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

[TheDinks]

Two reasons why kidnappings happen. Revenge and ransom

I find it hard to believe a professional gang would go to the trouble to kidnap an 84-year-old woman and risk getting caught etc..

Why aren't the ransom notes directed to the family? But only to the media?

Interestingly, a dark SUV was also towed from the garage of the home, with Friday's searches marking the third time investigators returned to the crime scene since Nancy was reported missing on Sunday.

There has been no direct confirmation from the police whether this was a forced entry, and if any blood has been inside, especially around her bedroom.

The only drops of blood that have been reported have been outside her front door

Which makes me think, there could be some ambush or struggle before she went inside

I think this will be solved fairly soon.

My prayers and thoughts are with you, Nancy, to be still hanging in there alive

Major developments in search for Nancy Guthrie as cops raid her home

Forensic teams were seen scouring the roof of Nancy's home in Tucson, Arizona, reportedly finding a camera mounted to the property that had been missed in previous searches.

www.dailymail.co.uk

"ambush and struggle before she went inside" - when ??

Kidnappings also happen to cover something up... eg victim knows something and is taken to stop them telling.

 

[truecrimel]

dbm

 

[TheDinks]

I am still trying to catch up, but possibly AB worked with LE and/or FBI to put pressure on the kidnapper to communicate by appealing to his ego and fear of not getting his ransom

What if AB's ID of SIL as prime suspect was a coordinated effort and AB was selected as the media person to do it because of her close and trusting relationship with SG

AB kept repeating the prime suspect details and that it came from a high level LE...over and over. Other news outlets were hesitant to report this because ME denied it, but it may have been enough to scare the kidnapper into reaching out

That could have helped to push the kidnapper to give more evidence of the validity of the ransom demand

Yah, I have also considered that possibility.

 

[Scooby-Doo]

"ambush and struggle before she went inside" - when ??

Kidnappings also happen to cover something up... eg victim knows something and is taken to stop them telling.

Saturday, Jan. 31 at approximately 9:48 p.m. Sometime after dinner with family. I think she was ambushed before she entered her house

 

[marloweclover]

What could be in NG's car that shouldn't be? Someone's DNA? There'd be a plausible explanation for any family member, imo, so not looking for evidence of one of them. Data showing it went somewhere on that night?

 

[TheDinks]

It has been reported that Nancy entered through the garage on her return home, not the front door where the blood droplets were.

I reckon the blood on the door step area were drips that fell as she was being moved.

 

[KonaHonu]

Well, that's not what I said. Tuscon is know for cartel activity by the FBI/DEA. There is plenty of spillover crime in Southern AZ. Now your statement about borders being the most highly policed areas, that's laughable for the Southern border as any LEO or agency working there can tell you about the influence of cartels in Southern AZ or El Paso, etc. It is well documented.

I'm not saying this was cartel directed and agreed with the prior post that it probably isn't but I did say:

I actually do think this could be cartel-related, although I'm not ready to conclude that quite yet.

But as someone who lived in southern Arizona and Tucson over 40 years and has hiked and hunted on both sides of the border within a few feet of the border fence, and all politics aside, the idea that the border can ever be truly secured is laughable. That is ROUGH country in some places. There are routes where a vehicle can't get within miles of but traffickers with backpacks can easily hike. Most migrants are led along the flat, easy routes but the drug cartels have their own routes. The migrants get caught because the CBP/ICE can patrol. But the bad guys have been largely successful because they use routes that are almost impossible to patrol.

What does this have to do with NG? Kidnapping by cartels for ransom is very common along the border. I would not be at all suprised to hear that they found out SG's mom lived in Tucson and took advantage. I have no evidence of this yet but these guy's are good. It's not something I think the FBI or Az DPS have the intelligence to investigate. I don't mean they are stupid, just that some of the cartels (Zetas especially) are offshoots of the Mexican military (widely documented) and use radio communication equipment that is as good as our own military's and is effectively indecipherable and untraceable. Law enforcement simply does not have the military level intelligence to effectively investigate. If this case goes cold I will definitely start leaning to cartel involvement.

 

[Bluewing3102]

I am still trying to catch up, but possibly AB worked with LE and/or FBI to put pressure on the kidnapper to communicate by appealing to his ego and fear of not getting his ransom

What if AB's ID of SIL as prime suspect was a coordinated effort and AB was selected as the media person to do it because of her close and trusting relationship with SG

AB kept repeating the prime suspect details and that it came from a high level LE...over and over. Other news outlets were hesitant to report this because ME denied it, but it may have been enough to scare the kidnapper into reaching out

That could have helped to push the kidnapper to give more evidence of the validity of the ransom demand

I really like this theory. The first letter mentioned there would not be further contact. So if this is same author, really what would make them reach out? They hold all of the cards in this situation if they were the same person to abduct NG. I hope the AB video was a ploy to damage the perps ego. Maybe we can speculate that the family didn't pay anything yet. And combined with pointing towards SIL it provoked them to send another letter. Hopefully, that means the suspect may be devolving and slipping up.

JMO

 

[11frogs]

JMO - ransom notes are fake or ploys - never thought they were anything but some jerk trying to scam off a tragedy or ploys for distraction.

Motive: Rage brought on by NG announcing move, due to health problems, to SG’s home, POL video has many body language tells, lawyers being lined up, LE getting ducks in a row, finally LE took her vehicle in (might be the key), SIL accomplice after the fact

 

[MassGuy]

I am still trying to catch up, but possibly AB worked with LE and/or FBI to put pressure on the kidnapper to communicate by appealing to his ego and fear of not getting his ransom

What if AB's ID of SIL as prime suspect was a coordinated effort and AB was selected as the media person to do it because of her close and trusting relationship with SG

AB kept repeating the prime suspect details and that it came from a high level LE...over and over. Other news outlets were hesitant to report this because ME denied it, but it may have been enough to scare the kidnapper into reaching out

That could have helped to push the kidnapper to give more evidence of the validity of the ransom demand

There's no way they would do something like that. It is ethically wrong, and incredibly risky.

She's absolutely getting destroyed by former law enforcement officials, as she's doing this to both promote herself, and cash in through her podcast.

She's undoubtedly damaging the case, and it's a true disaster for this investigation, especially if it does wind up being the son-in-law.

It's not some chess move, it's an absolute mess.

That said, I do think there's a reasonable chance that source is correct.

 

[Bluewing3102]

JMO - ransom notes are fake or ploys - never thought they were anything but some jerk trying to scam off a tragedy or ploys for distraction.

Motive: Rage brought on by NG announcing move, due to health problems, to SG’s home, POL video has many body language tells, lawyers being lined up, LE getting ducks in a row, finally LE took her vehicle in (might be the key), SIL accomplice after the fact

I don't see that as being a motive. If anything i'd imagine AG felt jaded by being the "less" wealthy/successful family member who has to take the responsibility of caring for her elderly mother. If Nancy was planning on moving into SG's care i'd think that's huge relief for AG.

JMO

 

[Bluewing3102]

There's no way they would do something like that. It is ethically wrong, and incredibly risky.

She's absolutely getting destroyed by former law enforcement officials, as she's doing this to both promote herself, and cash in through her podcast.

She's undoubtedly damaging the case, and it's a true disaster for this investigation, especially if it does wind up being the son-in-law.

It's not some chess move, it's an absolute mess.

That said, I do think there's a reasonable chance that source is correct.

Maybe i'm only thinking about crime shows so forgive me... but hasn't there been real cases where LE purposely gives a story for the media to "leak".

But thinking about it now, I guess it would make sense that if you're going to "leak" something you'd encourage all forms of mainstream media to publish the story and not just some woman with a podcast.

 

[TheDinks]

There's no way they would do something like that. It is ethically wrong, and incredibly risky.

She's absolutely getting destroyed by former law enforcement officials, as she's doing this to both promote herself, and cash in through her podcast.

She's undoubtedly damaging the case, and it's a true disaster for this investigation, especially if it does wind up being the son-in-law.

It's not some chess move, it's an absolute mess.

That said, I do think there's a reasonable chance that source is correct.

Not necessarily an agreed plan... lone wolf (so to speak) LE taking it upon himself to leak it out there via AB to spook the suspect ?

I've watched a bunch of vids and seen ex law enforcement admitting they'd done similar. One, I believe of high standing, literally acted it out on the podcast, speaking on the phone saying "you didn't hear it from me" click!

 

[Strangeworld]

Thi

There's no way they would do something like that. It is ethically wrong, and incredibly risky.

She's absolutely getting destroyed by former law enforcement officials, as she's doing this to both promote herself, and cash in through her podcast.

She's undoubtedly damaging the case, and it's a true disaster for this investigation, especially if it does wind up being the son-in-law.

It's not some chess move, it's an absolute mess.

That said, I do think there's a reasonable chance that source is correct.

I don't think anyone can be certain what is going on, this is a very unique situation and I dont see anything unethical if SIL agreed to it

We are all just coming up with ideas, noone can presume to know what is or isn't correct because none of us know

 

[MassGuy]

Maybe i'm only thinking about crime shows so forgive me... but hasn't there been real cases where LE purposely gives a story for the media to "leak".

It's rare, but I have read about cases where they'll contact the media to announce a search in a particular area, or that they have found new evidence in a case or something. Those seem to be mostly local cases though.

And it's nothing like what's being suggested, which would be credibility destroying and give the defense all sorts of ammunition.

 

[tbgo]

JMO - ransom notes are fake or ploys - never thought they were anything but some jerk trying to scam off a tragedy or ploys for distraction.

Motive: Rage brought on by NG announcing move, due to health problems, to SG’s home, POL video has many body language tells, lawyers being lined up, LE getting ducks in a row, finally LE took her vehicle in (might be the key), SIL accomplice after the fact

POL?

 

[Absoluterubbish]

Can Trisha please message me. I’ve tried to message her but she doesn’t show up.

 

[11frogs]

I don't see that as being a motive. If anything i'd imagine AG felt jaded by being the "less" wealthy/successful family member who has to take the responsibility of caring for her elderly mother. If Nancy was planning on moving into SG's care i'd think that's huge relief for AG.

JMO

You are partly correct, however,
from a forensic psychological perspective, an adult child can feel profound rage, abandonment, and betrayal when a parent announces they are moving in with another sibling
. This situation can trigger long-standing sibling rivalries, feelings of parental favoritism, and fear of financial exclusion

 

[Absoluterubbish]

I don’t have cable, did SG report the news as normal this morning?

My understanding is she is on leave

 

[11frogs]

POL?

Proof of Life video