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

[Vegasgrl]

Putting speculation aside, this really doesn’t make sense operationally. Introducing a high-profile third party into an active ransom situation would almost certainly worsen things, not resolve them.

If a perpetrator believed a billionaire / former president had become involved, demands would likely escalate, timelines would change, and negotiations could become performative rather than controlled. That is precisely what professional negotiators try to avoid.

It would also expose the Guthrie family to long-term risk; once it’s known that an outside benefactor will step in, you incentivise repeat extortion, hoaxes, and future blackmail. It is one of the main reasons why third-party intervention is discouraged.

How could they know who paid it...until it is revealed? Or, not.

 

[Scooby-Doo]

I’m thinking forced entry may have been from the door inside the garage to the house. I think the perp may have snuck inside the garage when NG was brought home that night. He waited until he thought she would be asleep. After he confronted her he opened the front door and leaning out he disabled the doorbell camera. He then drove her away in her car perhaps after smashing another camera first. The roofing idea is also on my mind. Perhaps that one camera smashed was an oops I accidentally broke it not. The camera on the pool house may have been disabled on purpose while work was done.

If there was no blood located inside. There is a good chance she never made it inside, and then it was made to look like a disturbance had happened inside.

There has been NO confirmation from the police if her medication was left at the home

The police are keeping this very close to their chest, understandable.

But I think they are moving very quickly with this, and the video footage from the gas station, any video clips from her home, and other streets, could be the final evidence they need

I think this was premeditated, and the person/persons are well-connected to her

I am still waiting, like others, for the Police to talk to the media and get more facts

 

[mikeshanty]

How could they know who paid it...until it is revealed? Or, not.

Because it wouldn’t just be one person who knows. Ransom payments involve multiple actors and create trails. And once a perpetrator believes a powerful third party is involved, it changes their behaviour, usually by escalating demands. That’s why this scenario doesn’t work in real life.

 

[bestill]

I'm wondering that flood light really was broken while the roof was being sealed. A bucket of sealant taking a wild swing into it could conceivably hit hard enough to break the brick. JMO

I would hope that investigators can tell if it's recent or old damage.

Wow! The most important information here is that they are canvassing the area between the two houses.

To me between the two homes means they are tracing the activity of the comings and goings the best they can based on what they've been told happened last weekend.

 

[Izzylizzy]

Maybe Sheriff Nanos wasn't incompetent after all. Maybe witnesses were changing their stories.

I would think that LE would have a higher standard of proof then just running with a witness'es statement to the public before it was verified then verified again.
imo

 

[smileyface516]

amusing idea but. DJT not paying any ransom as sitting president of the US.

Not DJT, and not NBC either. This would inspire so many copycat crimes if it was made known that some benefactor stepped up to pay the ransom.

 

[StarryStarryNight]

I am NOT Bitcoin savvy at all. I spent 10 minutes or so reading up on it. Bitcoin seems so risky and volatile. If I was demanding ransom, I wouldn't ask for Bitcoin. JMO

Agree.
Fake money in my opinion. Backed by nothing.

 

[Luna20]

I was already thinking DJT maybe already DID pay it, and they are not telling.

I hadnt thought about that but it was peculiar that he said the FBI made progress and they thought it was going in the right direction. PARAPHRASING.

 

[birdbox]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2020256398127559162

Large topographic maps are paper. They could be getting ready to do a grid search. Thoughts? Maybe they have narrowed down cell tower trace of something??

 

[Cassie P]

The family member didnt take nancy home in her own car. She went to her daughter's via uber. Reportedly, she was driven back home after dinner by "family". They impounded Nancy's Subaru from her garage.

Are you thinking that perhaps NG was not driven home after the party?

 

[Bluewing3102]

Large topographic maps are paper. They could be getting ready to do a grid search. Thoughts? Maybe they have narrowed down cell tower trace of something??

Couldn't they also be blueprints?

 

[ttjo]

Maybe Valero


Never mind. Maybe it isn't. Maps shows "Circle K" gas (which are gold) Valeros's blue and they're dominant here, but maybe they they changed their style. These pumps have been here since 2019.

I just can't find any other blue gas pumps. Maybe it's a local energy company???

Valero and Circle K often team up.

https://www.valero.com/themes/custom/valero/logo.svg

View attachment 642516

Valero Energy - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Why are you asking about the brand of gas. I know it's a Circle K store.
.

Could it be an ARGO? similar building in the background but its missing the overhead door on the side? its on North Oracke road?

 

[shonyakay]

One other interesting thing is that the Sheriff stated that there wouldn't be any more press conferences until next Thursday.

 

[mikeshanty]

Not DJT, and not NBC either. This would inspire so many copycat crimes if it was made known that some benefactor stepped up to pay the ransom.

Exactly. It would be a complete act of lunacy.

 

[katydid23]

According to Google, Bitcoin can be trace by the government. If the family paid the ransom, they could arrest the person and retrieve the money.

IF they don't have proof of life, I'd send them 200k, tell them the rest is coming soon and then hope that the FBI could trace it...

 

[wyome]

One other interesting thing is that the Sheriff stated that there wouldn't be any more press conferences until next Thursday.

Well now that is interesting. Why specifically next Thursday?

 

[Sessiebo]

I was already thinking DJT maybe already DID pay it, and they are not telling.

If anyone payed any kind of ransom they should never ever make this public because it opens up the road to so many other crazies thinking they can get rich quick through abduction.

 

[Arkay]

I thought the plea by her son yesterday was luke warm at best. I would have expected a former military guy, career National Guard is what has been said, would have spoken more man to man..

I have the opposite opinion.

IMO, can they really speak “man to man” when they’re not on an equal footing? At the moment all the power is in the hands of whomever took Nancy.

What you see as lukewarm, I see as tightly controlled rage, knowing his mother’s life is up to the kidnapper right now.

He’s career military but he’s a jet fighter pilot, not National Guard. I presume he is accustomed to being in control in dangerous situations, and to keep emotion in check so he can do his highly skilled job.

But right now, he is forced to “play nice” in order to have a mother again.

JMO

 

[Napoli]

Hopefully, there's something helpful on the camera. Fingers Crossed.

I think it would not be permitted for third parties to finance a ransom, especially not the President. Presumably it would open up the third party to persistent blackmail and extortion in the future, and might even harm the family's chances as it might escalate the negotiation ("oh, I might try my luck for 1 billion dollars in that case"). Just my opinion.

Just because the daughter has money...i just dont think why ANYONE should think it is her responsibility to pay it. Plus, I am confident it isn't all sitting in a bank account somewhere. Stocks, bonds real estate etc. It takes awhile to liquidate assets. ALL OF THIS is a family matter. Whatever person has a will, trust, 40 million etc is family business. This is a CRIME. NO ONE ALONE should have to shoulder this, regardless of his/her worth. I predict an exotic twist to all of it. Some terrorist group, some political fringe, something along that line. This kidnaping is a statement, not really a ransom situation. JMO.

 

[cathathorse]

I don't really understand why they will not confirm if it was forced entry or not? Surely if it was not forced it kind of eliminates who could have done it?

I know that there is a lot of uncertainty as to whether or not to take Ashleigh Banfield seriously, but in her report she did mention that the backdoor was found wide open. If it was a glass sliding door, as are common in Arizona and the southwest US, those are not that difficult to pry open.