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

[missy1974]

A veteran Navy Seal Commander who was involved in many, many kidnap situations (Iraq etc) was a 'best guest" on today's STS Live and he states he personally believes NO way is this a genuine kidnap for ransom.

He claims it appears to be Extortion. The way it's played out just doesn't fit with a genuine kidnap for ransom situation.

I keep thinking though... how very lucky it is for them that she has not been found yet.

They gave the family a week. If they were using it as extortion, they have been VERY lucky that she has not been found. IF the perp (s) are not the same as the note senders... how would the note sender know they would have week? Must be a gambler IMO

 

[Charlot123]

IIRC after.

And as one former FBI agent said it was very atypical conduct in that it was sent to the media (TMZ, TV stations) rather than directly to the family. He theorized that they want the attention to play out in the public (for revenge, a targeted grudge against SG whatever)

IF the ransom is legit and IF the goal is money, than this is not the way to do it. You don't want that kind of heat on you, you don't want to be in possession of the kidnapped for a week+. You want direct quick communication to the family, provide proof of life, and quietly get your money and move on. Many ransoms don't make the media at all. Companies provide and pay out ransom insurance (NBC might even do it).

Another take on "Why SG Should Not Pay Ransom Yet" by former FB agent:

Why Savannah Guthrie shouldn’t pay mom Nancy’s ransom yet, according to FBI agent — even as time ticks down

“Proof of life is everything,” Michael Harrigan, who oversaw the FBI National Academy, told The Post.

nypost.com

There are some other unusual things. If someone kidnapped for ransom, ransom would be the goal. They know people would consult negotiators. They would take good care of the kidnapped ones.

Not like here, it seems.

 

[Luna20]

I haven’t heard them reporting much on the family dynamics. The most that we have is the sil writing poetry, being from Italy, and having been in a band. That’s about it. That was easily found doing a quick Google search.

They aren’t saying much but I think they would have info from sources that haven’t been disclosed. Whoever the church person is that alerted to Nancy’s mia has to have been interviewed by now, unless there isn’t any truth to that.

Given the ransom nature of this situation LE can’t be careful enough with what is made public. I wish we knew more!

 

[DS2021]

If the FBI Director is going there tomorrow, I think that will be to announce an arrest with all that media

This was pre scheduled

 

[TheDinks]

Do you have a link?

 

[Curiousraccoon]

I’m pretty sure at this point because I’ve been trying to place it all day and couldn’t until now. This isn’t a great pic (source Fox News drone) but it’s the hvac and wall that didn’t match with NG house. Other source is Google Maps. NG’s property is immaculate. The other is messy.

Indeed

So here is a screenshot I took myself from Google maps just now of the neighbor house and then a screen grab from this news report

So the septic tanks are by the neighbor (the one on the side of the casita)

 

[CaseZero]

Bringing the timeline again for all of our memories:

5:32 p.m.	Guthrie takes an Uber to her daughter Annie's home for dinner.
9:48 p.m.	Guthrie is dropped off by her son-in-law and Annie's husband, Tommaso Cioni.
9:50 p.m.	Guthrie's garage door is closed at 9:50 p.m. Tommaso reportedly drives off at this time.

Saturday, January 31, 2026

​

1:47 a.m.	A doorbell camera at Guthrie's home disconnects.
2:12 a.m.	Software detects someone on one of the other cameras, but no video is available.
2:28 a.m.	Guthrie's pacemaker app is disconnected from her phone.
~11 a.m.	A churchgoer calls Guthrie's family to report that Guthrie never made it to church.
11:56 a.m.	Relatives arrive at Guthrie's home and discover that she is missing.
12:03 p.m.	Guthrie's family calls the police.
12:15 p.m.	Police from the Pima County Sheriff's Department arrive.

Sunday, February 1, 2026
More here:

A timeline of the disappearance of and search for Nancy Guthrie

Five days into the desperate search for 84-year-old Guthrie, the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, investigators on Thursday released a detailed timeline.

www.pbs.org

​

Bringing the timeline again for all of our memories:

5:32 p.m.	Guthrie takes an Uber to her daughter Annie's home for dinner.
9:48 p.m.	Guthrie is dropped off by her son-in-law and Annie's husband, Tommaso Cioni.
9:50 p.m.	Guthrie's garage door is closed at 9:50 p.m. Tommaso reportedly drives off at this time.

Saturday, January 31, 2026

​

1:47 a.m.	A doorbell camera at Guthrie's home disconnects.
2:12 a.m.	Software detects someone on one of the other cameras, but no video is available.
2:28 a.m.	Guthrie's pacemaker app is disconnected from her phone.
~11 a.m.	A churchgoer calls Guthrie's family to report that Guthrie never made it to church.
11:56 a.m.	Relatives arrive at Guthrie's home and discover that she is missing.
12:03 p.m.	Guthrie's family calls the police.
12:15 p.m.	Police from the Pima County Sheriff's Department arrive.

Sunday, February 1, 2026
More here:

A timeline of the disappearance of and search for Nancy Guthrie

Five days into the desperate search for 84-year-old Guthrie, the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, investigators on Thursday released a detailed timeline.

www.pbs.org

​

I was considering the possibility that the person who dropped NG off at home had escorted her inside and never left. I wondered if a conversation happened at dinner that didn't go as hoped for, and whoever dropped Nancy off went inside to continue the discussion. She could have said she was tired and heading to bed, so let yourself out. This timeline says SIL "reportedly" drives off, but what if they didn't? Or, they look like they are driving away and park elsewhere? IMO
The ransom demand is strange, though, unless it's outside actors, or a plan was in place in case NG didn't cooperate.

 

[pulaskiatnight]

DBM for privacy

 

[submarine7]

It’s misdirection. Say, for instance, this was a familial murder. The criminal is thinking “I’ll make it look like she was kidnapped by a stranger and held for ransom, so the police don’t look at me.”

And it worked, for a little while. But it won’t work in the long run.

So like a misguided delay tactic? I guess desperate people could go there. I guess LE could see through that but still have to divide sources to deal with it. Thanks for your response.

 

[MommaV]

I can't imagine going thru this kind of week without my husband at my side. Haven't heard whether Camron is married (?) but I'm surprised SG's husband isnt there. Kids, school, work, I know, but come on - this is a traumatic life event for SG.

How do you know he’s not with her?

 

[MCB1151]

Who wrote the extortion email? How do we know these are the abductors?


Anyone can write an email asking for money. That doesn't mean they are kidnappers. They could be scammers and totally unrelated to this.

My take from jump was this was 2 separate crimes occurring concurrently. NG was met with foul play it seems & then another person(s) decided to jump on a sad situation in a pathetic attempt to milk some money out of a tragedy. With a kidnapping for ransom, that first communication would have been considered pretty late. Usually kidnappers want to get the message to get the money as soon as possible and get any other message they want the public to know out ASAP, whether to intimidate or in an attempt to apply more pressure for payment.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

OT/For all my fellow Websleuthers: If you are going to a Super Bowl party, please be safe. Don't drink and drive. If you are hosting a Super Bowl party, don't let your guests drive if they've had too much to drink. Have fun night!

 

[Vegasgrl]

I would be outside in my lawn chair, staring at News Daddy.

I might be up on my roof doing a livestream...

 

[Missyrocks5]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2020622606194643157

View attachment 642762

This whole thing is so bizarre. They either needed to have the entire property with crime tape around it secured from day one, or, when they took down the tape, they needed to have deputies around the property or at least one to secure the scene. I really hope that the evidence is completely overwhelming because the defense Attorney is going to have a field day with this.

 

[Deepinthought52]

The tiny detail in the Nancy Guthrie ransom note that makes FBI experts think the writers aren't even in US​

“Why would you use that if you’re a domestic person? That points to somebody who might be potentially outside the country, which also lends the potential for this being a scam,” former FBI agent Michael Harrigan told The Post.


“If you’re domestic, why would you ever put ‘USD?’ You put six million,” he added.


Guthrie’s supposed kidnappers demanded a bitcoin ransom to be paid in “USD” by two deadlines – one at 5 p.m. MT Thursday, with the amount increasing for a Monday deadline after the first was missed.


The note sender has made no contact with law enforcement or the Guthrie family since the note was first sent to news outlets last week, and investigators have not determined whether the notes are real or not.

Savannah Guthrie missing mom live updates: The tiny detail in the Nancy Guthrie ransom note that makes FBI experts think the writers aren’t even in US

Follow the Post’s live updates for the latest news on Savannah Guthrie’s missing mom and the investigation to find Nancy Guthrie, who was last seen on January 31.

nypost.com

The entire thing seems something you hear about in foreign countries imo

 

[CrimeDawg123]

My take from jump was this was 2 separate crimes occurring concurrently. NG was met with foul play it seems & then another person(s) decided to jump on a sad situation in a pathetic attempt to milk some money out of a tragedy. With a kidnapping for ransom, that first communication would have been considered pretty late. Usually kidnappers want to get the message to get the money as soon as possible and get any other message they want the public to know out ASAP, whether to intimidate or in an attempt to apply more pressure for payment.

I totally agree

 

[Napoli]

Cannot believe they HAD to ask

Because when they are done...if you want 24/7 guards, or cops, the family pays for them. It's not a courtesy.

 

[Athos65]

Good evening to all. I have been following the thread since it started and find many interesting points being made. As an older person (who lives with husband and youngest son) we are very safety conscious, and this story is very alarming, but not just because the victim is the mother of a celebrity.

I would just like to offer some thoughts I've been mulling over in the time I've been reading the thread:

1) No one can guarantee 100% that Ms. Guthrie, regardless of her high-profile career, has the ability to disburse the sort of money being demanded as ransom. The family has probably been advised to NOT pay too quickly, but time has become of the essence.
2) Reading too much into body language from any of the siblings is a tricky proposition. Not only are they under duress, but they also are probably dealing with the confusing feelings that stem from thorough searches of one of their homes.
3) It seems that local law enforcement (and I believe it is their jurisdiction and the FBI wouldn't take over the investigation completely, only in an advisory capacity...please feel free to correct me on this point) is far from experienced in this sort of scenario.
4) Perhaps there are several sources demanding ransom money, or claiming to have information. I don't think that a Mexican drug cartel would involve itself in this sort of operation within the US so I would, personally, discount that theory.
5) If there is a family member (or several) involved in perpetrating this crime, the likelihood that there is a much more delicate touch in terms of moving the process forward (for fear of what more could happen to other family members, perhaps?) is called for.
6) While "civilian journalists" (is that what one would call the people who conduct YouTube investigative incursions?) might move the needle forward, and while Ms. Banfield and Ms. Kelly, etc. might discuss the matter based on "sources" they have gathered in their meanderings, all that should be considered speculation and, it would seem to me, disruptive to the process. Go to LE first and THEN publish, is what I would say makes more sense, but I'm just a grandma who reads and observes through the sensibilities of my generation, not this new one.

I apologize if I come across as a terrible fuddy-duddy, but I think a lot of the speculative information is causing more harm than good at this moment. That it's done for "clicks", "ratings", "views" -to me, at least- feels like monetizing the distress these poor people are experiencing.

These are all my personal opinions, and I have absolutely no knowledge of any details. I am sorry if I have said anything silly or worthy of mockery. I'm new here...not in the world, but here...

 

[submarine7]

Who wrote the extortion email? How do we know these are the abductors?


Anyone can write an email asking for money. That doesn't mean they are kidnappers. They could be scammers and totally unrelated to this.

They included information that is supposedly unknown to anybody but the perp.

 

[Missyrocks5]

This was pre scheduled

So they have said. I still believe something big is going to happen tomorrow whether they announce a person of interest or an actual arrest if he is going to be there in person.