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

[Napoli]

That whole message is off.

"We received your message and we understand," Guthrie said in the brief video posted to Instagram. "We beg you now to return our mother to us so we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay."

Why send a message that you're going to pay instead of just paying? Why refer to your mother as "this"? This is very valuable to us. What is "this"? It's distancing language, which is a little bizarre.

Savannah Guthrie in new video pleads for mother's return: 'We will pay'

"Today" show host Savannah Guthrie and her siblings released a new video saying they have received a message and begged for their mother's return.

abcnews.go.com

This may have been word for word what they were told to say from the perps. No asking for POI, no speculative language. It's called control. Say this and nothing else. They wanted to see them squirm.. Cruel? Yes! Feeding the perps sense of superiority..IMO, absolutely!

 

[Moonsie]

No they didn't. They said her garage door opened at 9:48 pm and at 9:50 pm. They did not say why the garage door opened or whether anyone entered or exited because they only have the specific evidence of the garage opening and closing.

Anything else requires assumption or more evidence.

Except…if we all are now going to accept the Callela Criminal Complaint as absolute truth (as we seem to be doing with the “contact” from the church), the first sentence says, “N.G. was last seen inside her residence in the Catalina Foothills community outside Tucson, Arizona, on January 31, 2026.” Not sure how anyone would have “seen” NG in her residence unless she herself entered the garage. I’d post a link to the complaint but it has been posted here numerous times already.

moo.

 

[Cardgame]

Nancy Guthrie cops remove key camera evidence from home

Savannah Guthrie's 84-year-old mother was abducted from her $1 million Tucson home in the early hours of February 1.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Daily Mail are reporting another camera removed from the home and I just heard live on CNN that the police are still hoping to extract data from the cameras.

Fingers crossed!!

 

[Sundog]

Yup, I totally agree with this, and I think it's a key point.

If the messages were sent using TOR (unconfirmed, just speaking in hypotheticals and opinion here), and LE was simply starting from that fact, with no particular person of interest, it's going to be a real slog to go backward through that and find the source. However, if there is already a person or persons who they think might be involved, checking if that person has been using TOR (or some VPN service, or another method of hiding) is much more straightforward.

When Covid hit and remote work started, most public (government) agencies (like schools and universities) required that all laptops and computers use VPN for any official business while working remotely (like for zoom meetings, classes online, etc.). A lot of universities continued to require this even after Covid for any work done remotely online. So if the SIL was a public school teacher, which I think has been stated on this thread, then I would assume that he has/uses VPN on his computers/laptops. JMO.

 

[Bodhi]

This feels like a hoax. Adult kidnappings are rare for the most part. When is the last time we heard about an adult or child being kidnapped for ransom?

Here are two I can recall and Wikipedia link:
Patty Hearst
Lindbergh baby

List of kidnappings - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Here's a few kidnappings in recent years that have been reported publicly. The kidnappings by Matthew Muller speak to the chilling effect of calling a report a hoax without thorough investigation and to victims not reporting the crime out of fear that the kidnapper could return.

I'm using the kidnapper's name out of respect for the victims' privacy.

Kenneth McIsaac - convicted in March 2025 of kidnapping a family for ransom.

Jury Convicts Kenneth McIsaac in Lafayette Home Invasion Case

Contra Costa County jury convicted Kenneth McIsaac on felony charges, related to a home invasion incident involving a Lafayette family

contracosta.news

Putnam Richardson, age 79, kidnapped a local attorney for ransom in Beaumont, TX in July 2024.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-edtx/pr/orange-county-man-sentenced-federal-prison-kidnapping-attorney

Kidnapper Craig Ross, Jr - kidnapped 9-year-old girl from campground in New York state in 2023. Ransom note he left in the family's mailbox led to identification of the kidnapper and the rescue of the child.

Suspect in girl's abduction from New York state park was found through fingerprints on ransom note, governor says

Charlotte Sena, 9, was found in "good health" in a cupboard in a trailer used as living quarters by the suspect, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday night.

www.nbcnews.com

Matthew Muller - entered homes were couples were sleeping and kidnapped the woman for ransom. Succeeded twice. Police called the first kidnapping a hoax. Second couple did not report it for 9 years. Third attempt was foiled, leading to his arrest.

Matthew Muller Sentenced To 31 Years In Vallejo 'Gone Girl' Kidnapping Of Denise Huskins

Matthew Muller, who sexually assaulted a Vallejo woman who was kidnapped from her home in what police initially thought was a hoax, was sentenced Friday to 31 years in state prison.

www.cbsnews.com

 

[shadowsc]

I guess the Guthrie family is likely just staying low, especially since their public messages have all been directly speaking to the kidnappers. I would normally say it's a little unusual that they haven't put out any kind of public statement like, "We are united as a family and just want our mother to come home. Any speculation about our family members is unfounded and hurtful. We continue to cooperate fully with LE." Blah blah. Like even Laci Peterson's family kept saying that about Scott until they no longer could believe it themselves and stopped publicly supporting him.

But - this case is different in that SG is already public figure and they are dealing with ransom notes and messages. If SIL is not involved, they probably do not actually give a F about noise and chatter or have the bandwidth to deal with what the public is saying right now. They can speak out on that later. So I don't think it's necessarily significant, just unusual. I still don't think SIL is involved. But totally could be wrong.

 

[maamager]

Except…if we all are now going to accept the Callela Criminal Complaint as absolute truth (as we seem to be doing with the “contact” from the church), the first sentence says, “N.G. was last seen inside her residence in the Catalina Foothills community outside Tucson, Arizona, on January 31, 2026.” Not sure how anyone would have “seen” NG in her residence unless she herself entered the garage.

i assume that "last seen" is going off the in law's sighting, no?

 

[SMK777]

Nancy Guthrie cops remove key camera evidence from home

Savannah Guthrie's 84-year-old mother was abducted from her $1 million Tucson home in the early hours of February 1.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Daily Mail are reporting another camera removed from the home and I just heard live on CNN that the police are still hoping to extract data from the cameras.

Fingers crossed!!

From NG's house?
I'm curious as to why that would not have been done on day one.

 

[Donswife48]

DBM

 

[shonyakay]

DBM

 

[txsleuth70]

Why are there all the drone shots over NG's house, rooftop, yard and yet none over AG's garage when all of the flashing was going on? Disappointing.

 

[LAborn]

They definitely don't fit the profile of something premeditated.

I'll say no more....
MY OWN SPECULATION ONLY.

He said they don't fit the profile, period. There is always a possibility of outlier, but he's an expect and his scenario makes the most sense. Someone went to rob, she woke up, they panicked and made (more) really dumb decisions.

 

[NoseyRecluse]

The person who called the family could have called or texted NG, having first noted her absence, and had no reply. That might have been unusual for NG – both the absence and the silence.

The family could also have called NG. The person from church could have been a friend who didn’t want to become public in this investigation.

It’s all speculation but since the FBI complaint against the hoaxer mentions the phone call, we can be reasonably sure that details of the call were verified.

What I meant was that it seems odd - based on her not even being there but on a zoom call -- someone is going to actually notice her username isn't there, and call her kids? Unless she talked to this person the day before and said, "Oh, I'll definitely be part of the zoom call tomorrow! If you don't see me there, call my family!" It just seems unlikely to me. But I am just an ordinary citizen - no LE or investigative experience.

 

[vlbay]

Here's a few kidnappings in recent years that have been reported publicly. The kidnappings by Matthew Muller speak to the chilling effect of calling a report a hoax without thorough investigation and to victims not reporting the crime out of fear that the kidnapper could return.

I'm using the kidnapper's name out of respect for the victims' privacy.

Kenneth McIsaac - convicted in March 2025 of kidnapping a family for ransom.

Jury Convicts Kenneth McIsaac in Lafayette Home Invasion Case

Contra Costa County jury convicted Kenneth McIsaac on felony charges, related to a home invasion incident involving a Lafayette family

contracosta.news

Putnam Richardson, age 79, kidnapped a local attorney for ransom in Beaumont, TX in July 2024.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-edtx/pr/orange-county-man-sentenced-federal-prison-kidnapping-attorney

Kidnapper Craig Ross, Jr - kidnapped 9-year-old girl from campground in New York state in 2023. Ransom note he left in the family's mailbox led to identification of the kidnapper and the rescue of the child.

Suspect in girl's abduction from New York state park was found through fingerprints on ransom note, governor says

Charlotte Sena, 9, was found in "good health" in a cupboard in a trailer used as living quarters by the suspect, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday night.

www.nbcnews.com

Matthew Muller - entered homes were couples were sleeping and kidnapped the woman for ransom. Succeeded twice. Police called the first kidnapping a hoax. Second couple did not report it for 9 years. Third attempt was foiled, leading to his arrest.

Matthew Muller Sentenced To 31 Years In Vallejo 'Gone Girl' Kidnapping Of Denise Huskins

Matthew Muller, who sexually assaulted a Vallejo woman who was kidnapped from her home in what police initially thought was a hoax, was sentenced Friday to 31 years in state prison.

www.cbsnews.com

I know the mcisaac case very well (local to me) and it was not a traditional kidnapping. more like a home invasion where an unstable person (who lived in the same apartment complex) held a family hostage for complicated reasons. money was not the motive.

 

[justme11]

Almost unimaginable that TMZ is inserting itself into this horror. This "reporting" could have tragic consequences for the victims (Nancy and her family). Completely unethical in my very strong opinion.

Exactly. They needed to have contacted LE and stayed out of it.
And I can't figure why someone with a ransom letter would contact TMZ in the first place. That has always seemed strange and off to me.

 

[Sundog]

I’m thinking it would have had to be the earlier service. I thought the church call occurred at approximately 11am? I’m imagining after several calls from AG to NG gone unanswered, AG headed over to her mom’s to check on her. It’s my understanding that AG arrived at NG‘s at approximately 11:56 and then called 911 at 12:03.

It's very common at churches for seniors and the elderly to have a buddy system to check on each other and it doesn't surprise me that someone would call her and then her family if she wasn't at church and didn't answer her phone or text back when contacted.

 

[Sadi]

The FBI agent said it's likely someone who had worked on the house/in the house and knew what she had. Most people are very kind to workers, offering a cold drink, or bathroom use. Gives them a chance to case the house while the homeowner is unsuspecting. They went to rob her, and she woke up and that's when the original plan went sideways. He thinks it was a moronic split decision to take her and hatch the kidnapping plan. They didn't want to leave a witness, but maybe weren't prepared to murder her.

As far as the AG and SIL he said (starting at 23:00m approx). He said the focus on her house has to do with gathering evidence (digital info) about help AG hired for Nancy, all the electronics would be on Annie's stuff because she would have been the appointment maker. He also said most people who are accused "lawyer up" and shut up. They've been completely cooperative. Elizabeth Smart's dad was a suspect, they look at and rule out the closest, then rule out. Deep dive on Tomasso, he's a long time 6th grade teacher in the sciences, no criminal record and he said, "If they were hard up on money there would be a hell of a lot easier ways to get it, like robbing a bank than to do this". The family doesn't fit the profile, he said.

Thank you kindly!!

 

[mikeshanty]

What I meant was that it seems odd - based on her not even being there but on a zoom call -- someone is going to actually notice her username isn't there, and call her kids? Unless she talked to this person the day before and said, "Oh, I'll definitely be part of the zoom call tomorrow! If you don't see me there, call my family!" It just seems unlikely to me. But I am just an ordinary citizen - no LE or investigative experience.

Maybe there was going to be a shout out for her birthday? It was three days prior.

 

[Friday Fan]

Found this interesting. Think this points to the ransom being written by someone outside the country.


“But some experts remain wary of the ransom note, which specified that the payment be made in the equivalent of US dollars, which some said could indicate the sender was not in America — and could be someone trying to scam the Guthries out of millions as they search for their mother.”

“If you’re domestic, why would you ever put ‘USD?’ You put 6 million,” former FBI agent Michael Harrigan told The Post.”

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

Mexico often says "$". (Both countries monetary sign)
Often they don't differentiate. I've seen housing ads on FB and I can't tell whether they're in Mexican dollars (pesos) or USD. These are ads catering to Americans. Some will differentiate. Some don't. (Their advertising style is a bit different than here and is more aggressive)


Inflation makes it hard to tell because a nice place down there will go for 500K USD. But some homes down there go for over 1 Million USD.
$I Million MXN = $580 K USD

Just putting that out there.....


____

However, cartels are more sophisticated and they would likely differentiate.

Over course, any kidnapper could say USD if they're dealing with Bitcoins....

 

[Fargo]

I do think they have managed to reveal Tor identity in the past, but a seemingly impossible task that perhaps AI can assist in cracking?

It's not impossible at all. What it is is logistically cumbersome. If your transmission has traveled through many private TOR nodes in many different countries you have to track down each and every server to get the information about which server sent the transmission and then which server it was further transmitted to.

For instance, my desktop computer is a TOR node. If LE wants to track a message through my server to see where it came from and where it was sent on to they need to either ask me politely for that data or get a warrant. Try that in Nigeria or Serbia.

My opinion only.