Authorities are entering the sixth day of investigating Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance from her home in Catalina Foothills.
Investigators have not named a suspect or person of interest in connection to Guthrie’s case.
The 84-year-old mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie is described by officials as mentally sharp, but dependent on daily medication and facing mobility issues — ruling out the possibility that she may have wandered from her residence.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators believe Guthrie may have been abducted. Despite concerns that being separated from her medication could endanger her life, authorities continue to classify the case as a missing-person investigation.
Savannah Guthrie and her siblings, Annie and Camron, have since issued two pleas on social media for whoever Nancy Guthrie may be with to contact the family.
"This is Camron Guthrie speaking for the Guthrie family. Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you. We haven't heard anything directly. We need you to reach out," he said.
As authorities have released details throughout the week, here is what is known so far in the possible kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie.
#Who is Nancy Guthrie?#
Nancy Guthrie, 84, is the mother of Camron, Annie, and “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie.
Her home is located in Catalina Foothills, an unincorporated area north of Tucson within Pima County.
Savannah Guthrie attended the University of Arizona and worked for Arizona Public Media’s “Arizona Illustrated” early in her journalism career. Her mother worked for the university from 1990 to 2007, a spokesperson confirmed.
Both officials and family have expressed concern that Guthrie does not have access to her daily medication.
In a video that the Guthrie siblings posted on social media Wednesday, Savannah Guthrie said that her mother’s health and heart are fragile.
“She lives in constant pain,” Savannah Guthrie said.
In the video posted to Instagram, she described her mother as a faithful and loving woman and a beloved grandmother. She also thanked the community for sending love and prayers.
“We feel them and we continue to believe that she feels them too,” she said.
Nanos described Guthrie as mentally sharp but “physically limited,” adding that she would not be able to walk far on her own.
#When was Nancy Guthrie last seen?
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI released a more precise timeline on Thursday, providing insight into when Nancy Guthrie may have left her home unwillingly:
Saturday, Jan. 31
- 5:32 p.m. - Guthrie traveled to have dinner with family.
- 9:48 p.m. - Guthrie was last seen by family dropping her off at her home. Her garage was opened.
- 9:50 p.m. - Guthrie’s garage door closed.
Sunday, Feb. 1
- 1:47 a.m. - Guthrie’s doorbell camera disconnects.
- 2:12 a.m. - Software detects a person on camera. Authorities say this could have been a person or an animal. However, there is no footage, Nanos said.
- 2:28 a.m. - Guthrie’s pacemaker disconnects from its phone application.
- 11:56 a.m. - Family comes to Guthrie’s home to check on her after she did not show up for church.
- 12:03 p.m. - Family calls 911.
- 12:15 p.m. - Patrol officers arrive at Guthrie’s home. Search-and-rescue crews work through the following night to attempt to find her.
#Why are deputies investigating the case as a crime?
Nanos initially declined to give details about the state of the home, describing it only as “concerning.”
Authorities emphasized Guthrie did not wander from the house. Nanos said she was mentally sharp and “physically limited,” unable to walk far.
Guthrie had left behind her phone, wallet, keys and medication, Nanos said.
Pima County officials announced they had completed processing the crime scene on Monday and that the home would be turned over to the Guthrie family. However, on Wednesday, law enforcement officials were seen at the home carrying evidence to their vehicles.
On Thursday, Nanos confirmed that bloodstains on Guthrie’s front porch matched her DNA.
#How large is the search effort?
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department is the lead agency in the investigation.
In Thursday’s news conference, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos acknowledged he should have brought in additional investigative resources from the FBI and Pima Regional Critical Incident Team, known as PCRIT.
He likened the hindsight to “Monday morning quarterbacking.”
“I'll say this, we processed the scene. We did what we thought was complete. My team did that. I have to have all the faith and trust in their abilities and their skills,” he said.
PCRIT is now assisting in the investigation, Nanos announced. PCRIT is a consortium of southern Arizona law enforcement agencies.
Nanos said officials have not ruled out the possibility that Guthrie was taken outside the region or state. But he has not been in contact with Mexican authorities, he said.
FBI Special Agent Heith Janke said investigators have not ruled anything out.
“We will follow the facts wherever they take us, whether it is outside of the state of Arizona or over the border. We will follow the facts and go there. But we have no indication of anything over the Mexican border,” Janke said.
#Is there a threat to the public?
Authorities have said there is no threat to the public.
"If there's somebody out there who's kidnapping elderly people in the middle of the night, every night, we've not heard that. We don't believe that's the case,” Nanos said.
Authorities reported receiving at least three different ransom notes.
Since 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, her neighborhood has seen an increase in foot traffic from law enforcement and media coverage, as has the neighborhood of her daughter Annie.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department released an advisory to members of the media to not impede traffic when visiting the Guthrie home.
Reports of a nearby trespassing incident on Wednesday, Feb. 4 in the neighborhood were being investigated, a spokesperson for the department said.
#Are the ransom notes for Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance legitimate?
FBI officials acknowledged that there was a ransom letter sent earlier this week to some media outlets and that they are taking it seriously.
But no contact has been established with the Guthrie family since the messages were sent to the media, Janke said — nor has there been proof of life established.
“As with every lead, we are taking it seriously. We are in communication with the family, and while we advise and recommend, from a law enforcement perspective, any action taken on any ransom is ultimately decided by the family,” he said.
Savannah Guthrie and her siblings, Annie and Camron, have since issued two pleas on social media for whoever Nancy Guthrie may be with to contact the family.
One ransom note included a deadline of 5 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 5, with a second, "more consequential" deadline on Monday, Feb. 9. It was unclear what would happen if the deadlines were not met.
Later on Thursday, federal prosecutors named a man accused of sending ransom-related text messages to members of Nancy Guthrie’s family.
A criminal complaint lists Derrick Callella, a 42-year-old California man, as the person who allegedly texted Nancy Guthrie’s daughter and son-in-law asking about the Bitcoin payment demanded in ransom notes sent to local TV stations.
But Callella has not been linked to that original Monday ransom demand, the complaint said.
"My next message is 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,” Janke said.
#How to report tips to authorities
The sheriff’s department established a tip line QR code to gather information from the community. People can directly submit photos or videos that may be helpful to the investigation.
If you see or hear anything suspicious or have tips to report that could help the case, you can call 88-CRIME.
The FBI announced on Thursday a $50,000 reward for a tip that leads to Nancy’s return and the arrest and conviction of those responsible for her disappearance.
