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

[Andreee]

dbm

 

[LRinCA]

DBM

 

[Gemmie]

It's going to be wild if the kidnapper is hiding in plain sight and it turns out to be a neighbor. There was a case like that where I grew up. Teen girl went missing, exhaustive search. Turned out she was buried in her next door neighbor's basement the whole time. The guy had been questioned by police several times and never pinged their radar.

It wouldn't surprise me in the least if this ends up the case.

 

[Friday Fan]

So the Tucson desert is one of the best areas to dump a body that I can think of. It’s a scary place and it is vast. It’s > 100F most of the time. In the nonexistent shade.

I really don't think someone took her to Mexico.

 

[agnesgrey]

I really don't think someone took her to Mexico.

Literally my only questions right now are who, why, and where did they put her body

 

[RedHaus]

So the Tucson desert is one of the best areas to dump a body that I can think of. It’s a scary place and it is vast. It’s > 100F most of the time. In the nonexistent shade.

Oh I agree.

First disposal choice would be the desert. But if the perp had some desperate and delusional intent to take his life with NG's to hurt SG, then lake. IMO.

 

[Keep it as a thought]

First time poster so be gentle, and I apologize if someone has already speculated on this or if my speculation isn’t allowed. Re JM or anyone who has publicly inserted themselves into the media conversation by locating themselves near dear NG’s, it occurred to me that this could be to provide an alibi should their DNA be found near the scene. A covering of bases approach. Might also be why some on here have suggested shoes being worn looking similar to those in video - in case a positive match was found it would, again, provide a rationale. “Of course there’s a match, I have been present here trying to help etc, etc”. Still hoping for resolution, this case has left me heartbroken for her beloved family. MOO

 

[RedHaus]

First time poster so be gentle, and I apologize if someone has already speculated on this or if my speculation isn’t allowed. Re JM or anyone who has publicly inserted themselves into the media conversation by locating themselves near dear NG’s, it occurred to me that this could be to provide an alibi should their DNA be found near the scene. A covering of bases approach. Might also be why some on here have suggested shoes being worn looking similar to those in video - in case a positive match was found it would, again, provide a rationale. “Of course there’s a match, I have been present here trying to help etc, etc”. Still hoping for resolution, this case has left me heartbroken for her beloved family. MOO

Welcome to Websleuths, @Keep it as a thought!

 

[Winter67]

First time poster so be gentle, and I apologize if someone has already speculated on this or if my speculation isn’t allowed. Re JM or anyone who has publicly inserted themselves into the media conversation by locating themselves near dear NG’s, it occurred to me that this could be to provide an alibi should their DNA be found near the scene. A covering of bases approach. Might also be why some on here have suggested shoes being worn looking similar to those in video - in case a positive match was found it would, again, provide a rationale. “Of course there’s a match, I have been present here trying to help etc, etc”. Still hoping for resolution, this case has left me heartbroken for her beloved family. MOO

You never know what people here come up with and all good points. That's why I love this forum. Someone from here long ago pointed out the ring. Saw it first and now all over the news. It's a puzzle that's for sure.

 

[FromGermany1]

The Olympics will end on Febr 22nd - will Nancy be given back to her daughter S then?

 

[Bluewing3102]

Anyone who's listening to scanners know what's going on in Tucson right now?

 

[Kemug]

After nearly 3 weeks, as Manuel in "Faulty Towers" used to say, "I know narthing"!

 

[Turkeytrot]

Anyone who's listening to scanners know what's going on in Tucson right now?

View attachment 646540

Hmm. I tried to tune in to the Tucson PD feed and it says online but won't connect for me.

Edit - got it to connect after closing out and loading back in

 

[watson1]

Anyone who's listening to scanners know what's going on in Tucson right now?

View attachment 646540

in my opinion, they may have been keeping an eye on someone's movements. the flight circled around the river road area, then down oracle road, then circled around 2 other areas. altitude stayed mostly between 3000-3700 feet - too high to be doing sniffer checks for NG's pacemaker. fwiw my guess is they were keeping eyes on. MOO. https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N305PD

 

[snarast]

If the kidnapping is aimed toward S he/they might want to reach out to her somehow.

 

[LRinCA]

Oh I agree.

First disposal choice would be the desert. But if the perp had some desperate and delusional intent to take his life with NG's to hurt SG, then lake. IMO.

He/she would have to drive quite a distance to find a lake. IMO/JMO.

One time my husband and I drove from Las Cruces, NM back to the Phoenix area via a very deserted southern route (backroads) that dropped down from west of Lordsburg (NM) and went through Douglas (AZ), Bisbee (AZ), Tombstone (AZ) and then up to Tucson and back home. The area was so desolate. Miles and miles without seeing another car other than border patrol. So many mountain ranges and nooks/crannies. I actually felt a bit afraid on that route because I realized how alone we were. I keep thinking about that entire area in relation to this case.

 

[TIGER0822]

Yes, Michael Ruiz’s explanation of the APS card still leaves even more questions.

“The day she was reported missing a neighbor called Adult Protective Services,” [Sheriff Nanos] he says. “They sent an investigator to check on her.”

This confirms the report was made AFTER her suspected abduction.”

So:

What prompted the neighbor to make the call that day she was reported missing (which would have been Feb 1, Sunday).

Just some of my thoughts, no basis. This makes my mind swirl—

Did the neighbor hear voices or something that led them to believe she was being abused by someone familiar to her? As in, something like, “No, I won’t go with you!!” (not knowing at the time NG was actually saying that to a kidnapper). jmo

Did the neighbor’s mind go to the abuse angle rather than a kidnapping because it’s a safe neighborhood and nothing close to this has ever happened before? Jmo

Just seems odd to call APS over 911.

JMO

Possibly a Church friend, who did not want to embarrass her by calling 911, and called APS instead to do a welfare check.

 

[snarast]

He/she would have to drive quite a distance to find a lake. IMO/JMO.

One time my husband and I drove from Las Cruces, NM back to the Phoenix area via a very deserted southern route (backroads) that dropped down from west of Lordsburg (NM) and went through Douglas (AZ), Bisbee (AZ), Tombstone (AZ) and then up to Tucson and back home. The area was so desolate. Miles and miles without seeing another car other than border patrol. So many mountain ranges and nooks/crannies. I actually felt a bit afraid on that route because I realized how alone we were. I keep thinking about that entire area in relation to this case.

Add to that that the many saguaros and prickly pears making it hard to discern bodies. Plus there are unofficial roads through the deserts only the locals know.

 

[Bluewing3102]

in my opinion, they may have been keeping an eye on someone's movements. the flight circled around the river road area, then down oracle road, then circled around 2 other areas. altitude stayed mostly between 3000-3700 feet - too high to be doing sniffer checks for NG's pacemaker. fwiw my guess is they were keeping eyes on. MOO. https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N305PD

Actually the sniffer with an extender can reach up to 800 ft. Tucson sits around 2,500 ft above sea level and this Tucson PD helicopter was at 3,100 ft above sea level. So flying within the 800 ft range. The robinson that flys around with the sniffer has been flying around 3,000 ft too!

I just wasn't sure if an event was happening in Tucson that explain the helicopter. Tucson PD hasn't flown in weeks. You have a good theory too.
JMO

 

[LRinCA]

Add to that that the many saguaros and prickly pears making it hard to discern bodies. Plus there are unofficial roads through the deserts only the locals know.

Our elderly neighbor died in the desert. It was 114º that day. Just brutally hot. It's a long story, but I saw his vehicle parked by the road on the way home and by the time the police got there and drove a ways back into the area he was, to be perfectly frank, long gone. The heat and the arid environment are not to be trifled with and I've never looked at the desert the same way since.