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

[submarine7]

There's is nothing in SGs message that says her mom is dead. Nothing at all.

 

[dogmom805]

It might have been a demand from the kidnapper. The kidnapper might be getting off on all of the attention and making the family beg in public.

Harvey Levin did say the second note contained something “consequential.”

The "consequential" could be threats on their own lives, not just or only NG's, if in fact they say she's still with us.

 

[MesquiteO21]

You may not want to read this theory

Spoiler: Graphic

it is possible that the kidnappers cut off a finger tip or some other part (like piece of ear) at the time of kidnapping. The second note said where to find where they left it at time of kidnapping. The threat is to send their mother back in pieces.

Eta: maybe worse, sending back one piece at a time until it's paid

This would actually fit/make sense with the blood at the front door

Awful awful awful

moo

 

[Luna20]

Yes, shifting!! This is hypothetical and crazy BUT...What if the ransom scheme is a secret diversional ploy by LE to flush out the real perp? Like maybe LE thinks it IS a fam member who has done this for financial gain/insurance, etc. and this phony ransom scheme was thrown in to flush them out. Maybe they're (the perp) getting a little twitchy worrying if the sibs use any of NG's money/assets toward paying a fake ransom scheme then there won't be any money left to really collect from her estate after they find her deceased?

Sounds outlandish ofc and this would be door #5 in reality lol but this entire situation is just so anything is possible at this point! Praying NG is still alive and in a hotel/motel room somewhere and they give up her location when they receive the bitcoin!

It’s wild! A supposedly ransom with activity not resembling a real ransom.

 

[SlimPickens]

Am I the only one who thinks of the latest video as a simple confirmation that they are going to pay? Seems like since they aren't communicating directly with each other that this would be the primary reason for the second letter. "Better confirm or else", "tick tick", or whatever.

JMO.

 

[flabbergastedfart]

I like your theory, except if it was known this was an elderly scam wouldn't the investigators or at least the Sheriff be forthcoming in telling us they are chasing that angle?

Thank you! Who knows. There's so much slop out there that maybe they don't want to the digital waters to be extra muddied.

 

[Interested Torontonian]

Is there a reason this is all playing out over Instagram? And not privately?

It sounds like however the notes are being sent, there's no way of responding to them. That's what a reporter for one of the news stations that received one said earlier this week.

 

[thefragile7393]

DBM

 

[keek]

Remember Cameron's demeanor in the video before this and the family one. The first family one was controlled rage and I will get you. His spirit at this awful new family video is broken. The sisters are the same as they were, as different emotional responses in the videos than their brother's. Both sisters are drained and especially SG has had no sleep at all she appears. If all is confirmed by FBI as well and family has had their meeting with them, of course they have for this video, but there will shortly have to be an official announcement. I dream that it would be once they have their mother's remains back. The kidnapper/s want this now to all go away. SO evil to still, it sounds like, they want their money for Nancy to return to her children, deceased even. They will be caught. IMO FBI and even family need to play this SO EVER carefully as they are it appears, to get these monsters or monster to justice and of course, mother back. It's not over. IMO

 

[toucan1234]

I'm not understanding the decision not to pay by the Thursday deadline when you believe there's a chance of your Mom being alive, but now they are will pay knowing she is not alive? I don't get that. I don't believe the last note told them she died. It doesn't make sense to tell them before the second deadline Monday.

To be fair…we don’t necessarily know that they didn’t pay by then.

 

[shadowsc]

I feel like the message is very coded. Most of the FBI profilers on tv say that the main motives for a kidnapping are:
1. Money
2. Revenge
3. Control/Compliance

What if the motive isn't truly money, but for SG to agree to do or not do something? Is that too out there movie thinking? (I'm thinking of that tv show Designated Survivor when the bad guys kidnap the FBI guy's kid). Probably a stretch, but the line, "This is the only way we will have peace" and "This is very valuable to us" struck me as compliance, that they are indicating they will comply with an undesirable demand.

I have no idea. They just all look so sad. I just have a hard time believing the kidnapper suddenly decided to come clean and tell them their mother is no longer here before the kidnapper collected their payout.

It does appear they may have gotten another message that was not sent to a news station. The news anchor who reported on receiving the second note had said no proof of life and sensitive information, but absolutely did not indicate in any way that the note said that NG was deceased.

 

[Cardgame]

I see defiance in Savannah's eyes and expression.

"We will pay."

My hope is that she is buying time for investigators.

How can Monday be a deadline if Nancy has died?

What will they do?

Not tell where she is after Monday?

If the message said Nancy has died then I feel like perps have lost their bargaining power. Are they going to "reveal the location of her body" one they receive payment? Is that now the offer?

Well, sorry but that's not how a kidnapping works. If there's a body then LE will find it. And if they don't, yes, it would be terrible for the family not to have her body, but it would be much more terrible to have paid millions of dollars to someone who still didn't reveal it.

I feel Nancy wouldn't want them to pay. Especially if she had died.

If this was my mother, I know she would be saying : DONT YOU DARE.

Sorry I'm feeling emotional. And angry. And I do not want them to pay no matter what. They are being scammed. If the note says NG is dead then these are not the kidnappers and they never were.

 

[CSIDreamer]

And I note SG is wearing black. Maybe a necklace from NG.

They're all wearing black aren't they?

 

[serenebee23]

was talking about executor of the estate.....as for trustees who knows.

An executor is only for a will. They're the person named in the will to carry out the terms of the will, distribute things to heirs. If there's a trust, a trustee manages it. There would not be an executor. An "estate" is just the term for all of a person's property and assets owned.

 

[diggndeeperstill]

Remember Cameron's demeanor in the video before this and the family one. The first family one was controlled rage and I will get you. His spirit at this awful new family video is broken. The sisters are the same as they were, as different emotional responses in the videos than their brother's. Both sisters are drained and especially SG has had no sleep at all she appears. If all is confirmed by FBI as well and family has had their meeting with them, of course they have for this video, but there will shortly have to be an official announcement. I dream that it would be once they have their mother's remains back. The kidnapper/s want this now to all go away. SO evil to still, it sounds like, they want their money for Nancy to return to her children, deceased even. They will be caught. IMO FBI and even family need to play this SO EVER carefully as they are it appears, to get these monsters or monster to justice and of course, mother back. It's not over. IMO

Agree on CG, but SG was much more matter of fact. Less emotional in words. Negotiating .

 

[unresolvedmystery]

The new video sounded so short and stunted, not really sure what to make of it when compared to the earlier appeal, makes you wonder what exactly was said or done to offer proof the ransom demand was legitimate?

Perhaps this is just an attempt to get one more communication off the perpetrator so that they can be traced?

 

[Moonsie]

I agree it appears she’s no longer with us but what gets me is why do they say “celebrate WITH her” to me that indicates someone who is still alive. Again, I think they’re responding in some way to something the captor wrote in a message. But the word ‘with’ to me is really not indicating she’s deceased as of this moment. We can try and spin it in any way, but usually you’re not celebrating WITH a dead person, you’re celebrating the dead person.

They are saying they want to celebrate “with” her, as opposed to having a celebration where her body is still missing and has not been returned.

moo.

 

[Ghostwheel]

The usage of "this" is...unsettling to me. "This is important to us." "This is the only way we will have peace"
Rsbm

This part, right here. Not "she" but "this". That reads like a response to something specific. As does "celebrate with her". A specific response to something.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

Yeah i know for example in the carribbean they party carrying a coffin and that's what the word celebration means to me, some kind of party.
However, over here a funeral is not a type of "party" but a very sad and emotional occasion so that's why i cannot relate the word celebration with a funeral that well.
Thank you for clarifying

i believe your interpretation is the right one.
They are different events.
A Celebration of Life is usually down the road, not very close to the person's death. The event is meant to be more spiritually "lifting" the person who had died to the afterlife through love compassion memories and jovial comraderie.

 

[CSIDreamer]

Is anyone wondering if another note came from the kidnapper today? Everyone has went radio silent.