planned and/or was there any purpose other than just eating? Maybe there was something else going on and that is why NG took the Uber over there? Perhaps they didn't exactly know she was going to show up. Just food for thought (no pun intended).

Early on it was reported that Nancy played mah jong and then went to dinner. If that’s true, I’d expect that there was a group of other people there. Mah jong is a four-player game. And usually, there’s more than one group playing, because it’s a social kind of thing, women getting together.

If she did, I imagine that would be the last occasion she was seen by someone other than family and the Uber driver.

 

[Friday Fan]

If the perp didn't know NG was the mother of a famous and wealthy person, I don't think it was a kidnapping for ransom.

If the perp did know, then I do think it was for ransom.

Stating the obvious, I suppose.

jmo

I think if the perp was someone who did odd jobs, they may have seen the pics and asked.

I had a neighbor teen boy who came to my house to talk about plants. At first everything was OK, but then he appeared in my front yard every single time I went outside. It was getting so I couldn't go to my front yard. ( I knew he was like that because of his Aspergers, I'm putting it here because the situation sounds kinda freakier than it was and don't want to derail the convo with "Why didn't you do something about it?")

However, it was to the point that I didn't know how to handle the situation. I started avoiding the front yard. I didn't want to complain to his parents. Fortunately, he outgrew this stage.

I'm leaning towards something that started out friendly and something that escalated over time.

NG seems like a nice person and when you are celebrity's family you unfortunately need to be nice to people that you may not want to be nice to. But over time, if someone is visiting over and over you suddenly "aren't nice" anymore. It's when "you aren't nice anymore" is when things escalate.

Many people that show up in our lives are down on their luck or they have issues where their social interactions are different than our's (Substance abuse etc) They seem nice at first, but they can be overwhelming and when we push back on them they suddenly aren't so nice.


Perp may have not know she had money and saw Savannah's picture. She may have paid him cash here and there, but then he sees Savannah pics, he expects more from her. The relationship starts to sour etc....

All MOO....

 

[Wsimm]

Yeah, that part is weird, especially since Daily Mail reported Nancy hasn't been going in person to mass since Covid and Brian Entin said his producers went to the church who told him the same thing or wouldn't confirm. I wonder if it's one of those rumors that got started early and then just takes on a life of its own. (Like in the Moscow Idaho murders where for for months the narrative was "someone ran outside in the morning and passed out" because the 911 call had reported an "unconscious" person and it didn't get cleared up for like months or years that no one passed out outside.) Someone may have said, "Nancy usually attends mass on Sunday morning" and for all we know, that statement took on a life of its own in the early days and LE hasn't publicly corrected.

I also wonder about this. If NG chose to stop attending a previous church that she had attended for decades to instead start attending a new one, it may have started with Covid, but turned into an easier, more casual excuse as to why she no longer attended in person. Also further explaining that she now streams the service at home may be a more “thoughtful breakup” with said church and the congregation?

 

[Inthedetails]

There was recently a high profile double murder in Ohio, where local LE looked befuddled and incompetent in public. But what we did not know is that they had identified a suspect right away who was clever and a flight risk. Behind the scenes the LE wheels were turning at a rapid pace. LE made a successful out of state arrest, and the case looks solid.

Yes, that happens frequently, imo. While the public is crying that LE isn't doing anything, LE is busy solving the case. Hope that is happening here.

jmo

 

[Cassie P]

This is interesting. I didn't realize the news stations got the ransom note first. It makes sense they would go to LE and not publicize it, and perhaps that frustrated the ransom-note writer. Maybe he wanted attention and/or wanted to know the Guthrie family received the note, so he then sent it to TMZ, correctly assuming TMZ would publicize the story.

Interesting.

jmo

If you want attention, what better way to do it. Abduct an elderly family member of a national celebrity and news anchor.

 

[raja]

Ok now my brain is stuck on could the ransom email have been sent from NG’s computer as someone mentioned up thread? Can you program an email to be sent at a later time. I’m no techie so I don’t know. If so what a clever way to get around your ransom email not being traced back to you. “You won’t get any further communication” because I won’t have access to this computer again type thing. Remember the FBI gal carrying out something large wrapped in brown paper. I have heard speculation it was a computer. Also this could explain why the house was again cordoned off after it was released back to the family. The ransom email could have triggered that if determined to have come from her computer being it was received after the house was released to family. Just another thought.

 

[Pharmasgirl]

I’m not sure if this has been mentioned, but why send a ransom demand through TMZ ? Why not NBC, for instance, or FOX, CNN, Etc ? Isn’t TMZ more of a sensationalist news program ? Idk, I remember it being like that a while ago.

Thought TMZ caters to the entertainment industry... But yes, that's a good question!

 

[thefragile7393]

Agreed. I think they are more ballsy to get a story out there is all. IMO

oh they are. They definitely are and toe the line legally and even then they get it wrong at times.

 

[tlcya]

Early on it was reported that Nancy played mah jong and then went to dinner. If that’s true, I’d expect that there was a group of other people there. Mah jong is a four-player game. And usually, there’s more than one group playing, because it’s a social kind of thing, women getting together.

If she did, I imagine that would be the last occasion she was seen by someone other than family and the Uber driver.

Thank you, yours caused me to think perhaps the uber was to get from Mah Jong to Annie's. She could have ridden to Mah Jong with a friend or Ubered to that as well. I personally don't get the fuss and shock about her having Ubered to Annie's house.

 

[cady]

We're all going back and forth because there is so little confirmed information. I think just about anything is on the table, although some possibilities are more probable than others.

All quiet on that front today, but something could happen in an instant. I just hope this doesn't go on much longer (I was convinced it would be quick early on, until we learned the cameras weren't helpful).

Did ransomers really think that they would get money in any form without producing a live hostage? Or was this all just to savor the cruelty, knowing that reporting would be sad and rampant........and the ransom demand just an afterthought?

 

[Pharmasgirl]

January 27th was my birthday, too. I'm 76.

A belated Happy Birthday

 

[allboys]

All of what has been reported about the timeline, is easily checked. I have not seen an impounded car reported anywhere else, and if a reporter saw it happen, they would be talking.

I fully expect them to look at family, and its entirely possible this case goes in that direction. If it does its difficult to see how it can only be one and not the other, both the daughter and SIL must be involved, one is the alibi for the other.

Just a thought. AB has reported that a vehicle was impounded, but there are no images of that. A while back I linked info. that states a car can be processed at a residence. Perhaps the car was “impounded/processed” at AG’s home. (To avoid a media circus). Not sure if this has ever been done, but it would explain the fact that allegedly a car was impounded, but no reporter has images to confirm that.

 

[Aquabot13]

intersting. Love them or hate them or no opinion either way, they often have things pretty accurate.

I've gotten TMZ push notifications since 2009 - IME they are almost never, if not never, wrong about facts, especially things like arrests and deaths.

Now, how they get that information is ethically questionable at best, but they do get it. Harvey is a lawyer and it seems like part of the reason he's still at the helm is his ability to quickly assess the legal liability, if any, of reporting breaking or fast-moving news.

Their "filler" content is tabloid trash, but I've found their actual reporting to be correct and usually at least a few minutes ahead of other news outlets. My guess would be that once they pass the legal hurdle they're free to report without the additional layers of review and approval that would be required by a more "reputable" news source.

Journalistic integrity is another conversation, but I personally feel comfortable believing stories they break.

MOO

 

[LAborn]

intersting. Love them or hate them or no opinion either way, they often have things pretty accurate.

Harvey Levin also believes whoever took her is local to Tucson. I tend to agree, it's just too obscure for her to be targeted otherwise.

 

[SRWCF]

I have seen a number of cases where someone disreputable obtained a POA for an elderly person. ETA and it was not that difficult to do.

I guess I meant legally. You can't just go out there and get one. The original poster made it sound like you could pick one up at your local convenience store!

 

[missy1974]

From the tmz link... also includes a video with Harvey. I can't believe we seem to be getting more info from TMZ then anywhere else lol

There's a demand of millions in bitcoin for Nancy's safe return ... and there's a timeframe for how long it would take Nancy to be returned to Tucson after getting the money.
.......
it seems Nancy would be driven back to Tucson -- getting on a plane would require Real ID, and the jig would be up -- and if you look at a timeframe, you can draw a radius around Tucson and get a feel for where she may be held captive. The transport wouldn't be speeding, and that helps create the search radius, too.
.....
A couple other things ... the letter, which was sent to TMZ on Tuesday, is very well written ... there's structure and detail, and it appears to be done by someone who is educated and spent time crafting it.

Nancy Guthrie Alleged Ransom Letter Makes It Seem Like She's Being Held Near Tucson

The alleged ransom letter in the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping has a few details that make it seem like she hasn't been taken too far from the Arizona home where she was abducted ... and that should narrow the search radius for law enforcement.

www.tmz.com

 

[Angelcat13]

Some of us consider those suggested actions polite!

Not age specific necessarily but we are known for our spoiling of our elders around here.

After a long night go in and help get set up for bed. Make sure her book is handy so she doesn’t have to get up again. Maybe offer a cup of herb tea to settle in.

My elderly mom although in decent health would get tired and I worried about a stumble and fall when she was. What I wouldn’t give to still have her to be able to spoil her still.

Our community is safe in general but my elderly Mom lived by herself in a big home on a wooded property and the affluent neighborhood had break ins despite paid security that drove through periodically.

So I would have definitely gone in, as she would assume I would, when dropping her off after dark especially that far after dark.

I never leave anyone I’ve dropped off after dark without a got in the door ok now I’m locked in wave from the window; at the least.

Just habit and expected behavior for a lot of us.

All imo

Agree! I was raised to always make sure that whomever I was dropping off made it safely inside - and I grew up in a safer time-period and in a very safe area. But my parents instilled this in me and I always remember that whenever they would drop off my friends they would be positioned where they could see them enter their house and then the person was supposed to either turn off the porch light or at least blink it on/off in case they left it on all night in general. I have also instilled this in my kids (now in their early 20's) and I am appalled at the number of people that drop someone off and are partway home before the person ever gets in their house.

My kids often make fun of me because I can be a "doom and gloom" person, but I had some childhood traumas, grew up to become a nurse in a Level 1 Trauma Center and have had a lot of experiences that can really shape the way you view the world. I try to walk a fine line between making my kids aware of things that can happen so that they will think and be aware of their surroundings while not being in FEAR of the world. But when my kids were teens and thought I was being ridiculous for insisting that they and others make sure people got safely into their homes before driving away I told them about the case of young woman in our area that came home from a night out and was attacked as she approached the door to her townhome while her husband and baby slept inside. She was raped and left for dead (died shortly after being found). This was not a case where someone didn't watch her (she drove herself home), but I made sure that they were aware of this so that they would understand why it can be so important to make sure others are safe.