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

  • #14,801
To be fair, the ransom letter inserted TMZ into the equation.
True. In my opinion, their reporting the content publicly was unprofessional then. The other two outlets did not. Today, I expected they'd be monitoring bitcoin. However, posting what they see in real time as the final deadline approaches is beyond the pale. It goes beyond exploiting a tragedy to making themselves party to the outcome, in my opinion.

There is a victim whose life may hang in the balance. And a family in exquisite pain navigating a very delicate transaction for the return of their beloved mother.
 
  • #14,802
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

Responding to myself for more clarification.

If the initial goal is to kidnap for funds. Why take so long to exchange money for kidnap victim?
Further, why not take the meds needed to keep said victim alive until victim is returned in exchange for money? Kidnapping for ransom makes no sense. What makes sense is kidnapper(s) goal is to deeply hurt Nancy's family. Why? jmo

Doesnt mean this is right, speculation.
 
  • #14,803
I just relocated to Tucson from San Diego, CA. I lived in Otay Mesa West for 21 years. I was so close to the US/Mexican border I was able to secure health insurance in Tijuana. I never saw drug cartel activity. I know it happens every day. I would have no clue what drug cartel behavor looks like. MOO
Drug networks, like any business, want to make MONEY and maximize efficiency. This NG endeavor, imo, is not worth it because it's taking so long and increasing the risk of being caught, as well as bring on the shame of harming/killing an elderly grandma.

The reason some of us, as law-abiding citizens, likely don't notice big drug business in our cities is because they are good at what they do - and that is make money without getting caught.

jmopinion
 
  • #14,804
There is a lot of focus on this call from the church, etc. There could be so many different factors to consider that are likely irrelvant to information the public needs.
She might have had a role in the service (teaching sunday school, greeter, etc.). She may have been responsible for picking someone up - they tried to reach her when she didnt' show and couldn't so they called the church who called her family. She could have had a bestie that was waiting for her as they always do and when she didn't show and she couldn't reach her, called the family knowing that something must be wrong. These things would not follow the timeline of just someone noticing she wasn't there that day.
I don't doubt that the family and investigators would be questioning this if the call from the church wasn't typical or outside of an expected response.
 
  • #14,805
Responding to myself for more clarification.

If the initial goal is to kidnap for funds. Why take so long to exchange money for kidnap victim?
Further, why not take the meds needed to keep said victim alive until victim is returned in exchange for money? Kidnapping for ransom makes no sense. What makes sense is kidnapper(s) goal is to deeply hurt Nancy's family. Why? jmo

Doesnt mean this is right, speculation.
That was one of the points the former FBI made too, they would want the money as soon as possible, not wait around for days or weeks.
 
  • #14,806
Kidnapping/abducting an 84 year old woman makes no sense. Kidnapping/abducting for ransom makes even less sense. It defies logic. Way too much risk of death combined with the risk of getting caught during or after bitcoin transaction in such a high profile case.

I cannot fathom that this was the original plan. No one in their right mind would concoct this. It has to have started with something else (accidental/unintentional death maybe) and has perhaps morphed into this (ransom may be a distraction or misdirection). moo
Common sense. Thanks
 
  • #14,807
I just relocated to Tucson from San Diego, CA. I lived in Otay Mesa West for 21 years. I was so close to the US/Mexican border I was able to secure health insurance in Tijuana. I never saw drug cartel activity. I know it happens every day. I would have no clue what drug cartel behavor looks like. MOO
Can you help me understand? You weren’t aware of and never saw any drug cartel activity and that to you means there definitely was drug cartel activity?
 
  • #14,808
Maybe there was going to be a shout out for her birthday? It was three days prior.

Good point! At my church birthdays are mentioned during the welcome announcements. If this is the case at her church too, her absence would have been more noticeable.
 
  • #14,809
  • #14,810
Thank you kindly!!

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.
Hmmm, I wonder why that agent shared that. IF it is true, than the ransom letters are probably bogus (someone trying to gain from the tragic event). I have no opinion as to whom is involved, but the "lawyer-up" comment does not mean a lot because if they are told they are not even a "person of interest" why place yourself in the line of suspicion. I realize certain people do immediately, but in this situation I wouldn't understand why they would given the national attention.
 
  • #14,811
Good point! At my church birthdays are mentioned during the welcome announcements. If this is the case at her church too, her absence would have been more noticeable.
Good point - and/or friends might have had lunch plans or something with her.

jmo
 
  • #14,812
I'm glad you mentioned this. We were just talking about in previous post people stating it was in the time line, and now not. I took a Pic of my TV screen from the initial press conference when they introduced the official timeline, and that detail was not intact in that timeline. I believe the did mention that was a catalyst that sent AG and TC to MG's house to check on her. Did I miss something? Did they put it in the official timeline later and then remove it?
One thing I’ve learned from this case is if I ever become a sheriff (probability zero), I will never deviate even remotely from the timeline I provide.
 
  • #14,813
The more I ponder this today, the more I think that SIL or any family is not involved, and that NG's disappearance and the ransom business are separate crimes.
Home robbery or SA gone wrong, unexpected commotion in the house, the motive went sideways, NG could identify the individual, and she was taken away. That there was indeed forced entry ( question dodged at the PC), perp smashed cameras and whatever else to avoid identification.

No doubt I will be thinking something entirely different tonight.
 
  • #14,814
Hmmm, I wonder why that agent shared that. IF it is true, than the ransom letters are probably bogus (someone trying to gain from the tragic event). I have no opinion as to whom is involved, but the "lawyer-up" comment does not mean a lot because if they are told they are not even a "person of interest" why place yourself in the line of suspicion. I realize certain people do immediately, but in this situation I wouldn't understand why they would given the national attention.
I'm not sure what you mean, he's speaking as a person with years of experience and was asked to provide his insights.
 
  • #14,815
I've been watching that last video where SG says they'll pay.
My reaction, like most everyone's was that NG is deceased, SG is basically saying they are willing to pay to have her returned for a celebration of life and that will give the family peace.
But what if, bear with me, you look at it that her words are sympathetic to the abductor.
*I know I'm stuck on the SIL angle, but I've read here that SIL might have had a gambling addiction (I dont know if that's confirmed or assumed). Could the last communication from the abductor have explained he's scared, took NG because SIL owed money, doesnt want to go to prison, etc. Perhaps uses the term "return", perhaps even used the term "celebrate" - maybe the ransom isnt ransom now but asking they pay for defense/family when hes in prison/etc. The lack of sad emotions are because the emotion is matter of fact.

In other words "We understand" you're scared and don't know what to do now. "Returning" her is the only way "we" (us AND you) will have peace. We can "celebrate" this being over. "We will pay" to help your family, whatever.

The fact that even TMZ guy or the local news people who have read the letters don't seem too broken up over what they read. They seem almost like its a sad situation...not a death of an 84 year old innocent woman.

The media has reported the last note included no ransom demands - could it be because suspect just wants this to end and needs reassurances?
 
  • #14,816
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

They're rare and they often target famous people.

NG just happened to be the mother of SG. I really don't think SG's mother is famous. Heck, SG is famous but isn't that famous. Yes, journalists are under attack these days, but not like this and SG is pretty much neutral. There are plenty who aren't neutral and they are either loved or hated. But I see SG as neutral. (It's probably part of the NBC ethics since NBC is not cable and subject to FCC restrictions, cable is not) Some journalists aren't even registered to vote.

Anyway, even if a journalist is hated, well they did do a job on Charlie Kirk. He was sort of a journalist. Still, he wasn't kidnapped for ranson. He was brutally murdered by someone who became angry over his influence. (Rage was the motive, not money)


Rich and famous would be someone like Brad Pitt or the head of a huge company or something. I remember when that stalker killed the actress from my Sister Sam. (Money wasn't the motive) I just don't see journalists as "Rich". Yes. well off, but just not rich enough to go through all this trouble.


Just MOO...it sounds like rambling...
 
  • #14,817
I feel we've exhausted every avenue right now. There is simply no further information coming out at the moment.
 
  • #14,818
Hmmm, I wonder why that agent shared that. IF it is true, than the ransom letters are probably bogus (someone trying to gain from the tragic event). I have no opinion as to whom is involved, but the "lawyer-up" comment does not mean a lot because if they are told they are not even a "person of interest" why place yourself in the line of suspicion. I realize certain people do immediately, but in this situation I wouldn't understand why they would given the national attention.
BBM. He's not associated with this case and is speculating along with everyone else.
 
  • #14,819
I don’t know much about the mentality of the people in cartels, but I am still considering them religious Catholics from a nuclear society. As such, they’d likely abstain from abducting children or elderly people - it is a different kind of “sin”.

About the SIL, we simply don’t have enough information. If it was a true accident, then the family might decide to act according to their mom’s potential wishes and then this is all we get.

The ransom angle is either extremely idiotic or what a teenager would add to the mix, but I don’t take it seriously.

One thing to consider. Nancy probably felt independent and did not want to move out of her own house. Financially, she could be inclined to help the daughter who lived close by. Maybe her other children were not happy with the situation but couldn’t change much. Also, Nancy might have known about the dynamic in a nearby house but her choices were guided by being protective of the daughter.
Cartel members are not like the mob, where family was not usually involved. And they have almost no limits as to what they will do. I don't believe the Cartel has taken her. I'm just saying I doubt there is an actual cartel member who would have any problem killing who ever they were told to kill, in the most gruesome way imaginable. They fear nothing from the Catholic church or anyone else.
 
  • #14,820
Nancy was highly visible on SG's shows over the years. I remember some of those shows. REmember Dave Letterman used to feature his mother on his late night show? You can be sure no one will be doing this again in the future. Dave got. lucky this did not happen to him.

I’ve been to his show. Jimmy Kimmel also has had relatives who were actually part of the show.

IMO the biggest difference is that in Letterman's day there was still no crypto, so a kidnap for ransom situation would’ve entailed marked bills.

JMO
 

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