It has been a week since Nancy Guthrie was last seen. She joined her family for dinner before returning home that night—and has not been heard from since. Investigators are still trying to make sense of what happened to the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie. Here’s what we know, six days into the investigation into her disappearance.
### Who Is Nancy Guthrie?
Nancy Guthrie is an 84-year-old mother and grandmother who lives alone in the Catalina Foothills community, just north of Tucson, Arizona. She has three children: Annie, Camron, and Savannah, the youngest. Nancy’s husband, Charles, passed away in 1988.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, whose department is leading the investigation, stated that officials do not believe Nancy simply wandered away from her home. Instead, they suspect she was taken by force.
“Nancy Guthrie is of great sound mind. This is not a dementia-related case,” Nanos said. “She is as sharp as a tack.”
However, Nancy does suffer from other health issues. She relies on a pacemaker and requires medication that, if missed, could be fatal. Her children have described her as being in fragile physical health.
### What Is the Timeline of Her Disappearance?
On the evening of Saturday last week, Nancy took an Uber to one of her daughters’ homes to have dinner and play games, according to the sheriff’s department timeline.
– Around 9:48 p.m., a family member dropped Nancy back off at her home for the night.
– Several hours later, at 1:47 a.m., her doorbell camera disconnected.
– About half an hour later, the camera detected movement, but officials were unable to retrieve the footage.
– Minutes after that, at 2:28 a.m., Nancy’s pacemaker disconnected from its app.
The following Sunday afternoon, when Nancy did not show up to church as expected, fellow parishioners alerted her family, and the police were contacted.
Authorities report that a security camera is missing from the front of Nancy’s home. DNA testing has confirmed that blood splatter found on the front porch belonged to Nancy.
Five days into the search, officials remain hopeful that Nancy can be brought home safely.
“We still believe Nancy is still out there. We want her home,” Sheriff Nanos said during a Thursday press conference.
### Do Police Have a Suspect?
No suspect or person of interest has been identified so far.
On Thursday, the FBI announced a $50,000 reward for any information leading to Nancy’s recovery and the capture and conviction of whoever took her.
Officials are aware of ransom notes sent to several media outlets earlier in the week. FBI Special Agent Heith Janke, who heads the bureau’s Phoenix office, said the FBI is taking the notes seriously. The letter mentioned specific details such as an Apple Watch and a floodlight at Nancy’s house. It also included two deadlines: one that expired Thursday at 5 p.m., and another scheduled for Monday.
Authorities have not disclosed whether the letter contained specific demands or consequences if they were not met and declined to provide further details.
On Friday evening, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department posted on social media that they had received “a new message” and were “actively inspecting” the information to verify its authenticity.
At least one ransom demand was determined to be fraudulent, resulting in an arrest.
“To those imposters who are trying to take advantage and profit from this situation, we will investigate and ensure you are held accountable for your actions,” Agent Janke said.
### Has the Family Spoken Out?
Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have used social media to make direct appeals to the alleged abductor, asking for open communication and proof that their mother is still alive.
“Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you,” Nancy’s son Camron said in a Thursday video posted to Savannah’s Instagram account. “We need you to reach out, and we need a way to communicate with you so we can move forward.”
A day earlier, a visibly emotional Savannah, joined by her siblings, posted a video asking potential kidnappers for proof of life.
“We are ready to talk,” Savannah said, reading from a statement. “However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen.”
### What Are the Next Steps?
Officials say they are working tirelessly to ensure Nancy’s safe return.
President Trump publicly stated this week that he had spoken with Savannah to offer his support, including directing federal law enforcement to be at the family’s “complete disposal, IMMEDIATELY.”
Law enforcement urges anyone with information about Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance to come forward. Your help could be crucial in bringing her home safely.
https://www.npr.org/2026/02/07/nx-s1-5705280/nancy-guthrie-case-latest