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

[cr1menerd]

I’m stumped trying to think of any cases similar to this one. Going through possible options for motives.

Motive doesn’t appear to be a robbery. If that was the case, the perpetrators would usually break in when they assume the place is empty or they’d tie up occupants, potentially physically assault them to get them comply, take valuables and leave. Or in worst case, murder and leave the bodies behind. Based on those things, and the full backpack/nothing being reported missing, robbery is 99% ruled out for me as a theory.

If it was a motive of SA, again I’d expect her to be left behind either deceased or injured and/or bound. Taking her from the scene to assault elsewhere is a risky move and would be unnecessary as she lived alone, it was the night time, nobody is likely to drop by and interrupt an attack.

If it was a motive to murder, why remove her from the scene and create more work for yourself?

If the motive was a ransom, I’d have expected there to be instructions not to involve police, specific times and dates, and some proof of life that they had her. Ransoms in general seem far fetched in this day and age. Can’t be ruled out but usually the perpetrator would get increasingly agitated with demands not being met and would become more threatening or send proof of the hostage being injured as a result of demands not being met.

That for me leaves a more personal motive. Someone who knew her or someone close to her directly or indirectly and wanted to either hurt them, or get their attention in some twisted way. She was absolutely an intended target, but why?

 

[Sakura2Sophia4Lucia]

Potential evidence . . glove found along roadway similar to one in video

Where was this reported? If accurate, this could be a huge breakthrough.

 

[shadowsc]

To take a body is weird though. Most people would do what they came there to do and leave. If they’re there to murder, they do it where they are. Dragging an 841year-old woman around is hard work and you could easily get caught. You also don’t send a ransom days later and not to the family. Usually you would also warn the family to not contact authorities or they’ll kill the person. They went right out and alerted the media bringing it to the attention of law enforcement. It makes no sense. Yet another reason the ransom sounds bogus. It would make more sense if she died elsewhere and this was staged to look like someone broke in and took her, but it would still be weird, taking her. If the ransom bit is bogus then this person, the perp who took her, is the luckiest person on the planet. They have someone creating a red herring for them without even asking.

Yes, exactly. I forget what show I was just listening to and what expert was on the, they are all blending together at this point. This isn't sourced material, just insights and opinions. But they were saying in a true kidnap for ransom, the abductor would leave a note at the scene and say, "No authorities or we'll hurt Nancy" and absolutely would not want police, FBI, or media. They want their damn money, they pick a wealthy family, they threaten, and they want to collect and peace out. Nor do they want to caretaker an elderly lady for days. Like where do you hide this person who needs to eat and drink and needs meds. It just doesn't make sense.

Yet I don't think it's robbery, don't think it's the family (if your family member is national news media and also well connected to calling in top level help, probably kidnapping or homicide isn't a great plan), kidnap for ransom does make much sense with a media spectacle. So the only thing I have left is Shonda Rimes plots. Just don't know. I think that's why keep going in circle.

 

[milkshakedonkey]

has it been noted on this forum that the eyes and mouth of the SIL seem to resemble the guy in the mask? does he have a solid alibi? hate to speculate about a family member but...

duplicate post? Family has seen these photos and would be able to identify their own family.

 

[LarryLujack]

Unfortunately if the SIL did this and she knew it was him she is most likely deceased. Black glove found.

 

[nao]

How do you turn it on and off without touching it? How does the sensor work?

Just has a movement sensor on side of lite...so I can just move my hand by it to turn on an off. If I walk close to a tree or something solid it also turns on n off...

 

[Chainspell]

Exclusive | Investigators find black glove during hunt for Nancy Guthrie’s kidnappers — and The Post was there

Detectives recovered the clothing item, which resembles the pair worn by the armed perpetrator caught on video, about one and a half miles from Guthrie’s home.

nypost.com

"Investigators have recovered a black glove from a roadside near Nancy Guthrie’s house — potentially a major clue in the search for the masked who is suspected of abducting the 84-year-old woman, The Post can reveal.

Detectives recovered the clothing item, which resembles the pair worn by the armed perpetrator caught on video, about one and a half miles from Guthrie’s home."

 

[Wsimm]

Could it a bunch of weirdo teens/young group of people working together, not in unison, explaining the stupidity of the ransom (seems like an afterthought if genuine) and trying to get in/dealing with the door cam? If so, then one of them will probably crack. People are still leaning towards this being a one-on-one personal attack.

Someone brought up the Zizian cult. That’s an interesting theory.

Reading up on that Zizian cult…..quite frightening!

 

[korncrasy]

I believe LE will have to use geo information from her phone/watch prove she made it home that evening. The garage door going up and down really only proves the door went up and down.

The daughter and SIL say they brought her home and that may be 100% true. But LE is going to need some way to prove that. Assuming anyone is ever charged for whatever has been done, a defense attorney will suggest them as possible perpetrators. unless there is evidentiary proof she safely reached the house.

I'm still a little confused about the pacemaker and phone. The Sheriff said phone lost connection with the pacemaker, but I keep reading that they don't even connect until the pacemaker sends its nightly report. That makes sense to me for the purposes of battery preservation.

MOO

Does the phone lose connection with the pacemaker if the phones battery goes dead?

 

[birdbox]

Maybe the two photos are from entirely different nights..A dry run so to speak.

Hmmm, the only problem with that theory is it wasn't much of a dry run if he still had to figure out the flowers to cover the camera. Seems like he would have figured some stuff out about the front of the house on the dry run. But maybe he was testing to see if motion sensors lights, came on or if by walking up he hears a dog, etc. So, just initially testing out. Doesn't want to have bag of stuff on him if an alarm is triggered or lights pop on..

 

[LarryLujack]

Odd that a glove would be found on side of road...

 

[GussiedCanoodler]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2021696831298974038

Thank you, this is what I have been trying to figure out. If he was a person they were interested in prior to the videos being released.

 

[Friday Fan]

The front door has burglar bars according to Maureen exFBI O'Connell

Those are extremely common screen doors. I'm a neigbhorhood volunteer and see them all of the time. The door doesn't prevent a homeowner from opening it. There does not appear any forced entry. Yes, she could talk through the screen door, but he either accessed through the front door that was cracked open or entered the home another way.

 

[birdbox]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2021687831198867589

The FBI are probably collecting her mail until NG found due to ransom letters being sent in. Nothing much to this imo.

 

[TheDinks]

The son in laws eyes are narrow. The suspects are more round. Very different in my opinion.

VERY different, not only that, TC has a large torso. The fact that anyone is STILL suggesting the intruder caught on cam could be TC is beyond.

It clearly isn't him... but how is anyone still asking and not thinking LE would know if it was an inner circle person!

 

[Walela]

Fantastic visual description for those of us who need a visual model to comprehend distance, thank you

Dimensions of a football field....here

 

[cherryleaf]

Wondering if anyone can think of a case where hiring a private investigator helped more than it added to the confusion.
I really can't think of any off the top of my head.

Natalie Holloway

 

[vlbay]

Kidnapping though? That seems personal.

At the risk of sounding cold, why would you bother moving an 84-year old lady when it's easier to NOT move her? It just adds risk and work.

The answer to your question here is the key to this whole thing, imo. Why WOULD someone want to take her? Money/extortion of family members, sadistic cruelty, or...possibly, this person believes NG herself has something that they want, which could be some kind of delusion. This year's film Bugonia comes to mind. Two cousins kidnapped a biotech CEO because they believed she was an alien intent on destroying humanity. We can't logic our way to that kind of answer because it's not logical.

Also, because the McIsaac case was brought up earlier: he used an imitation gun to take a family of four hostage. That could be the case here.

 

[nightowl2728]

Re: the masked man's clothes - isn't it MORE risky to buy new clothes at a store where he could be seen on camera/there is possibly a credit card trail or even prints?
A lot of LE have been saying on TV that clothes are important and have helped find perps before, which I know is true, but it seems like it could so easily be impossible to trace..

Maybe the perp bought them on eBay or Poshmark, or online in general and had them mailed to a friend or family member (who didn't open the package). Maybe they've had them unopened for years in bottom of their closet (been there). Maybe they were purchased at a thrift store in another country.
I just am... doubtful the clothing speculation is super helpful

 

[LRinCA]

Exclusive | Investigators find black glove during hunt for Nancy Guthrie’s kidnappers — and The Post was there

Detectives recovered the clothing item, which resembles the pair worn by the armed perpetrator caught on video, about one and a half miles from Guthrie’s home.

nypost.com

I sure hope this is the real deal (!!!); however, one time my husband and I walked along the parkway near our house and in the space of a mile I counted 15 gloves on the side of the road, among other things. I was amazed that there were that many gloves in such a short distance.