Search Intensifies for Missing ‘Today’ Show Anchor’s Mother, New Message Investigated
Tucson, Arizona – Investigators are again focusing their search on the desert landscape surrounding the home of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Savannah Guthrie, co-anchor of NBC’s “Today” show, as authorities review a newly discovered message potentially linked to her disappearance. The renewed effort comes as President Trump indicated Friday night that investigators possess “very strong” clues and anticipate potential developments “fairly soon.”
“We have some things, I think that will maybe come out reasonably soon, from DOJ or FBI, or whoever, that could be, could be definitive,” President Trump said from Air Force One. “A lot has taken place in the last couple of hours. A lot of things have happened with regard to that horrible situation in the last couple of hours.”
Details surrounding the new message remain scarce, and it is currently unclear whether it is connected to a potential kidnapping. Both the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department have confirmed awareness of the message and are “actively inspecting the information provided in the message for its authenticity,” according to officials.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen by family members shortly after 9:45 p.m. On Saturday, a time that coincides with the opening and closing of her garage door, officials stated. Approximately four hours later, at 1:47 a.m., her doorbell camera disconnected. Investigators previously noted the absence of the camera frame at her residence.
Further complicating the investigation, security camera software at Guthrie’s home detected movement – potentially a person or an animal – on one of the cameras at 2:12 a.m. However, authorities have been unable to recover the footage and are uncertain which camera captured the activity. Fifteen minutes later, at 2:28 a.m., Nancy Guthrie’s pacemaker app registered a disconnection from her phone, suggesting this was the moment she left her home, as her phone was left behind.
Family members initiated the search for Nancy Guthrie just before noon on Sunday, after she failed to appear for church. They immediately contacted 911, according to Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos.
An earlier ransom note is believed to be central to the ongoing investigation. While the complete contents of the note have not been publicly released, certain details have emerged. The note initially demanded a payment by 5 p.m. On Thursday and included a subsequent demand with a Monday deadline, explained Heith Janke, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Phoenix division. Janke declined to disclose the specific requests made at each deadline or any potential threats associated with non-compliance.
Camron Guthrie, Nancy’s son, released a video statement on Thursday afternoon, coinciding with the first deadline in the ransom note, pleading for his mother’s safe return. “Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you,” he said. “We haven’t heard anything directly. We need you to reach out and we need a way to communicate with you so we can move forward.”
Harvey Levin, founder of TMZ, reviewed one of three identical letters sent to media outlets and told CNN on Thursday that “the Monday deadline is far more consequential.” TMZ reported receiving the alleged note earlier this week via email, claiming it demanded millions in cryptocurrency for Guthrie’s release. Levin stated Thursday night that TMZ had verified the authenticity of the bitcoin address provided in the note.
Authorities and family members are deeply concerned about Nancy Guthrie’s well-being, as she suffers from multiple health conditions and requires daily medication, which she currently lacks. While investigators have not yet received any confirmation of her current condition, they are operating under the assumption that she is alive, despite growing concerns.
