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

[rosesfromangels]

The amount of rage I would feel, I don’t think I could make a video telling you I will pay you for the body of my mother, whom you murdered.

Yes, and given the time that has passed, the remains will not be in good shape.

Evil personified.

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Stunned]

A celebration of ones life focuses on sharing happy memories, it's up-lifting , many have slide shows of beautiful times past, music the person loved etc.

Memorial services are somber, formal and and are more ritualistic focusing on mourning.
imo

The Celebrations of Life I've been to have been to celebrate Irish Catholic family members after their Mass. They've been some of the best parties I've ever been too. Including my husband's, who wasn't Irish or Catholic, but they held it anyway.

 

[Beans]

I wonder if that was the nature of the two deadlines: the first for the return of her alive and the second would mean returning her body. They didn't explicitly say "return her body pls" but there's ambiguity there and I suspect that's deliberate for some reason or another.

That's the only explanation I can think of for a scenario in which the 'kidnapper' might have told them she was gone - and we don't know for certain that they did, of course.

Maybe it's just a desperate last attempt to grab some money when they realised they couldn't provide proof of life, either because she isn't alive or because they don't actually have her at all.

 

[MTW2011]

I’m very curious about the “we received your message and we understand”. The face of her sister as SG says “we understand” speaks of so much pain.

I don’t need to know whatever it is they “understand”, I just hope that NG will be able to be returned to them. Such a devastating story. Jmoo.

 

[watson1]

None of us knows what we would do in the Guthrie family's situation, and I can't say for sure what I would do, but my best guess for myself is that I'd refuse to pay, to safeguard my children's safety; and that's what my Mother would want- because if I pay for Mom, I'd pay for my kidnapped child as well - and that would make my own children a target for the future- versus if I refuse to pay, any incentive to kidnap my child in future may be diminished - because you're not getting anything. I'd be very angry and yet make promises to the kidnapper, hoping LE is going to get them before the deadline. Just my opinion. My heart goes out to the Guthrie family; there's no "correct" decision. Prayers for them all. Just my opinion. @Aphrodite Jones

 

[nhmemorymaker]

I sadly worry that even if NG survived the initial kidnap, going through captivity and then dumped somewhere remote would be too much strain for someone of her age. It's very upsetting.

more than upsetting.

it is disgusting.

 

[Sundog]

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 / 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.

Same with the suggestions that NBC should pay the ransom. That would open up the same issues for NBC in relation to SG and also for other well-known show hosts at NBC. And if they did it for one, why not another. Could they give SG a loan/advance in her salary/pay? Possibly.

 

[academyrd]

I think one of the factors at play here is the desert. Seems like a very convenient place to dump a body all you need is a tank of gas and pick a direction.

 

[Moonchime]

I find the instagram angle to be weird. Maybe the kidnapper requested that tho

That's likely the only way to speak to the kidnapper.

 

[Bluewing3102]

I wonder if that was the nature of the two deadlines: the first for the return of her alive and the second would mean returning her body. They didn't explicitly say "return her body pls" but there's ambiguity there and I suspect that's deliberate for some reason or another.

This would make a lot of sense

 

[Mysti88c]

For a ransom-er, what would be the benefit of telling the family that the victim is dead? I can’t think of any. Just keep telling them to send the money for a living captive and get the maximum amount

 

[birdbox]

I know what you mean, have come to believe since the first video they made that while LE may have offered advice, the family are doing this on their own and maybe even against LE advice?

Still cant shake the feeling all of this is much more local then it appears.

Hold up, might be doing Insta because they have info shes in Mexico and would not get local televised news or any US news.

 

[katydid23]

We look for odd things / behavior
This says to me what's going on here?

There are a lot of odd things in this case, imo.

But Nancy taking an Uber for a 10 minute ride seems perfectly normal to me.

Maybe because we live in LA, but hubby and I use it quite a lot. It's convenient, easy and pretty affordable at certain times of the day.

It seems perfectly understandable that Nancy would not want to drive herself home at 9:30, when she would be tired....and my mom stopped driving at night in her early 80's. She did all of her driving during the day.

So if she knew they were able to drive her home after dinner, it's understandable that she offered to find her own way there. I would make the same offer if I was her. A 10 minute Uber ride here in LA at about 5:30 pm would cost about 8 to 12 dollars.

Very affordable and convenient for occasional use. When we go out to eat we often use Uber---no need to find or pay for parking, and we can have wine with dinner with no worries.

 

[thefragile7393]

Or the release of the Epstein files a few days prior. Maybe SG interviews with victims ticked someone off and this is a warning shot

no. IMO

 

[shadowsc]

This assumes it is the same message SG refers to. If it is, by the fact the news station said the note was "alarming", the most plausible explanation is that SG's "we understand" comment refers to something the perp said about what they will do if they are not paid by Monday. TMZ also said the previous letter had something "consequential".

I don't necessarily think this was the same message that SG referred to in tonight's video. I was replying to another poster who wrote:

"I’m now thinking that’s what the “very sensitive information” was that the lady from the news station said was in the note yesterday. I think they broke their no more communication rule to inform the family that they can’t in fact provide proof of life like they requested but they still want the money anyway for her return."

So I went back and rewatched the clip of what the lady from the news station said, and from her demeanor, I don't think the second message that the news station received, said that NG was deceased or I think anchor lady would have had a less perky demeanor. I think SG was either replying to the contents in the letter (that I don't think said NG was deceased), or, additional communication not reported on was since sent to the family. JMO.

 

[Cardgame]

i getcha... and I think I agree that that is also what Nancy would say............

But i also can understand how important is is for Savannah and her siblings to get her mother's body back for the reverance she deserves.
But these three children are broken righ now, and I dont think they (or SG) cares about the money.

But yes.... the scam might continue.....
I just cannot believe what a can of worms we are opening up to the future...........................

Yes it's terrifying.

 

[TheDinks]

I sincerely hope there is not two crimes happening here and that the ransom is a scam and Nancy's disappearance is not a separate homicide .

Well, I've watched a LOT of YT broadcasts on YT featuring ex-FBI, LE etc and almost all do not think the kidnap/ransom is real and think 'something else' happened to Ms Guthrie. Add the assertion of AB's source which I really, really (really) did not want to believe and...

Of course for the siblings, they'd want to put their belief in considering kidnap - pay ransom - get her back as it was the most hopeful scenario, until it wasn't... yet still they will pay.

I just think if ransom was real it would have been a lot 'neater' (negotiations) instead of this long, drawn out, going nowhere... although I will acknowledge with technology being what it is today I have NO idea what that would look like (without detection)

 

[Bodhi]

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?

It's possible. But from what's public about Nancy and Savannah's close relationship, I think Nancy would keep her daughter up to date on new friendships or virtual relationships. Probably she'd share such things with Annie too, but their relationship has not played out in public over many years so we don't know. And I'm generalizing from my own experience with my mother and aunts, I wouldn't expect she'd tell her son who lives in Vermont about her social contacts. In my experience, the topics that elderly mothers discuss with sons are more concrete safety/security things and the weather, and since I'm in New England, the Patriots.

 

[Cebavl]

I sincerely hope there is not two crimes happening here and that the ransom is a scam and Nancy's disappearance is not a separate homicide .

If it is, the murderer will be pretty upset

 

[thefragile7393]

I do think it might be important that she is the mother of a very well known media figure. This is another out there take but did someone want SG to not be in Italy for the Olympics for some specific reason?

IMO, no.