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

[thefragile7393]

This is really messy and it gets messier at every turn. I feel SO bad for the family and NG.

I have my own suspicions about who's involved (and I do believe multiple people are involved), but the longer this goes on the less sense any theory makes.

SIL - How and where would he be able to hold NG for this long, while also avoiding the suspicions of a swarm of family, media, and law enforcement? Even if he's involved in some way, he'd have to have gotten in with the wrongest of wrong crowds to know people who could pull this off. Maybe if NG isn't alive anymore some of these questions go away, but then where is the body?

Workers/Acquaintances/Fans - The further this gets from being a robbery gone wrong, the less likely this angle seems. Whoever did this seems to have detailed knowledge of the house, NG's routine, and cybersecurity. They're seemingly evading even the FBI with no end in sight.

Foreign Government - I thought this theory was kind of crazy, but it would explain why the kidnapper is so adept at high-level almost militaristic operations. What's the motive, though? I just don't see one.

Crime of Opportunity - This is seeming more likely to me as the week drags on. Someone like BK in the Idaho murders who wants the opportunity to prove that they're smarter than police and they can get away with things. Almost like a test of their skills. If this is the case, I'd think they lived close by and probably became aware of NG and her relation to SG incidentally. Maybe they figured that they'd be able to do the kidnapping and, as a bonus, maybe extort some crypto and attract national attention through the SG connection.

I really don't know what to think anymore. I hope the FBI knows WAY more than they're letting on, because none of this really makes sense if they don't.

MOO

where.....has it been said that the kidnapper is adept to high-level almost militariastic operations? Where has evidence been of that?

 

[stmichael]

"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."

Interesting comment I hadn't seen posted here yet.

Nancy Guthrie Alleged Ransom Letter Offers Clues to Geographic Area of Search

The alleged ransom letter in the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping has a few details offering possible clues about how far away she may have been taken from the Arizona home where she was abducted ... which could indicate the search radius law enforcement is focusing on.

www.tmz.com

Yeah, but that's according to Harvey, it's his opinion which is well...

 

[Moonchime]

Forgive me this is probably a silly question but I keep wondering, how was a person/movement detected on the doorbell at 2:12am, after it was disconnected at 1:47am?

From my understanding, the image was caught by a different outside camera.

 

[citizen_sleuth]

If this is in fact the same author of the first letter this changes everything we know about the case.

It sounds to me like the media is confident the first and second messages were sent by the same sender — MOO but I wonder if the second message contained the same Bitcoin address included in the first ransom demand.

ETA: Bitcoin addresses are long strings of alphanumeric characters, making it an easy and (assuming the address has not been used for any prior transactions) probably untraceable way for the sender to confirm their “identity” in follow-up communications. JMO.

 

[bestill]

Well if TMZ gets sent a copy of this second letter too, we should know its contents by tonight.

You know they are chopping at the bit and hitting refresh over and over!

 

[MassGuy]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2019902921283104827

 

[whitelilac]

What would be the reason to share this with the general public and not LE only??

Notoriety and ego

 

[SeattleStew]

Find myself wondering could all communications have been drafted in advance which is why these long gaps between and then set to send at certain points so as to avoid being traced or noticed.

Am considering if someone within family was involved they could have set these to send before they were under LE scrutiny?

I think you bring up good points I had thought of. I really appreciate your way of thinking, I like to get out of my blind spots. Interesting that the ransom note was characterized as "well-written" considering occupations NG's Tucson relatives that drove to her house last Sunday.

 

[Idreamofgenie]

It would take two people to carry NG to the car.

If the couple drove up to the house, a female ringing the doorbell would cause less suspicion?

Then when NG opens the door, the man punches NG in the face which causes the blood splatter on the porch. It renders her unconscious. Then they carry her to the sedan and drive off.

They don't even have to go into the house.

But, LE decided it was a “crime” when they said that “things in the house” made them realize it. So there’s evidently some clues inside the house that led them to come to that conclusion (blood, disturbances, etc)

 

[Cassie P]

If this is really from the original source then they are back peddling off of the only one communication. Interesting.

Why would a kidnapper back peddle? Things are going the way they hoped? Or there is more than one kidnapper and they are not in agreement?

 

[MassGuy]

What would be the reason to share this with the general public and not LE only??

They did share it with the FBI, and held back the content.

Very newsworthy that they received it, and there’s no way they wouldn’t announce it.

 

[clearskies1]

DBM

 

[Aquabot13]

where.....has it been said that the kidnapper is adept to high-level almost militariastic operations? Where has evidence been of that?

I would consider kidnapping and evading the FBI for almost a week both physically and digitally pretty high-level. Not something I'd expect the average citizen to be able to do without some sort of defense-adjacent training. It seems professional. JMO.

 

[Cassie P]

But, LE decided it was a “crime” when they said that “things in the house” made them realize it. So there’s evidently some clues inside the house that led them to come to that conclusion (blood, disturbances, etc)

Thank you! I was not sure if there was intruder evidence inside the home or not.

 

[Gemmie]

Why would anyone, let alone an elderly lady, open their door at that time of night though? It makes no sense.

Heck, I don't even open my door in the daylight if I'm not expecting anyone, and I've had 2 knockers already today (the doorbell is unhooked).

So in the middle of the night, like it was for Nancy? Nope. No way was she going to answer the door, unless they banged and said "Fire department!!", and/or, she was groggy and not thinking clearly from being woken from a deep sleep.

 

[RatFace]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2019902921283104827

To verify info that was in the second ransom note?!

 

[Friday Fan]

ChatGBT could also help create a letter like this, these days.

Especially considering that they are into crypto. One can guarantee, this ransom letter was written via AI. No doubt about it!

 

[MerlinFalcon]

I wonder if the new ransom email told the cops to go and look for something specific at the house and that’s why they’ve returned.

 

[Absoluterubbish]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2019902921283104827

New letter must have had more info for them to fact check at the scene

 

[shonyakay]

This doesn't sound good. Unless they are are searching for something the alleged kidnapper left for LE to find