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

[BetteDavisEyes]

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 posted a while back that my husband and I discussed this and came to the same conclusion: Extortion!

 

[simlyme]

I don't mean to be snarky, I'm just in a weird mood! LMGTFY!

Easy , right

 

[Walela]

I saw a great except from a map showing the utilities layout of the properties on that street, including NG's, but I can't find the original on the Pima website so I haven't shared it yet. It's there somewhere, if anyone else fancies trying to find it too. Their records system is a spaghetti junction of different portals.

Did you try City of Tuscon? Maybe each department has its own maps...water department, electric, etc.

 

[Missyrocks5]

Is that typical for someone of that executive-level seniority to be involved in the case? Unless there is something affecting national security or something much bigger we are not aware of, with respect it seems unusual for executive intervention for what may simply be kidnapping or unaliving by someone known by NG. I may be completely wrong as I do not live in the USA, and understand it may simply be because of the media attention.

On a regular case of a missing person, not something of national security or a huge situation, I do not recall seeing the director of the FBI. It may end up being the pre-scheduled visit that they said, but IMO, I think something big is happening tomorrow, whether it is the announcement of a person of interest or an arrest, by him.

 

[Sakura2Sophia4Lucia]

I don’t mean this in the wrong way, but who was looking for Nancy being on a livestream church service. I understand that friends might look for each other in person, maybe to sit together or go to coffee after. Is it the same for virtual church?

And I wonder why Nancy wasn’t going to church in person. The fellowship and the feeling of togethership (especially during hymns) is something that many people especially enjoy. Did she miss it?

Was she avoiding anyone?

We encourage our elderly parents to do online church vs in-person church because of the germs they are exposed to. If a person sitting near you is sick and singing throughout the service, you are at an increased risk of getting sick. And if you're elderly with particular health conditions, you are more vulnerable.

If online church is on Zoom, there's a chat bar on the right side of the screen. Usually 6-8 people say "Good Morning" on the Chat at my parents online church. Unless you type something in the chat and identify yourself, nobody would know who is participating online.

 

[TheDinks]

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

True... and that's where the no.2 theory of people come in - used as a ruse by people involved in her death to divert the heat from them.

I acknowledge the theories are a possibility, but am not stating it's my opinion. The top experts in these kinda situations have admitted they have trouble pin-pointing a definitive theory. It's SO baffling!

 

[Nikynoo]

People go missing all the time and aren’t kidnapped. People go missing and are murdered and aren’t victims of kidnapping. The whole kidnapping thing may be a farce cashing in on a disappearance. The disappearance can be close to home with regards to who is involved

i think the difference is between an abduction and a kidnapping.

Imo, the sheriff calling this a kidnapping from the get go, created the ransom letters. I know that they contained info that supposedly would only be known to certain people, but still, the sheriff calling it such and the time lapse of receipt leads me to this conclusion.

IMO, NG was abducted and not kidnapped.

Either way, I hope the family has resolution soon.

 

[Starkville]

It is interesting that the media hasn’t gone snooping looking for dirt on the family by now. Surely they have friends and associates who know them.

It is! It is also interesting that none of the MSM is doing any investigation, just parroting what the PCSO doles out. Indie and freelance journalists are taking the initiative.

But even then, everyone is being very respectful of Savannah and her siblings.

 

[mikeshanty]

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...

You are so on the ball with number 6). MK is one of the worst offenders I have seen online with this story. As someone who is a former colleague of SG, she has lacked all common decency and respect in the name of clicks and revenue. She should be totally ashamed.

FYI we need to use initials when referring to family members.

 

[Sessiebo]

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.

I'm just wondering, where does it say that he isn't there with her? Maybe he travelled there afterwards and is staying in a hotel out of sight?
Or maybe Savannah requested him to stay home with the kids to keep life for them as normal as possible?
Who knows?
I don't think he purposely told Savannah "nah, i'm busy so deal with it on your own"

 

[MCB1151]

Sorry if this has already been covered, but IMO, specifying USD is super weird if you're in the US speaking to someone else in the US. You would just say "dollars" in that case.

(Source: born and raised in the US and now living elsewhere else! The weird thing here is specifying the US part. I'm in Canada, where we have Canadian dollars -- I would only ever specify CAD if I'm speaking to an American and don't want them to think we're using the same currency.)

Not when it comes to crypto - it's pretty common to specify that you want X amount in Y currency because part of the "beauty" of crypto is its borderless and you can convert it wherever, whenever basically.

 

[Donswife48]

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...

Welcome, I agree with you on several points. 1 - yes, 2 yes, 3-yes with the ceveat that there are hardly any local enforcement agencies that have ever had this happen in their community, 4-I'm still 50-50 on this, 5-ues. 6-YES. JMO

 

[Vegasgrl]

Interesting. That seemed to be from the sheriff's first press conference.

Here is the transcript:

Sheriff: We were told she was left at her home by the family. At 11:00 in the morning the family got notice from somebody at church that she was not at church. They went to the home found her to be missing. That's that's the timeline. From Saturday night 9:45 we'll say to Sunday morning 11:00.

Question: Have you interviewed the people that reported her missing? The people from the church?

Sheriff: That's the family. Oh, from the church as well. We're doing all kinds of interviews. Yes, I'm sure we have.

And then, the Megyn Kelly and Brian Entin exchange:

MK: Two other quick questions. The Daily Mail today is reporting that Nancy Guthrie did not attend a church in person and that she hadn't been for years since the COVID pandemic. That instead she'd been participating in the live stream into this church. And then they had one source at the church who told them that the church for the record is not saying that on the record.

Um but they're saying there'd be no way for anybody to know who is participating in the live stream. It's not it's not like a thing where you can see who's joining um you know people live stream in or they don't. Now that would be a material change from the story that the sheriff told which was that somebody at church noticed Nancy wasn't there. She was a religious churchgoer and um that that person called the family out of concern. Have you heard anything on this either way?

BE: So, the church near her house that we went to, the pastor told uh my producer the same thing that the Daily
Mail is reporting that she switched to online after COVID and was didn't come to church on Sundays. I just assumed
maybe she also went to a different church.

This first notification is so important and we have nothing verified. It really would be a stupid lie to tell, because it is easily verified through phone records (or really just looking at the caller's phone). So there's a reason it came off the timeline.

 

[Sakura2Sophia4Lucia]

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.

Nancy Guthrie may have been killed--accidentally or intentionally, and her murder isn't necessarily connected the the ransom or extortion emails. Could be somebody is taking advantage of Nancy's disappearance for their own benefit. MO

 

[Napoli]

I wasn't responding if she was kidnapped or not, but the validity of the ransom itself. I think most anyone here would agree that she was taken/disappeared against her will at this point.

She hasnt surfaced. They have received ransom notes. There would be no point in murdering her or holding her without getting money in return. The ransom notes are real. What if she suddenly turned up before the money was paid? She hasnt. The ransom notes are a direct result and authored by the kidnapper or his collaborators. jmo

 

[CrimeDawg123]

Not when it comes to crypto - it's pretty common to specify that you want X amount in Y currency because part of the "beauty" of crypto is its borderless and you can convert it wherever, whenever basically.

Yes, I really don't think specifying USD means anything at all.

 

[anonypotomous]

Forgive me if I haven't seen this, these threads are moving fast - but was it mentioned if Nancy's house was checked for fingerprints inside, and on any of the doors, etc? Check for hairs, fibers, etc..?

 

[unresolvedmystery]

Yes, I really don't think specifying USD means anything at all.

Totally agree with that, specifying USD is really just something you would do to pretend you aren't local.

 

[StarryStarryNight]

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...

Welcome to Websleuths!

All thoughts and opinions are welcome!

 

[TheDinks]

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...

BBM

On the contrary... everything you say makes perfect sense and you write beautifully