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

[diggndeeperstill]

What kind of motive and what kind of perpetrator do we actually have here if no one in his periphery will turn him in for 1.1 million dollars?

A lone silent one?
A group with a message not for general public but higher ups?
A very bonded twosome?

 

[FaviousM]

What kind of motive and what kind of perpetrator do we actually have here if no one in his periphery will turn him in for 1.1 million dollars?

I mentioned it a couple of pages back, I think.

Could be a loner who wants to commit the "perfect" crime or something like that, a process driven offender. Perhaps the victim choice was just incidental

In that case, there wouldn't be anyone to turn them in and no real link to NG

 

[SMK777]

What kind of motive and what kind of perpetrator do we actually have here if no one in his periphery will turn him in for 1.1 million dollars?

One who is either:

a. A professional

OR

b. From the higher echelons of society

OR

c. Very secretive.

 

[connie9030]

I’ve been thinking about that car- according to Ashleigh Banfield’s source the search warrant was not based on the car, yet the car is still in their custody. I don’t think they have a car identified.

Here’s my opinion on why LD became of interest.

• Geofence- he lives close- within geofence area - they followed those phones and saw he visited some interesting locations that might fit with his former “trafficking” locations and/or associates.
• Former arrests, associates
• Note according to source the warrant was NOT based on the car. Tells me they don’t have a car identified. But they want to search that car to see if it was involved. I don’t understand how they were able to seize it with no arrest at the stop, though. Maybe he wasn’t honest about something they knew, therefore it became ok to take it? Maybe (hypothetically) it made a trip outside of county or to pick up items to traffick yet he denied at Culver’s.
• Physical description- height, weight, not necessarily goatee.
• Upcoming court date- motive for robbery
• Tip- I’m must curious who that is and why!

Drawing attention to the statement in quote of LE following him for some time in plane. Who has an ability to get flight history? This stop was February 13.

I think he mustache was a disguise. The perp was covered head to toe. He had to know a mustache would be visible. No mustache. Disguised his eyebrows too.

 

[cherryleaf]

What kind of motive and what kind of perpetrator do we actually have here if no one in his periphery will turn him in for 1.1 million dollars?

Someone narcissistic, cunning, with highly malignant traits, under-aroused and internally empty at their baseline, they seek high-stakes and volatile engagement with a sadistic streak. I think it’s someone no one would expect and that they are either engaging in domestic violence (or possibly the object of that violence) behind closed doors.
People in general feel empathy and respect even towards old people, and it needs another layer or evil, hate, or obsession to choose an elderly person with medical issues. I believe the main goal was predatory satisfaction and power.

Edited to add/malignant narcissism

Malignant Narcissist: Symptoms, Treatments, and Tips

Are you or someone you love a malignant narcissist? Learn more about symptoms, treatments and tips dealing with malignant narcissism.

www.helpguide.org

 

[Napoli]

What kind of motive and what kind of perpetrator do we actually have here if no one in his periphery will turn him in for 1.1 million dollars?

No one thinks it could possibly be Joe, next door, kind of guy. He's so nice. Quiet. loves the opera. Not a mean bone in his body. Bookish, a little nerdy...nah not Joe.. jmo

 

[factseeking]

I hadn't even considered the perp just, essentially, keeping the body. I had always just assumed with the vast areas of open land they just drove somewhere remote and dumped the body

Though I guess they maintain an element of control by knowing the where, and could revisit, if it was that kind of crime

Same! I've never considered the "keeping control" aspect. I'm racking my brain trying to remember if I've encountered this before besides tv/movies.

 

[Bruxer]

I do hope someone in LE is watching livestreams though. There have been many instances that I’ve seen people more than once on multiple streams that do not live close to Nancy. Just walking around or speaking to the media. The last batch of the 2 people doing the photoshoot a few days ago was sickening to me. Leather outfits and everything. I watched all of it live. I’m all for freedom of speech and expression, whatever ..but it was very very inappropriate and attention seeking imo. I took all kinds of screen shots. I can’t post them because it’s not from an approved stream. The couples vehicle was also a dark gray Kia crossover with black rims. Im not implying anything it just made my eyes almost pop out of my head. I wanted to post about this days ago but didn’t because all I had were screen shots. Here’s an actual link .

https://www.the-express.com/entertainment/celebrity-news/200590/nancy-guthrie-chaos-couple-photoshoot

I saw the same feed you are talking about. I woke up the next morning with a whole bunch of sirens in my head. Wondering why they would be so cruel, what the point of it was, why the man had a cruel smile with his tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth, how tall he would be without those crazy boots on, and if the boots would make him walk different. ETA Also, the shaved head would leave much less chance to leave hairs behind. All IMO.

Thank you for bringing it up, because I was thinking I was the only one who found it so depraved.

 

[factseeking]

One who is either:

a. A professional

OR

b. From the higher echelons of society

OR

c. Very secretive.

Wait I just thought of another alternative. Someone has contacted LE with info that qualifies for the reward and LE is investigating. (Ik, wishful thinking)

 

[FaviousM]

This is just a little thinking out loud on the idea I've had recently of the perp being someone for whom the process is the point of the crime. That process driven offender I've mentioned.

Even if the commission of the crime was the motivation there is still the question of "Why NG?"

What if it's not the first time? Maybe the first time, the victim was just some average person in the perp's locale

And then NG is a 'step up' to make the process even more exciting/exhilarating. Maybe they're from Tucson and looked up the 'Notable People in Tuscon' wikipedia page and came across SG and figured NG would be a 'higher profile' victim to up the stakes

This is all just speculation and opinion, not sure even I fully believe the crime was committed by this type of offender. Just spit balling

 

[MollyHarps]

Sad to see it get to the 4th week mark for her disappearance.

I do think the longer this goes on it makes the ‘ransom’ situation much less likely - I just don’t see somebody keeping an 84 year old as a hostage for a month.

I think this case will be one of those where an arrest is made in weeks/months time when nobody expects it.

 

[Moonchime]

Ty. That segment aired in November 2025, right? My thought process went to "while it might be routine footage" showing this part of Arizona and Sg connections, it may have been studied by the perp as almost a pilgrimage path for him. Places to visit. Places to incorporate in his crime. JMO

No it's not said:
Key Locations in the Segment:

• Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum: Featured for its desert landscape and wildlife.
• Saguaro National Park: Highlighted for its iconic desert scenery.
• University of Arizona: Her alma mater.
• El Charro Cafe: A downtown restaurant.
• Murals: Public art byJoe Pagac.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I apologize for not knowing how to do a proper multi-quote.

If the abductor had been following SG’s pilgrimage, it raises the possibility that NG’s body was left somewhere within Saguaro National Park. Sadly, if that were true, the terrain could make recovery extremely difficult.

 

[SMK777]

Wait I just thought of another alternative. Someone has contacted LE with info that qualifies for the reward and LE is investigating. (Ik, wishful thinking)

We can at least hope for this scenario!

 

[No it's not]

What kind of motive and what kind of perpetrator do we actually have here if no one in his periphery will turn him in for 1.1 million dollars?

Not a local..?

-Nin

 

[VegasGirl35]

One who is either:

a. A professional

OR

b. From the higher echelons of society

OR

c. Very secretive.

I'll add to your list: Someone who doesn't trust LE and believes Savannah won't deliver on the reward. It's almost unbelievable to think you can phone in a tip and a duffel bag full of cash will be waiting in a locker at the Greyhound station.

 

[Trino]

No it's not said:
Key Locations in the Segment:

• Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum: Featured for its desert landscape and wildlife.
• Saguaro National Park: Highlighted for its iconic desert scenery.
• University of Arizona: Her alma mater.
• El Charro Cafe: A downtown restaurant.
• Murals: Public art byJoe Pagac.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I apologize for not knowing how to do a proper multi-quote.

If the abductor had been following SG’s pilgrimage, it raises the possibility that NG’s body was left somewhere within Saguaro National Park. Sadly, if that were true, the terrain could make recovery extremely difficult.

I would think the Sonoran Desert instead of Saguaro. Saguaro has rangers, visitors, driveways. Been there. The Sonoran is Native land plus immigrant routes. Not a place for vistors.

 

[submarine7]

Yeah - does seem like the most obvious answer. It seems like they had *something* pointing towards silver SUV, with both LD and C's cars being silver SUVs, but perhaps they aren't confident enough in that idea to officially release it.

I totally thought that and still wonder, but AB (grain of salt) said her LE source cited the following for LDs warrant:
Phone pings
Felon background
Looks like PG
Tip

I still think that's a big coincidence that they drove similar cars.

JMO

 

[VeronicaVaughn]

The 911 dispatch is available, not the call

I think that's why the original poster asked about a FOIA request for the call. I'm not sure it would be released, even with a request.

 

[kevin1000]

This is just a little thinking out loud on the idea I've had recently of the perp being someone for whom the process is the point of the crime. That process driven offender I've mentioned.

Even if the commission of the crime was the motivation there is still the question of "Why NG?"

What if it's not the first time? Maybe the first time, the victim was just some average person in the perp's locale

And then NG is a 'step up' to make the process even more exciting/exhilarating. Maybe they're from Tucson and looked up the 'Notable People in Tuscon' wikipedia page and came across SG and figured NG would be a 'higher profile' victim to up the stakes

This is all just speculation and opinion, not sure even I fully believe the crime was committed by this type of offender. Just spit balling

I agree. It could be an adrenaline high. NG might heighten that due to the national attention he seemed to want. SG was forced into the spotlight, so using this reasoning, he has a strong desire to control. In addition, he likely dehumanizes as SG's messages indicate efforts to humanize her mother. IMO

 

[SMK777]

I'll add to your list: Someone who doesn't trust LE and believes Savannah won't deliver on the reward. It's almost unbelievable to think you can phone in a tip and a duffel bag full of cash will be waiting in a locker at the Greyhound station.

It is, yes. Especially because authorities might wonder if a tipster is the suspect.