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

[FrankieT]

I have a feeling that SG knows that AG is involved with this and is going along with this ransom charade. SG seems very angry and distant towards AG, meanwhile AG is looking terrified and hyperventilating.

I think of Kelsey Bereth's mother appealing to the public for help in her disappearance, how strong and courageous she was before the camera, and later finding out she knew all along Kelsey was no longer alive, but she played along so the truth could come out. Total respect for her and anyone who can do that.

Truly hoping for a better outcome here, for everyone.

 

[Alxx108]

I agree around preteen / early teen. Since we don't know the circumstances we don't even know if he was even there. We also don't know if Annie was even there in the timeframe that TC allegedly took Nancy home by himself. If that even happened.

Basically we know very little of anything still.

Anyone know if TC is his father? Maybe the son wasn’t around that night because he was with his father.

 

[Inthedetails]

Thanks for clarifying. My understanding of entrapment may be different as I am not based in the US. Here, it is quite a wide concept and could involve leading someone down a path to incriminate themselves.

Another observation I have that might point towards the ransom being a strategy. Would we have seen the letter leak online by now? I mean the letter has been sent to places like TMZ which are hardly known for discretion. The transmission to media organizations takes a degree of control away from LE re: leaks.

It's not entrapment if they lie and are, in fact, involved with the crime.

Entrapment would be LE luring them into committing the crime in the first place.

IANAL

jmo

 

[brib809]

I have a feeling that SG knows that AG is involved with this and is going along with this ransom charade. SG seems very angry and distant towards AG, meanwhile AG is looking terrified and hyperventilating.

I have a hard time believing that SG would have been able to function even at the level she was in the video if she suspected her sister right next to her was involved

 

[vereb]

Yes quite. I can't even imagine the logistics behind this. LE may have told SG privately what is really going on and asked her to cooperate with a public appeal? Putting SG in a very distressing situation to sit there with AG? Or perhaps they have only told her the SIL is a suspect and that SG cannot discuss it with AG? I studied the Instagram videos closely and I cannot see any resistance from SG; she is holding AG's hands in both videos, although there is less active holding on in the latest video.

LE might have told SG they have suspicions about SIL/AG, but maybe SG doesn't want to believe it.

 

[Ashley74]

I’m thinking someone close may have been stealing from Nancy….perhaps she discovered it. Still not sure about the ransom letters. Leaning towards it’s a ruse and someone not tied to her disappearance that is trying to capitalize off of this.

 

[zecats]

LE retuning to AG’s home last night is not routine - “nothing to see here”. It tells me a there was a warrant supported by new evidence and maybe broader search authority was granted. Judges usually set limits on what LE can search. IMO

Unless of course this is all owner consent to search… again. IMO

ETA: perhaps attorneys part of the discussion can set me straight on this.

I do agree with your thoughts. If not searching for a crime, what else could they be looking for? What other reason to go back? I got nothing….Much confusion abounds

 

[carolmaria]

But at the same time, even if it was the SIL and AG and they went along with the "kidnapping" story after the sheriff announced it, how have they been getting away with sending ransom notes from the dark web while (most likely) having no free time whatsoever right now to do so? They will likely be in non-stop meetings and interviews with LE and FBI profilers, and likely know they are being surveilled closely? If LE / FBI are letting a hoax ransom letter run wild while knowing it is SIL and AB, that seems highly unethical and a form of torture for SG and her brother.

Wild speculation…

Unless—SG & brother are aware somehow—maybe not of specifics, but of the need to go through with the follow up to “smoke out” any and all leads.

An out-there thought. And I agree with you, too.

 

[Inthedetails]

I’m thinking someone close may have been stealing from Nancy….perhaps she discovered it. Still not sure about the ransom letters. Leaning towards it’s a ruse and someone not tied to her disappearance that is trying to capitalize off of this.

That is a possibility worth considering.

 

[shonyakay]

So it seems like we don't know anything more than when AB spilled the beans and the Sheriff revealed the timeline - along with insinuations that may or may not even be accurate.

 

[LAborn]

Yes quite. I can't even imagine the logistics behind this. LE may have told SG privately what is really going on and asked her to cooperate with a public appeal? Putting SG in a very distressing situation to sit there with AG? Or perhaps they have only told her the SIL is a suspect and that SG cannot discuss it with AG? I studied the Instagram videos closely and I cannot see any resistance from SG; she is holding AG's hands in both videos, although there is less active holding on in the latest video.

Why do you think the sister or BIL is involved?

 

[Cassie P]

I just wanted to add another angle since I am still on the fence about the SIL.

It is possible LE / FBI are running with the ransom / kidnapping and Instagram videos to apply pressure to someone close to NG.

I have a similar question. Why is the family making public videos if they are going to pay the ransom? Why not keep it a private transaction?

 

[distracted]

LE retuning to AG’s home last night is not routine - “nothing to see here”. It tells me a there was a warrant supported by new evidence and maybe broader search authority was granted. Judges usually set limits on what LE can search. IMO

Unless of course this is all owner consent to search… again. IMO

ETA: perhaps attorneys part of the discussion can set me straight on this.

As a general rule, they would have had a warrant. Even if they had "permission" from the homeowner, it could become contentious and may present a problem later - at trial, if disputed, for example. And, yes, warrants are very specific.

Also, the timing and the length of time they spent at the house would suggest they had a warrant. They were there for at least three hours and it was late in the evening when they finished.

 

[Inthedetails]

I have a similar question. Why is the family making public videos if they are going to pay the ransom? Why not keep it a private transaction?

I don't think they have a way to communicate other than publicly. The ransom-note writer has provided an account to deposit the bitcoin, but not a way to actually communicate, imo.

jmo

 

[birdbox]

Thanks for clarifying. My understanding of entrapment may be different as I am not based in the US. Here, it is quite a wide concept and could involve leading someone down a path to incriminate themselves.

Another observation I have that might point towards the ransom being a strategy. Would we have seen the letter leak online by now? I mean the letter has been sent to places like TMZ which are hardly known for discretion. The transmission to media organizations takes a degree of control away from LE re: leaks.

Have you ever watched "To catch a predator"

 

[clearskies1]

So it seems like we don't know anything more than when AB spilled the beans and the Sheriff revealed the timeline - along with insinuations that may or may not even be accurate.

We know LE went into AG's property last night for about 3 hours and one officer came out wearing blue gloves. That's something. Per Brian Entin.

 

[Curiousraccoon]

FWIW, Harvey Levin said that at the time TMZ received the first ransom, the broken floodlights were not public knowledge.

There were so many reporters flying drones there. Someone could have noticed the floodlights in a live video of some sort, before they were mentioned by the media explicitly
(Edited a typo)

 

[zecats]

I have a feeling that SG knows that AG is involved with this and is going along with this ransom charade. SG seems very angry and distant towards AG, meanwhile AG is looking terrified and hyperventilating.

Wow that’d be so difficult. I can’t imagine being even somewhat cordial to someone so close to me if I were aware of something like that. I don’t think she knows, or believes the rumors. If true, I bet it will destroy her, a second time. MOO

 

[mikeshanty]

I have a similar question. Why is the family making public videos if they are going to pay the ransom? Why not keep it a private transaction?

Nobody really knows why this has played out on Instagram. It's been speculated it is because this is the only mode of communication with the perpetrator or perpetrator has asked for communications to be made this way. But now if there is suspicion on SG's family members, perhaps it adds to additional public pressure.

 

[distracted]

I have a similar question. Why is the family making public videos if they are going to pay the ransom? Why not keep it a private transaction?

The videos may be their only way to communicate with the abductors. Also, although they stated in the last video that they will pay, they still are asking for her to be returned to them. They weren't asking for proof of life any longer, they just want her back.