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

[merrymary]

In the last two days I provided a breakdown of this; not sure where that comment is ...but this may help.

Generally, blood changes as it dries and ages:

Color: Fresh blood is usually bright to dark red. As it dries, it turns darker brownish-red, and over time can look almost rust-colored.

Texture: New blood looks wet, glossy, or tacky.Older blood is dry, flaky, or crusted.

Edges: Fresh stains often have smooth edges.Older ones may have cracked or uneven edges as they dry.

Smell: Very fresh blood has little smell; older blood can develop a metallic or musty odor.

There is no single reliable test that gives an exact time. Instead, experts combine multiple indicators:

Visual changes (very rough only)
Color and drying patterns change over time, but this is highly unreliable on its own. Lighting, surface type, humidity, and temperature all affect appearance.

Chemical changes in hemoglobin
As blood ages, hemoglobin breaks down and oxidizes. Labs can analyze these changes to estimate whether blood is very recent vs. older, but not a precise hour or day.

RNA degradation
RNA in blood cells degrades at a predictable but variable rate. This can sometimes help distinguish fresh (hours–day) from older (days–weeks) stains under controlled conditions.

DNA quality
DNA itself doesn’t “expire” quickly, but fragmentation patterns can provide broad Environmental context
Heat, sunlight, moisture, airflow, surface material (carpet vs. tile), and whether the blood was disturbed all dramatically affect aging. This is why timelines often come with wide ranges. Timing clues—again, very approximate.

Must take into consideration also that there are no footprints in the blood which falls within the walking path...

 

[bdawk20]

Please refresh my memory. Wasn't it said that the home of NG had a casita? Yes? Any history of renting it out ever? Any squatters ever found living there, recently or in the past? I don't expect anyone here to know the answer but it might be another rabbit hole to explore.

I wondered about a possible squatter in that what appears to be a guest house too..

 

[pinkinablueworld]

Was the house evident of a crime scene/struggle/robbery on Sunday afternoon? I know her phone/apple watch was still in the house, but were there signs of a struggle? Did they notice the blood on the front porch? If they did, I would understand SG's rush to get on a plane to Tucson/calls to Senator/ urgency. But if NG was just "missing" IMO the panic would not occur immediately.( Perhaps she had ubered to the nail salon?) I'm wondering if NG was already on high alert because of reasons we aren't aware? Sidenote- A few years ago my mother was "missing" from her Assisted Living Facility. Her phone, walker, purse, were all in the foyer. I was called and rushed there to find no signs of my mother. We called 911 and within an hour dogs were searching the areas and a statewide Amber alert was issued. I called my only brother who lives 1500 miles away. He was very concerned, but didn't jump on a plane asap. Four hours later she showed up with another resident and a caretaker-they had gone to the salon and Mom "forgot" to sign out/her walker didn't fit in the car, etc. One other note-my brother is an American executive in Mexico City with security detail. He has had 2 partners kidnapped for ransom (in Mexico city), but the ordeal is 24-48 hours/pay ransom/partner dropped off in remote area. Its weirdly "professional"-but these are his stories and nothing I have proof about.

 

[EJB123456]

I yoyo back and forth. I was leaning family involved a few days ago with the ransom being totally separate and a scammer, now I lean towards more validity of the ransom and the kidnapper being affiliated with one another. Though I can't make logic of the kidnapping and ransom angle, I have to just accept understanding on what kidnappings for ransom are 'typically' needs to be thrown out the window in this case. How LE and FBI are acting, Susannah implying on the most recent video she will pay, and the FBI continuing to put up missing persons billboards (all the way in Houston, even, mentioned earlier in this thread), makes it sound like there is at least some plausibility to this.

Timeline fogginess and unwillingness to clear TC gives me pause, because at this point, if it's not ransom note writer, many seem to think it's TC. Anything I say about possible TC/AG involvement is just me speculating, trying to look for possible solutions that could explain inconsistencies. As a teacher myself, accusations he is currently facing online in part (imo) thanks to AB could be devastating for his career even if he's cleared. I've seen speculation it's a ruse to put the true kidnapper at ease but even an implication he's possibly involved will haunt him professionally, we are under so much scrutiny every day and many a parent would be worried about him teaching their children. At the same time, I'm horrified to think of someone I consider a fellow peer could carry out a crime like this, even if it was (I stress this, theoretically) in a moment of extremely rash anger. One of the grades he reportedly teaches (6th) requires a remarkable amount of patience, compassion and good humor to be successful. It's hard of me to fathom, even though I know sometimes the people you least expect can be responsible for horrible things. I would hope that Pima County investigators would understand the severity of all that, and would make it their top priority to clear TC first and soon after publicly. So them not doing so, even if I have some questions about their investigating methods, makes me think there has to be something there, even if we're not personally privy to it. I don't think he would have the capability of setting up these ransom notes anyways with how much scrutiny he is probably under, unless he has an accomplice, which then carries this into the realm of premeditation.

All of this is JMO, of course. If you had to make me pick right now, I'd probably say kidnappers are real and wrote the note. But, I think there still has to be something that prevents LE from clearing TC, or its otherwise pure incompetence, and I'm hoping for NG and her family's sake it's not that. (Sorry for the rambling, it's late here)

I mentioned I was recently adjacent to a major crime that had a bit of national news attention. Although not reported in the media, some folks who had the opportunity to talk to the actual investigators were told the family member was cleared. Just a thought.

 

[HoveringWombats]

Is this new information that the search of AG's house was consented to?

On Saturday night, sheriff's detectives were at the home of Guthrie's daughter AG, as part of a follow-up search in the normal course of the case, a spokesperson confirmed.

The search was consented to, two of the three officials briefed on the search said.

(Name replaced with initials by me)

From the NBC news live blog: Video by Savannah Guthrie was response to second note, sources say

 

[jillybean51]

May I pose a question?

From what I saw, and I may be mistaken, the door had a metal gate. Where I am from, we have the metal gate for security reasons, and if we answer the door we usually stand behind it and look around to see who is ringing.

Now, and bear with as I am slow in the mornings (and not much faster the rest of the day), the doorbell camera lets you know who it is, and you go to open IF you recognize the person, ESPECIALLY late at night.

My point, and I do have one if you give me a moment to get to it, is that if NG went to the door, she KNEW who it was. If she didn't and she opened, she did it cautiously (one hopes), and the metal gate would be (again, one hopes) locked. It will, as is the case with storm doors, open out towards the porch, and she would have been behind the door that opens IN towards the house.

This scenario would indicate that, if she indeed opened the front door, she knew the person who rang, and was welcoming them into the house. Forcing their way in would require a key for the gate, and if they have a key for the gate, WHY RING?

Again, my own thoughts, and I meander, but I grew up in a household of old people (raising me as a child) and we had gates and doors, and old people habits (which I now obviously exercise in an age-appropriate manner.)

Oh, and we have solar powered security cameras that announce people on the driveway, the walkway to our door, our porch, our side gate and our back door...unless we are expecting someone, or recognize who is on our property, we do not open.

My own opinions and thoughts and it's time for a second cup of coffee so forgive me if I've been nonsensical.

Well put!If it were someone really close she may have stepped out on the mat to let them in, (to give them room to enter ,since the door swings outward)before closing the metal door again,

 

[Curiousobserver]

Yes in the SIL theory, the church lady is a crucial piece of the puzzle. If the call cannot be verified and she does not exist, this is damning information.

To me this is key as well. Who called you? When? Let me see your phone? Why did they call you? Let's go talk to them. The alleged caller: Did you call them? What time? Let me see your phone. Why did you call them?

If any of them lie... LE: Let's talk about this in private at the police station, you might want to bring your lawyer.

LE has, without any shadow of a doubt, asked those questions and looked at those phones. But telling the truth about this also does not preclude the SIL or others from being guilty. What does support their alibi might be: their phone and their movement/activity that night. There is all sorts of data we aren't privy to- location data (my Apple watch would tell them when I was asleep and if I got up in the middle of the night, then there is video from the circle K that is at the outlet of their street etc..). LE has all of this, and is likely discussing the investigation with SG, who is a lawyer, and a journalist. And yet- she is still staying with her sister at her house (at least as of yesterday, I posted a link upthread) and holding her hand during videos. This is incongruous to the family thinking the SIL is involved.

 

[Athos65]

Well put!If it were someone really close she may have stepped out on the mat to let them in, (to give them room to enter ,since the door swings outward)before closing the metal door again,

And, perhaps (again just my thoughts), the person "required" her to hold the door open because they were carrying something with both hands.

Maybe, just maybe, she had asked for something from the store that "couldn't wait 'til morning", or that she was persuaded could be brought to her right away?

I don't know. I'm using my old person logic here. This feels more and more like trust violated, a seemingly innocent situation taken advantage of..."why open the garage door again? I'll bring it to the door."

 

[Cassie P]

Correct, although I do think getting a warrant is preferred, even in cases of consent. I’m wondering something however. Judges don’t approve warrants all willy-nilly as we know, so let’s say that LE wanting to go back wouldn’t meet the threshold of a judge granting a warrant. However, with the family giving consent to search, does it make it easier for the judge to grant the warrant? Or are they not allowed to take that into consideration?

Yes I think a defense attorney would get a lot of milage in court with no warrant. I would think the judge would be more apt to sign a warrant in the case of an elderly woman being kidnapped or detained in some way.

 

[Sadi]

I think she was hurt in the house and walked out the front door because a car was in that front driveway. In this scenario, there are likely two people.

Of course, 10 seconds from now I'll have a different rendition and then discard both of them to shimmy back on the fence.

Why would she answer the door in the middle of the night though? Did she hear something? Doorbell ringing and she saw someone she knew? I’m trying to look at the possible situations.

 

[LAborn]

Why wouldn't they put cameras down the septic tanks to actually see down there. Their efforts seem half**sed.

 

[Curiousraccoon]

Do all adults living in the house need to consent to such search or is one enough?

 

[Curiousraccoon]

Why wouldn't they put cameras down the septic tanks to actually see down there. Their efforts seem half**sed.

Hopefully they are planning on it today

 

[LAborn]

Do all adults living in the house need to consent to such search or is one enough?

I think they had a warrant.

 

[Sadi]

The outside metal door opens outward.Nancy sees someone she recognizes and opens the metal door outwards,maybe stepping down into the mat.The blood droplets are beside the mat.I think she was then taken back inside,killed and taken out the back door to be buried somewhere.I’m thinking strangulation if AG and TC didn’t see a lot of biological evidence.

This door looks like it would be heavy and APITA to unlock.

 

[txsleuth70]

And K-9’s. I know they were out at first, but I’m surprised they’re not back.

Hope this isn't the case, but maybe they signaled cadaver and there's no need for them to be brought back? The opposite possibility is they didn't pick up anything.

 

[MerlinFalcon]

Regarding the blood on the porch. It was her birthday weekend. Someone could have sent flowers and when she went to get them she could have cut her hand or whatever body part, picked them up and went back in. That could have happened that morning or afternoon. The day before. Who knows. The fact that it was pretty isolated is puzzling.

I’m wondering if the big clue is with the phone call from a church goer to, presumably, AG. When did it come in? Is there a record of a phone call to Nancy’s phone from her kid(s). What time did they call? When did they go over? There has to be a reason why police totally took that out of the timeline. They initially said there was an hour between arrival time at Nancy’s house and the 911 call.

Did Nancy tell them she wouldn’t be going to church the next day because of the prior night’s dinner? If so (we probably will never know), did AG show little concern and just assumed Nancy slept in?

Sooooo much to contemplate!

 

[MCB1151]

Well, good morning Sleuthers.

Only 39 pages to catch up on I'm guessing nothing "major" occurred overnight

 

[Frig]

If that is the case, where does it fit in the timeline?

We know the blood is NG's. When would she have walked INTO the house with an injury?

I'm willing to think this out, while we wait.

jmo

She was driven home; for whatever reason she was already bleeding or started to bleed leaving the vehicle, innocently or not.

 

[tkcrockett]

The outside metal door opens outward.Nancy sees someone she recognizes and opens the metal door outwards,maybe stepping down into the mat.The blood droplets are beside the mat.I think she was then taken back inside,killed and taken out the back door to be buried somewhere.I’m thinking strangulation if AG and TC didn’t see a lot of biological evid

The outside metal door opens outward.Nancy sees someone she recognizes and opens the metal door outwards,maybe stepping down into the mat.The blood droplets are beside the mat.I think she was then taken back inside,killed and taken out the back door to be buried somewhere.I’m thinking strangulation if AG and TC didn’t see a lot of biological evidence.

i can almost see this. I just got up and walked to my front door to try it. Doorbell rings. She sees someone she knows at the door. She opens house door. Mine goes inward as does hers. Opens metal door. Mine goes outward as does hers. I step outside near or onto the mat to let the person in. Something happens to cause blood. If she planned to let the person in and steps out of the way to do that, isn't the blood on the wrong side of the mat? Granted, I am making an assumption that she intended to let them in. Otherwise, why step outside at all? Maybe she stepped outside...in the dark of night, in her nightclothes (taken from her bed in first sherif statement) to chat? I am stumped but I think your way is as close as I can get