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

[cherryleaf]

what is everyone's theory so far?

i honestly have no idea. certain information has been "reported" but not confirmed by LE, so who knows if it's true or not. i don't have a theory, but i will say i still don't rule anyone or any scenario out until we know more directly from LE.

moo

I said this before but I believe it’s either someone she knows, distant relative, or friend of a friend type thing. I don’t think it’s anyone in her “immediate circle.” I also believe this could tie into some type of delusion related to NG/SG. So that’s where I’m at.
I believe there is more than one person involved in her disappearance, at least one man and one woman. I believe it’s a silver/ grey vehicle with dark rims. I believe it was targeted. I believe she is still alive but in extreme danger of passing as things with her and whomever possibly has her are reaching a critical point. Her needs were underestimated and the walls are beginning to close in around the perp(s)

Prayers for Nancy and family.

MOO

 

[Cassie P]

wonder if it was a sort of test like "how well do they follow directions and how serious are they taking this?"
or maybe i'm giving too much credit and they did it just to be a clown

moo

1. Yes he could just be a narcissistic grandstander who likes the control and power. Some of these sadistic types make people say or do foolish things, they love the cruelty and hurt.

2. Or perhaps it is just business. Kidnapper is negotiating price and return. SG has instructions to say certain things if she agrees.

 

[SlimPickens]

So if they literally asked for cash in a briefcase, it’d be a state crime?

I'm pretty sure that cash is federal jurisdiction by nature of what it is and who prints it, and would be considered interstate commerce by default. But hopefully someone else will chime in to clarify if my understanding isn't fully correct.

JMO.

 

[teeandcee]

Here’s hoping Walmart….once again…..helps identify this criminal.

 

[Cassie P]

Because he can! He has SG , the object of his twisted affection, exactly where he wants her. He is making her submissive. jmo

Yes I just posted the same kind of thing. Typical of a narcissistic psychopath.
Or the kidnapper is negotiating price and return and is instructing the family to speak in code if they agree.

 

[Laura Avery]

I'm sick of the ransom note writer(s) toying with this family. It seems like they've only given a bunch of bs in an attempt to extort this family. I don't believe they have any useful information. MOO

I thought the bedroom perhaps was located on this side of the home, but have some seen a few posts suggesting it was not. As far as letting her out at the garage, I'm sure the car would have been pulled up in such a manor NG could get out and walk in, without having to walk around car doors etc. I could also envision the garage door not being let up until she was ready to walk in and it being closed as soon as she unlocked the interior door to the house. Doable in two minutes. MOO.

Someone posted quite a while back a trial in the dirt, showing parallel tracks. It is unknown if these tracks were made prior to her disappearance. Some suggested they could have come from a safe, garden tool carrier, deer transporter, or even a police evidence cart...with 2 and 3 being a way to transport her body. MOO

He did. And now he has finally said the family is cleared. I don't think we have to know how they were cleared, just that they have been. MOO

Really don't see anything reported on news, just a trail of blood, not tracks. Anyone find the offical posts on this? Thanks

 

[imstilla.grandma]

TMZ is guaranteeing a $50,000 reward if the mystery man who has been emailing the gossip site comes forward with information that leads the FBI to Nancy Guthrie.

An anonymous tipster has now written TMZ a total of four times, claiming he knows where the abducted grandmother is being held and hinting that she may have been taken to Mexico by multiple captors.

The emailer is demanding payment in Bitcoin to reveal her location, as he supposedly does not trust law enforcement. The email’s author says he fears a decade-old burglary arrest may cause investigators to view him as a suspect, TMZ reports.

If they find her, and they find the kidnapper, then at least there is evidence because we have it, that you're the one who provided the information. So this is a way for you to get that money if this really is legitimate," he added.

The note itself included alarming assertions. Levin quoted the letter as stating: "I know what I saw five days ago south of the border, and I was told to shut up, so I know who he is, and that was definitely Nancy with them."

TMZ Makes Offer to Man Demanding Bitcoin to Reveal Where Nancy Guthrie Is

An anonymous tipster is refusing to speak with law enforcement, so TMZ is pleading with them to share information directly with the site.

www.thedailybeast.com

 

[Sakura2Sophia4Lucia]

There’s also some verifiably insane reporting But I agree that things do look promising and if they pan out, they help explain the searches, etc. We’ll know soon, I hope. I was surprised to see everyone released after those last searches but perhaps the right things are happening behind the scenes.

Just because they were released after the search does not mean they are not the perpetrators. They may end up being charged and LE and FBI were waiting to get additional solid evidence such as DNA linking the suspects to the crime scene. JMHO

 

[Ltiger4]

She quoted from the movie Tomorrowland . See this post for further details
Post in thread 'Nancy Guthrie, 84, (mother of TODAY Show host Savannah Guthrie) missing - last seen in the Catalina foothills area on Jan 31, 2026'
AZ - Nancy Guthrie, 84, (mother of TODAY Show host Savannah Guthrie) missing - last seen in the Catalina foothills area on Jan 31, 2026

I see that people are saying that those quotes are from that movie, and I’ve read that post you included, but I’d like confirmation from an actual source that George Clooney says those lines in the movie. Google and ChatGPT say no.

 

[Sakura2Sophia4Lucia]

TMZ is guaranteeing a $50,000 reward if the mystery man who has been emailing the gossip site comes forward with information that leads the FBI to Nancy Guthrie.

An anonymous tipster has now written TMZ a total of four times, claiming he knows where the abducted grandmother is being held and hinting that she may have been taken to Mexico by multiple captors.

The emailer is demanding payment in Bitcoin to reveal her location, as he supposedly does not trust law enforcement. The email’s author says he fears a decade-old burglary arrest may cause investigators to view him as a suspect, TMZ reports.

TMZ Makes Offer to Man Demanding Bitcoin to Reveal Where Nancy Guthrie Is

An anonymous tipster is refusing to speak with law enforcement, so TMZ is pleading with them to share information directly with the site.

www.thedailybeast.com

Valid fear. But if he knows where NG is being held, there also is a chance that he is an accessory to this crime. JMO

 

[birdbox]

Personally, I think the lantana was a stroke of genius. To me it means he’s a problem solver.

I would have to argue he's more of a problem creator.

 

[blackmagicx]

The email’s author says he fears a decade-old burglary arrest may cause investigators to view him as a suspect

The email author including that is a mistake imo. That information might be enough to help LE find them.

 

[submarine7]

Personally, I think the lantana was a stroke of genius. To me it means he’s a problem solver.

I thought the same thing: He's resourceful.

 

[Sadi]

THREAD IS CLOSED FOR JUST A BIT SO EVERYONE CAN SEE. ANYONE WHO MENTIONS THE FAMILY AS A SUSPECT WILL BE TIMED OUT OR BANNED.
View attachment 645642

I was out for a walk and came back to this news. To everyone who never considered any one of them to be involved, I apologize to you. My theory was proven wrong and I’m glad this was published to clear up any doubts. The entire family has been through a painful experience and I hope will be able to start healing a bit with this announcement. Thank you

 

[clearskies1]

I can't deal with anything TMZ-related with this case anymore. Done. JMO.

 

[TheUnderlyingCause]

IMO many people wouldn't have thought of using the stem of a plant to get the nest cam off the door. This lantana guy is calm, casual, not stressed and, in this case, good at quickly solving a practical problem. Still curious how his actions and demeanor could be seemingly so relaxed and casual in the midst of what was taking place inside the house. JMO

With all due respect, I do not see how anyone can claim this fellow is "calm, casual, not stressed...and good at quickly solving a practical problem" based on his frankly, laughable, attempt to use the plant. He actually solved nothing with the plant and looked exactly like an incompetent guy in full panic mode with his effort to do so. I think we are giving this guy too much credit. MOO

 

[SlimPickens]

Valid fear. But if he knows where NG is being held, there also is a chance that he is an accessory to this crime. JMO

I feel that since he stated in the email that he has a prior burglary charge, and this was after someone in LE leaked and then retracted that the general theory is 'botched burglary', that there is a solid chance that this guy and the perp could be one in the same. That he could be trying to mitigate his penalty by minimizing his crime. LE gave him the opportunity by publicizing that statement minimizing the crime as a 'botched burglary', and I think it was probably on purpose to try to lure him back out.

If so, it worked.

JMO.

 

[cckp72]

New theory of mine: We saw body damage on NG's newish car. Seems like that may have been fairly recent, because I would expect NG to have that repaired in a reasonable amount of time. The car towed from the person's home today, who was detained on Friday evening, but not arrested, also has body damage.

Is it possible that NG was involved in a fender-bender with another person, which resulted in some rage behavior by that other person? Could that person have followed NG to her home and created this tragedy in the name of revenge?

This by far is the best theory I've heard of.

 

[cady]

I keep thinking that L-guy may not have even entered the house, but was the driver and his partner was in the house doing whatever he ( or she) was doing with NG. L-guy readied the front door to bring NG out. If he did go inside, it may have been to help carry NG out, if she was unable to walk because she was incapacitated. There HAD to be a vehicle nearby, maybe near the garage? All just speculation, as usual. JMO

 

[Leilei]

The email author including that is a mistake imo. That information might be enough to help LE find them.

First thing I thought was they just told on themselves.
IMO.