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

[MesquiteO21]

How big is the chance that NG is still alive?

Not big at all unfortunately IMO. Would love to be wrong.

moo

 

[ChicagoSleuth]

The amount is newly released information. Why that amount? It is specific. Why not 5 million?

I would be curious to know whether the request was denominated in USD or another currency. For example, that 6 million USD converts into around 5 million Euros, or around 100 million Mexican Pesos. Just my thoughts/opinions

 

[shonyakay]

An 84 year old frail woman who is in constant pain and requires a walking cane to walk cannot physically take off seatbelt, grab her belongings (purse, walking cane, maybe coat), and get out of a car and inside home via garage in 120 seconds. The front of house entry way had lights on. Why have an elderly woman enter house through garage? I think the crime started after Uber driver dropped NG off at Tucson sister's house.

So they did something to her at their house and then took her back to her house to stand by her front porch to actively bleed there and then not clean up that blood before contacting LE? I don't buy it.

 

[Morag]

I can't make sense of the juxtaposition between law enforcement's intense focus on the AG-family home and AG still being at the centre of it all with her siblings maintaining a united front. Add in the ransom element and this entire situation is baffling. Never seen anything like it.

Perhaps AG is cooperating with LE in order to save herself.

 

[avalonisland]

I'm fairly new here, but I wanted to provide a insight on the possiblities on a few things medically.

I'm a LPN Caregiver, I've worked with a few dozen elderly clients over the past 12 years, and this varies GREATLY. For the past 3 years I've been caring for the same client now. This client is upper-80's, Pacemaker/Defib, Moderate/Severe mobility issues, Fibromyalgia, among other things medically debilitating.

This client has really good days, and really bad days, the good days after arriving from a Dr App or outing they would get into the house faster than I can get the walker out of the vehicle, and the client would go from garage to living room I'd say in 2 minutes, if not quicker without my assistance.

But.. as this client is getting older, and with more and more health problems mounting, I'm lucky we do it in 20 minutes.

I did see mention NG was dealing with a UTI? and was currently on antibiotics, my client has those quite frequently (usual in elderly) and those are the days it would take them anywhere from 5-25 minutes to get into the house, but that depends on the severeity of the UTI.

Not saying its immpossible, but varying the severity of the problems and visually gauging it for ourselves, 2 minutes could be possible. Although.. being that late at night (my client is a night owl 11pm - 3am bedtimes) and with what we do know, it would be 50/50. If she was having a good night, they probably just pulled into the garage, she got out already had things in hand prior to garage opening (typical for elderly, always in a rush to get in) and got out. Then IL left before seeing NG go inside. That is plausible.

I am caregiver to my Mom, age 85, though I don't have your credentials. So let's say she got in house via garage in 2mins after drop off from Tuscon family. Why would family then leave at 2mins. Just seems so not right. "Great to have you at our house for 3 1/2 hours. We are done" kinda behavior to me. Help the elderly get inside safe and sound and make sure she is comfortable. They just dropped her off garage side pitch black outside and so late at night..Does not add up to me.

 

[katydid23]

I don't buy the money theories re SIL - it seems from videos online etc, that AG and SG have a good relationship. Surely if there was a need for money, they could ask SG rather than NG?? Doesn't make sense to me. Ok, teaching salaries may not be high end but far from poverty line.

I think there might be some family tension/dysfunction going on.

SG is the golden girl---wildly successful, famous, talented, very wealthy, AND she does not have to do the heavy lifting with their Mom's daily life. She has huge worldly concerns and she has fame and fortune. There's nothing wrong with that.

But AG is living a very different life from SG's.

AG and TC were reportedly the caregivers for Nancy. It is a lot of work. I know everyone is saying NG is as sharp as a tack and very independent, etc. But there are still a lot of things that she would need help with in many ways. It is kind of a thankless job.

I've seen this kind of family dynamic before---the Golden Child is celebrated and put on a pedestal in Mama's eyes, and when they return to the hometown, there is great fanfare and excitement etc.

The child that stays home to do the boring caregiver type things gets very little attention or reward. In fact they get some negative attention because they need to remind elderly parents to take their meds, go to the doctor appts, and convince them they are getting too old to drive safely or to take care of their own finances etc.

It can become tense and divisive. I've seen how it works sometimes.

It would not surprise me if there were some rifts in the family and perhaps involving finances.

 

[floridafreshsqueez]

I can't make sense of the juxtaposition between law enforcement's intense focus on the AG-family home and AG still being at the centre of it all with her siblings maintaining a united front. Add in the ransom element and this entire situation is baffling. Never seen anything like it.

I know!! I’m entertaining the possibility that the ransom notes are connected to some jerk that just wants money and attention, but the FBI are letting it play out to keep AG cooperating. AG and TC can’t exactly run off, and lawyering up at this point wouldn’t be great optics.

If AG and TC were somehow responsible for the ransom notes as a coverup for a homicide, would it be out of the realm of possibility that the FBI knows but needs the physical evidence to clinch an arrest warrant from a judge? Just trying to think out loud through the madness…

 

[MesquiteO21]

Seriously people, while everyone's opinion is as valid as mine, who really thinks the SIL would do this and think he could get away with it? I mean, he'd have to know he'd be a prime suspect so he'd have to work far harder at a coverup than a third party.

I'm really thinking this looks like a kidnapping for ransom. My money is on cartels but there are plenty of other possibilities.

I don’t know specific stats but I do know a decent amount of murders are not carefully premeditated so it was never a thought that they could get away with it; there was a lapse in impulse control/things got out of hand. so then comes the scrambling and panicking afterwards.

Moo

 

[shonyakay]

I think its quite unfair to judge. We don't know him or what advice he was given before recording that.

When people bring up other people's behavior in such a situation they are basing it on how they would react if they found themselves in that situation. The problem with that is, if you have never been in that situation yourself, you can't possibly know how you would really react.

Isabel Celis' dad was raked over the coals and blamed for her disappearance based on what people perceived as "unusual" behavior - turns out he had absolutely nothing to do with it.

 

[avalonisland]

https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/savannah-guthrie-mom-nancy-missing-02-07-26

Hours after Savannah Guthrie released a video with her two siblings pleading for their mother’s return, at least three deputy sheriffs were seen at her older sister Annie Guthrie’s house late Saturday.

Three unmarked vehicles were parked in the driveway for several hours, while deputies were inside the residence.

While lights in the house appeared dim and shades were drawn, bright flashes were observed through the windows –– appearing as if authorities were taking photographs.

Officials left shortly after 10:30 p.m. local time with a bag and placed it in the back seat of one of the vehicles. One deputy sheriff was also seen wearing blue latex gloves.

There are still no suspects named in the search for Nancy Guthrie.

Sounds like so much is going on behind the scenes and what is being released to public is minimal. I wonder if there has been proof of life and info not released to public.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

I don’t know specific stats but I do know a decent amount of murders are not carefully premeditated so it was never a thought that they could get away with it; there was a lapse in impulse control/things got out of hand. so then comes the scrambling and panicking afterwards.

Moo

This

 

[pharmad]

I am caregiver to my Mom, age 85, though I don't have your credentials. So let's say she got in house via garage in 2mins after drop off from Tuscon family. Why would family then leave at 2mins. Just seems so not right. "Great to have you at our house for 3 1/2 hours. We are done" kinda behavior to me. Help the elderly get inside safe and sound and make sure she is comfortable. They just dropped her off garage side pitch black outside and so late at night..Does not add up to me.

I agree.. I personally would've made sure EVERYTHING was done and even stay a bit.

It is odd.. but families are odd as well. Out of the 12 years doing this, I can only count on 1 hand the times families were actually very helpful. Most times... I've literally seen it happen before. Son or Daughter drops client off and speeds off, I've even had the sibling call me "Oh I dropped so-so off in the garage and left without closing the door.. oh that was 5 minutes ago -- click".

Thankfully I was nearby when that call happened. and was there in less than couple minutes. I'm even dealing with it now the past 2 years I've been trying to get the siblings to be around their parent more and more, but it's like I'm rubbing salt on a wound each time I tell them the importance, especially getting closer to EOL.

It bothers me so much when I see it, and I've seen/heard worse than what 'supposed' IL did if that is the case and not surprised. I'm not defending the IL either, just giving a 'it is plausible' scenario.

 

[InVinoVeritas]

I think there might be some family tension/dysfunction going on.

SG is the golden girl---wildly successful, famous, talented, very wealthy, AND she does not have to do the heavy lifting with their Mom's daily life. She has huge worldly concerns and she has fame and fortune. There's nothing wrong with that.

But AG is living a very different life from SG's.

AG and TC were reportedly the caregivers for Nancy. It is a lot of work. I know everyone is saying NG is as sharp as a tack and very independent, etc. But there are still a lot of things that she would need help with in many ways. It is kind of a thankless job.

I've seen this kind of family dynamic before---the Golden Child is celebrated and put on a pedestal in Mama's eyes, and when they return to the hometown, there is great fanfare and excitement etc.

The child that stays home to do the boring caregiver type things gets very little attention or reward. In fact they get some negative attention because they need to remind elderly parents to take their meds, go to the doctor appts, and convince them they are getting too old to drive safely or to take care of their own finances etc.

It can become tense and divisive. I've seen how it works sometimes.

It would not surprise me if there were some rifts in the family and perhaps involving finances.

Thanks - yes - this does make sense, but doesn't equate to a murder motive. Where does this brother fit? I guess we will never know the true dynamics.
I'm a little surprised more friends/church-goers/colleagues haven't come forward (except colleagues of SG) and said anything. I'm in the UK and our tabloid press would be having a field day getting people to give interviews and comments.

 

[Laura Avery]

The locked front door really bothers me.
Scenario: Nancy goes in through the garage as she can't use the front door due to mobility issues. Possibly during the night, someone knocks on her front door. She knows them and opens the door. How is this possible if it's also locked from the outside? She doesn't let them in, there's an argument, and she's hit on the head, and they possibly kill or kidnap her, then stage it to look like a break-in. They lock the back door again..but how, and why..With her keys, or did they have their own?

Scenario: Nancy goes through the garage. In the middle of the night, there is a break-in via the back door, they drag her out, possibly alive, through the locked front door, hurt her there, then lock the front door again. WHY lock it afterwards? Why take the time to do this? They must think they won't be disturbed, or maybe if they were, then they have an excuse to be there.

Scenario: Nancy needs to go for some reason. There is a plan set up. A break-in during the night, something goes wrong, they call the second person to help, and so this second person, without thinking, lets themselves in through the locked front door, drags her out, and she gets hurt. They lock the door afterwards.

 

[Calcano]

Perhaps AG is cooperating with LE in order to save herself.

Would SG and CG just be fine going along with it all and being with her in the videos though? Wouldn't they be furious?

 

[crhedBngr]

How big is the chance that NG is still alive?

A slim chance, IMO.

But, still holding out a thread of hope . . .

JMVHO.

 

[sdmike1974]

Let's say they did the ransom letter to stall, or delay the search.

<snip>

JMO

Seems possible, even likely.
Especially if NG is no longer alive.
HOPE NOT!

 

[jnblsm]

I think there might be some family tension/dysfunction going on.

SG is the golden girl---wildly successful, famous, talented, very wealthy, AND she does not have to do the heavy lifting with their Mom's daily life. She has huge worldly concerns and she has fame and fortune. There's nothing wrong with that.

But AG is living a very different life from SG's.

AG and TC were reportedly the caregivers for Nancy. It is a lot of work. I know everyone is saying NG is as sharp as a tack and very independent, etc. But there are still a lot of things that she would need help with in many ways. It is kind of a thankless job.

I've seen this kind of family dynamic before---the Golden Child is celebrated and put on a pedestal in Mama's eyes, and when they return to the hometown, there is great fanfare and excitement etc.

The child that stays home to do the boring caregiver type things gets very little attention or reward. In fact they get some negative attention because they need to remind elderly parents to take their meds, go to the doctor appts, and convince them they are getting too old to drive safely or to take care of their own finances etc.

It can become tense and divisive. I've seen how it works sometimes.

It would not surprise me if there were some rifts in the family and perhaps involving finances.

Hey, friend! Just now trying to catch up to this. Didn't think this case was going to last long. Honestly thought that it was a silver alert that would be a nothing-burger, so didn't research much...I was wrong.
Glad to see you here, hon.
Trying to catch up! Always love your insight.

 

[MesquiteO21]

But wait - IF and I mean a big IF... AG and hubby are involved or even one of them, there's no way they could hide or explain that ransom money even if they got it! What in the world would or could they do with it? They definitely couldn't spend it!

To invest overseas or find a broker to 'bury the money' would be tough.

So if they are involved it would be an after thought to spin a kidnapping/ransom plot to divert suspicion.

I'm not sure it's them, but maybe someone close to them? Argh I go all over the place here!

but I doubt they would flaunt/spend wildly all at once if they did get it….unless they’re in huge debt and it was suddenly paid off? I wonder what the legality is for a bank to alert authorities if someone’s considerable debt is suddenly paid off in one fell swoop. Kind of seems like a touchy gray area that almost would border on violating some civil laws. But someone please correct me if I’m wrong because I don’t actually know the rules surrounding that.

as for bitcoin I also have no idea how it works so again someone correct me if I’m wrong but if the account is anonymous no one would be able to alert authorities that this account registered to AG/TC suddenly has a huge deposit of 5 or 6 million?

not making any accusations or saying you’re wrong just thinking out loud for the sake of discussion

moo

 

[floridafreshsqueez]

I don’t know specific stats but I do know a decent amount of murders are not carefully premeditated so it was never a thought that they could get away with it; there was a lapse in impulse control/things got out of hand. so then comes the scrambling and panicking afterwards.

Moo

IA.

A few people have mentioned the cartels…this is not their style. I highly doubt the cartels would submit ransom notes through a news station’s tip submission form on their website. More likely to call directly or send through WhatsApp/Signal, etc.

Cartel kidnappings for ransom have far more urgency, and not to be crass, but kidnapping victims that they kill are “returned” not…whole…IYKWIM. Commonly referred to as “calling cards”