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

[Cassie P]

Seems to me that if a family member were in dire financial straits, SG would not hesitate to help them out. JMO

Maybe SG had helped them out in the past and cut off the spigot.

 

[BigCityAccountant1]

Hear me out on this. My opinion is that the ransom and ransom person is real. However, I don't feel I'm ever correct like Mass Guy...LOL

But taking a step back....lets go with what we DO KNOW. We know this has been flip flopping between family involvement and a ransomer. (is that even a word...LOL)

But what has happened in the last few days to shift that focus. I believe the focus has in fact shifted. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Neighbor says hey check the roof, looks too new to me. LE goes up there checks the roof and finds the camera. There is no reporting about what LE found on that camera if anything. BUT...what if they did? Could that explain the shift back onto the family by the sheriff's office? The Sheriff was attending a NCAA game Friday night. Could he be of the mindset--yeah we know what happened here now--we just need to prove it. Could explain a lot of things.

 

[Kemug]

Is there a photo of SIL? I would like to see what he looks like.

 

[Napoli]

Why does everyone think this was a botched or bungled kidnapping? Seems pretty clean to me and all the leverage is in the hands of a completely anonymous party.

AHHHH! The voice of reason!

 

[TechGirl]

Totally agree I think he either was talking to her earlier that night during dinner or while he was driving her home, and he stewed on it after and then went back to her place later on to confront her about $$$. I doubt he had had plans to murder/abduct her, but either alcohol and/or emotions took over and something bad happened. In fact I think I remember it was said he went to the bar for a while after he dropped her off. I mean.....that sounds extremely red flaggy to me.

The same thing happened with Anthony Aiello. It really is an interesting watch on youtube. You would never think this 90 year old guy could kill his 67 year old daughter in law, but he went over to her house (with pizza) and he got irate that she wouldn't give him financial help and killed her. He was the last person to see her (he even admitted to that just like NGs son in law) but it wasn't until his timeline of when he was at her house and the Ring camera video didn't line up that he got caught. This situation with NG totally reminds me of that.

From above - “In fact I think I remember it was said he went to the bar for a while after he dropped her off. I mean.....that sounds extremely red flaggy to me.”

Could you please share the source where this was stated? Thanks.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

Sometimes a child of an elderly parent gets POA and starts draining some of the bank accounts. Elderly parent finds out about it and there is an argument.

For sure. I would think LE would find that sufficient evidence to bring someone in for extensive questioning.

Do we know if either of them have been brought in for questioning at all? With all the media, I think we'd hear speculation if that happened.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

Why does everyone think this was a botched or bungled kidnapping? Seems pretty clean to me and all the leverage is in the hands of a completely anonymous party.

That's kind of the way I'm leaning. But I don't think the perp is the ransomer. I think that's an opportunist.

 

[Napoli]

Any ideas about what this "solution" may be?

Return of the mother......dead or alive. That would be a solution as to her whereabouts.

 

[judithannegg]

Totally agree I think he either was talking to her earlier that night during dinner or while he was driving her home, and he stewed on it after and then went back to her place later on to confront her about $$$. I doubt he had had plans to murder/abduct her, but either alcohol and/or emotions took over and something bad happened. In fact I think I remember it was said he went to the bar for a while after he dropped her off. I mean.....that sounds extremely red flaggy to me.

The same thing happened with Anthony Aiello. It really is an interesting watch on youtube. You would never think this 90 year old guy could kill his 67 year old daughter in law, but he went over to her house (with pizza) and he got irate that she wouldn't give him financial help and killed her. He was the last person to see her (he even admitted to that just like NGs son in law) but it wasn't until his timeline of when he was at her house and the Ring camera video didn't line up that he got caught. This situation with NG totally reminds me of that.

I’ve been saying the same thing except for the bar part. I wasn’t sure if that part is true. If so, I bet the bar has cameras. I wonder how long it takes to leave bar and get to her home? Does it align up with Nancy’s camera being disabled at that time?

 

[Strangeworld]

While its a little quiet in here, for those who are adamant the one/s who wrote the ransom notes are the same one/s who kidnapped Nancy, what is your reasoning?

And for those who believe the ransom note writer/s are not the same as those responsible for what happened to Nancy, what are your reasons for thinking this?

And for those who are on the fence, what are your reasons, what is it that is making it difficult to lean one way or the other?

(we don't have all the evidence and information from the investigation, so noone can really know right now what LE know, but just thought it would be interesting to review where we are all at and why)

 

[Curiousraccoon]

I’ve been saying the same thing except for the bar part. I wasn’t sure if that part is true. If so, I bet the bar has cameras. I wonder how long it takes to leave bar and get to her home? Does it align up with Nancy’s camera being disabled at that time?

I don't remember any bar being mentioned. Do we have a source?

 

[Elley Mae]

Is there a photo of SIL? I would like to see what he looks like.

Here

Tommaso Cioni and Annie Guthrie Seen for First Time Since Nancy Guthrie's Disappearance

Citing a law enforcement source connected to the investigation, journalist Ashleigh Banfield has said that Cioni is being considered as a prime suspect., US News, Times Now

www.timesnownews.com

 

[academyrd]

Wait, NG had POA for their new house? Or what did she have control over that involve SIL?

 

[Napoli]

The problem with criminal profiling is that it rests on the premise that similar crimes are committed by similar criminal personalities or people with similar backgrounds. IMHO this has been proven to be false.

https://doi.org/10.1177/0004865814530732

I actually agree. It's a step away from junk science. So, "my profiling" is based only on whatever we know or think we know about this case.

 

[BigCityAccountant1]

While its a little quiet in here, for those who are adamant the one/s who wrote the ransom notes are the same one/s who kidnapped Nancy, what is your reasoning?

And for those who believe the ransom note writer/s are not the same as those responsible for what happened to Nancy, what are your reasons for thinking this?

And for those who are on the fence, what are your reasons, what is it that is making it difficult to lean one way or the other?

(we don't have all the evidence and information from the investigation, so noone can really know right now what LE know, but just thought it would be interesting to review where we are all at and why)

For me personally, I believe ransom notes are the same one/s who kidnapped Nancy. My belief is this is a personal vendetta with SG for whatever reason.

However, the shift back to the family makes me believe something was responsible for that shift. Something caused them to go back to AG's house, something caused them to go back to NG's house. Are they at a loss, that they started from square one? Has this perp outsmarted LE? IDK, I just can't see that.

So, I guess you can put me on the fence.

 

[shadowsc]

I just don't think it's the sister's husband. Your sister-in-law is a major public news journalist and you're going to orchestrate a kidnapping, or a coverup to look like a kidnapping, and you are truly going to send, or have other people send, ransom notes to TMZ while the FBI is literally surveilling you? Most kidnappings for ransom are kept quiet, out of the media, try to steer away from authorities being called, and the culprits just want their money. This way would be awfully bold and risky and reckless.

But, we could go in circles. Nothing would really surprise me anymore in this case.

 

[Cassie P]

, but something with in between receiving the call and showing up at Nancy's might not be adding up, so they removed the call from the public timeline while they try to sort it out by investigating. JMO.

In the SIL theory, with a death and cover up, the phone call from the church friend threw a monkey wrench into the cover up plans. He thought he had more time to stage the crime scene and put other pieces into place? So he had to think about how to handle that call, now he was under a time pressure. He had to go to NG's house, pretend to look around and call 911. The police got involved much sooner than planned.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

Wait, NG had POA for their new house? Or what did she have control over that involve SIL?

Not known what their arrangements might be.

 

[tkcrockett]

Ive listened to a few CSI people talk about that blood, they all-seem to think that there is no directionality to the drops, like as if the person was stopped there for a period of time and the drops just went straight down.
Ed Wallace ( from the duty ron channel) a former csi and Also trains CSI’s all over the world spoke on the spot that looks like aspirated blood, He said to test if it was aspirated , it would have amylase in it. Swab it and test for amylase.I dont know if they did that tho.
AI definition:
expirated blood (blood forced from the nose, mouth, or lungs) commonly contains salivary amylase. This is because the blood mixes with saliva while being coughed, sneezed, or forced out of the mouth.

Long post, sorry, but I had to get my theory out.

I have suspected all along there were at least two suspects involved - one to restrain NG and the other one to grab the vehicle. The blood splatter IMO suggests NG stood on the porch for a minute before being loaded into a vehicle, and certainly an abductor wouldn’t leave her there alone for that time while they retrieved their car. One suspect stands there with NG, restraining her, while the other drives there to pick them up.

Now here’s where my theory gets wild but hear me out. If we are to assume the SIL is one of these individuals, he cannot be sending the ransom notes since the FBI is literally breathing down his neck. However, the way things are panning out (evidence collection at his home, towed vehicle) it seems he has some part to play. At the same time, the ransom notes seem to provide proof that whoever is sending them also had a part in the crime.

What if the SIL planned this all with someone else? The goal was to collect as much money as possible from the Guthrie family, more than what just inheritance would’ve provided. SIL drove NG home and then returned back to his home. The second suspect went to NG’s property and carried out the abduction. SIL came and picked suspect # 2 and NG up (so no SIL DNA at the scene). They returned to SIL’s house where they harmed NG (so blood evidence at SIL house). Then, when the news all broke, the plan was for the second guy to send the notes with information about the crime scene and extort SG for money (providing a further alibi for SIL because there’s no way he could’ve sent them, and whoever sent them obviously did it). Then, SIL makes off with part of the inheritance and his cut of the eventual ransom and
he’s provided the perfect defense of “look this kidnapper did it for ransom!”

This is all JMO, please don’t come for me.

In your theory where is the remainder of the blood trail? She’s standing there bleeding and apparently at least one cough/sneeze/spit. Then what? No more blood. Are you thinking the car drove up the steps and she was placed inside?

 

[Cassie P]

I just don't think it's the sister's husband. Your sister-in-law is a major public news journalist and you're going to orchestrate a kidnapping, or a coverup to look like a kidnapping, and you are truly going to send, or have other people send, ransom notes to TMZ while the FBI is literally surveilling you? Most kidnappings for ransom are kept quiet, out of the media, try to steer away from authorities being called, and the culprits just want their money. This way would be awfully bold and risky and reckless.

But, we could go in circles. Nothing would really surprise me anymore in this case.

We see criminals do bold, risky, reckless things all the time. That's why they end up in prison.