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

[The OG]

Given that we don't know what triggered the alert -- and that there are other ways it could've happened -- it's not clear to me how that would necessarily implicate them.

JMO

We don't know what triggered an alert, but we might deduce what didn't. If NG was not attending church in person, as DM claims and BE is also now claiming, and the online stream does not show who is viewing, the story of the concerned parishoner falls flat. IIRC, the story about the alert came from AG. Why would she lie?

 

[TMich6811]

My Apple Watch is in my office at night

 

[Diddian]

Why a person would remove a body: I guess someone could think that it would be more difficult to convict them for murder without a body. This could be a crime of passion or something that wasn’t fully thought out. Maybe they planned it and then freaked out after the deed was done. Second thoughts. They panic and decide to get rid of the evidence. People do incredibly stupid things all the time thinking they’re covering their tracks. The fact that they didn’t stage the scene and then a ransom note goes out 72 hours later, which may or may not be real, along with the message that they won’t be hearing from them, the perpetrator, again = amateur.

72 hours has been repeated on the thread at least a couple of times now and it seems like it is supposed to represent 3 full days (Saturday, Sunday, Monday x 24 hours = 72 hours). But if NG disappeared from her home at 2:12 am Sunday, her disappearance was learned by LE at 12:15 pm Sunday, and TMZ (and others) received the ransom note sometime midday Monday or so, then only around 24-34 hours passed between her disappearance and LE's learning of her disappearance (assuming the ransom note came in Monday afternoon).

I do agree that one would expect a note demanding ransom within the first 24 hours and it is weird that it arrived later than that. As much as Harvey at TMZ believes the note was well written and constructed (suggesting it is possibly genuine), it seems like the abductors were a bit sloppy in getting their ducks in a line after taking NG. Maybe they are intelligent at writing, but not so much at crimes involving elderly ladies.

 

[priyaya]

Nancy may have used Uber, we are getting mixed signals about her abilities. She was in pain daily, in fragile health, with limited mobility. I use Uber fairly regularly, but I won’t Uber alone if I’ve had a cocktail. We grew up taught never to get in a car with strangers, and now we pay to get picked up by a stranger. I get that she was a capable woman, but could she remove herself from a bad situation easily? Did she share her Uber location, yet not pay a subscription fee for cameras?

They said the uber driver had a camera in the car they looked at and there was nothing to note. only mentioned nancy in the uber

 

[cady]

Yes. That i find strange too. Why would someone high up in LE want this info out? That part i don’t get. Do they disagree with how they’re going about it? Very odd for someone to leak to a reporter. It’s not like the wife or husband of a high up agent/officer is leaking. She said the officer/agent him or herself

Think about it....it has happened recently in a few homicide cases.....from the highest of higher-ups........jump the gun assessments

 

[CandyKiss]

I don't think the ransom was programmed to be delivered at a later date simply because the situation is unpredictable - what if something happened before the letter was to be sent and the perp didn't want to send it afterall. I don't think a perp would set himself for that, imo.

jmo

I’m operating from the premise this was premeditated; so, yes there may be some unpredictability over a time span of 41 minutes but there would also be a step-by-step process to enter/exit without being seen.

The ransom note is concise, confident the police cannot find them (IP address) and will not be contacting them again (if sent from NG computer). If, after the fact the perp decided not to send a ransom note why would it matter … it stirs the pot, sends the police in another direction, and they still have NG.

 

[Moonchime]

He now says that she’s out there. Well, we know that she’s out there. That doesn’t mean she’s out there alive.

I noticed that he said that as well. It was as if he was trying to reassure everyone listening that she's out there and still alive. Only that isn't what he said. Personally, I don't believe NG is still alive.

 

[maskedwoman]

My parents are a few years younger than her but if we drop them home we wouldn’t go in with them, we would watch them enter the house then leave, I don’t think it is that odd to not go in to ‘settle’ an older person, its a little bit infantilising if they have all their faculties.

I agree. I would have helped my mother in if she was physically ill, or on crutches, something like that. Otherwise, she would not have needed my help. Or wanted it. LOL

 

[NoeticSoul]

Someone asked this so many, many, pages ago but I didn't see an answer.. what became of her cane during this 'abduction'? Was it left at home or did it go with her, presumably?

 

[InkyEvie]

Someone asked this so many, many, pages ago but I didn't see an answer.. what became of her cane during this 'abduction'? Was it left at home or did it go with her, presumably?

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure we don't have an answer on that.

 

[turaj]

Yes. That i find strange too. Why would someone high up in LE want this info out? That part i don’t get. Do they disagree with how they’re going about it? Very odd for someone to leak to a reporter. It’s not like the wife or husband of a high up agent/officer is leaking. She said the officer/agent him or herself

Maureen in her discussion yesterday with Brian Entin mentioned that she does not understand the sheriff and normally defends LE but finds the Sheriff Nanos strange (or some similar words) ie I can tell she is not a fan of how he is handling the crime.

 

[maine2016]

Has there been a single source for this element of the story other than the Daily Mail article? Serious question. Maybe there has and I missed it, but that's the only source I have seen. And if it is the only source, I think we might be putting way too much energy into a piece of information from a borderline trustworthy source. Maybe it's right, but it is surprising to me if it hasn't come up via any other channels if it's true.

Interesting. The call to the family was NOT included in the listed timeline yesterday... it jumps from Pacemaker App disconnect to Family checks on Nancy. now, MOO Perhaps they were actually alerted some other way? Or it wasn't a churchgoer who called but the kidnapper/assailant - it's not unreasonable to think they assumed she went to church, or perhaps she told them "people will miss me if i am not at church".

 

[TravelingBug]

Nancy may have used Uber, we are getting mixed signals about her abilities. She was in pain daily, in fragile health, with limited mobility. I use Uber fairly regularly, but I won’t Uber alone if I’ve had a cocktail. We grew up taught never to get in a car with strangers, and now we pay to get picked up by a stranger. I get that she was a capable woman, but could she remove herself from a bad situation easily? Did she share her Uber location, yet not pay a subscription fee for cameras?

I think it's worth keeping in mind that apart from the limited mobility, which was noted from the start, that much of the emphasis on her degree of pain and health came from the family in the ransom address.

Those are usually intended to be specific type of messaging to humanize the victim and often, also, to emphasize vulnerabilities to make them seem less of a threat, more like a potential captor's relative, etc.

Not saying those things aren't true, but family isn't going to want to paint her as overly strong and able to endure an extended captivity (if she really is being held) they want to play on sympathies and make someone more inclined to release her sooner!

 

[Friday Fan]

The plant is purple trailing lantana. It's a very common plant and will grow where other plants won't grow. (Like Tucson) No one who grows it picks it. It's ubiquitous, utilitarian and it stinks. Doubt if she would pick it. I grow it next to my sidewalk.

I’ve attached a photo of NG’s front door, which shows the flowers bordering the walkway. To my eye, JMO, they look like the same plant that’s lying close to the door. It’s a silly detail, but I don’t think it’s insignificant.

Photo from MSN, cropped by me.

Yes, the plant at the door also looks like lantana. Doubt it was part of an arrangement.

It's weird that they're so close to the door and not next the the sidewalk. It would seem "juvenile" "immature" to cut a few lantana stems and pass them off as a "gift". Yet, there are people who do this with lantana. (There are little kids who pick mine) I wouldn't expect Nancy to do this. I wouldn't expect another homeowner to do this.

It's almost as if someone came to the door with these in their hand to lure someone out. MOO MOO

Thanks for your observation....

Image source: https://www.justjared.com/photo-gallery/5275540/guthrie-home-01/

 

[diggndeeperstill]

Very respected profiler speaks: Mary Ellen O’Toole

Low risk victim, low risk environment - belief is the offender knew the home, familiar with technology and targeted attack. Would require recon and preplanning.

Says video by brother changed tone and was a transactional message. Was smart, and puts ball back on ransomers. Says we are willing to meet your demands but here’s ours. But we still don’t know if offender is ransom letter writer. Not likely for ransomer to walk away with nothing.

Kidnapping cases are unique.

 

[Curiousobserver]

Yes. That i find strange too. Why would someone high up in LE want this info out? That part i don’t get. Do they disagree with how they’re going about it? Very odd for someone to leak to a reporter. It’s not like the wife or husband of a high up agent/officer is leaking. She said the officer/agent him or herself

This could be technically correct but based on nothing. They searched the sisters car- well they probably did do that and should do that. The SIL may be a prime suspect- well they should look at him, and will look at the last people to see the victim every time.

These are two facts you would expect to be true as a civilian.

 

[MinnesotaMary]

Maureen .... finds the Sheriff Nanos strange (or some similar words) ie I can tell she is not a fan of how he is handling the crime.

I've only seen a couple minutes of the sheriff's press conferences, but they're downright painful to watch IMO - IMO the sheriff seems to get a massive burst of hormones (probably 'The Runner's High' type of hormones) about this. He seems all revved-up. Like a helium balloon headed off the Mars.

 

[Jade]

I’ve attached a photo of NG’s front door, which shows the flowers bordering the walkway. To my eye, JMO, they look like the same plant that’s lying close to the door. It’s a silly detail, but I don’t think it’s insignificant.

Photo from MSN, cropped by me.

Good work! Thank you!

The plant debris is out place right there at the door and along with the blood like maybe something wide was brought up to the door perhaps to aid in carrying something clipping those plants in the process.

all imo

 

[Diddian]

If you believe the second ransom is a hoax, what was the motive for removing NG from her home?

Possibilities:

• Access to something valuable that NG keeps offsite or has access to somewhere else (in a storage unit, ATM, safe deposit box, in a refillable prescription).
• To hide the viciousness of the injuries inflicted upon NG.
• To minimize the perpetrator's crime - prefers that NG remain a "missing person" rather than a known victim of assault or murder.
• To secret NG away where the perpetrator has complete control over her, for physical or sexual assault or to extort something from her.
• Because the perpetrator has left DNA on or in NG and the perpetrator knows his DNA is in CODIS, or the perpetrator has committed similar crimes that are unsolved and doesn't want them connected.

 

[Starkville]

It was reported Nancy was playing Mahjong at Annie's house that evening. There is a picture of Nancy sitting at a table with the game right in front of her. I am unsure of the date of that picture but would be interested to know when it was actually taken. Something interesting to note is that Nancy has a big band-aid on her right forearm in that picture. Only reason to wear a band-aid is if a wound is/was bleeding.

Yes, I saw that photo on CNN. The bandage was a lot bigger than a regular band-aid, and there was bruising that wasn’t covered by the dressing. I agree the reason for the covering is a wound or broken skin.

Would be great to know when that photo was taken. She looks happy in it!