The Police and the FBI intensify the search for Nancy Guthrie, 84 years old. She is the mother of the popular American television presenter Savannah Guthrie. Authorities presume she is still alive four days after being kidnapped from her home, although no suspect has been identified.
First modification: 02/06/2026 - 02:25Last modification: 02/06/2026 - 02:52
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The FBI offered this Thursday, February 5, a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the location of Nancy Guthrie, mother of journalist Savannah Guthrie, co-host of the 'TODAY' morning show on the 'NBC' network. Authorities determined that the octogenarian woman was kidnapped early Sunday morning at her home in Arizona.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen on January 31, when family members dropped her off at her residence near Tucson after having dinner with them. His relatives reported him missing around noon the next day, according to authorities.
Those close to her stated that because her mobility is extremely limited, she could not have left her home without assistance, leading investigators to conclude from the beginning that she was the victim of a kidnapping.
This Thursday, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos referred to DNA evidence at the scene of the kidnapping. They determined that the blood found on the front porch steps of the home is Guthrie's.
Nanos later told CNN that he assigned his homicide detectives to the case, an unusual move given that there is no body. But the sheriff indicated that his decision is based on the first details of the scene, which he found "alarming."
"They described a scene to me that disturbed me greatly," he said.
"She's out there, she's alive"
A timeline compiled by investigators showed that the victim's doorbell camera was disabled and her pacemaker app was disconnected from her phone line in the early hours of Sunday morning, when she was presumably abducted.
Five days into the search, investigators have yet to obtain evidence of life or identify a suspect or "person of interest," Nanos told reporters, but added: "At this point, we believe Nancy is still out there. We want her to come home."
When asked if he feared she was dead, Nanos acknowledged that he did, but added: "
"We operate from a position that until we know, she's out there, she's alive, and we're going to continue to think that way until we find her."
A ransom note
The FBI on Thursday offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.
FBI Special Agent Heith Janke indicated that a purported ransom letter sent to several media outlets this week was being treated seriously, but added that there have been no further messages.
"In a normal kidnapping case, there would already be contact," said the special agent.
The letter, whose authenticity had not yet been conclusively determined, set the deadline for ransom payment as 5 p.m. m. Thursday, with a second deadline for next Monday, Janke added, declining to give further details. Authorities did not provide more information after the initial deadline expired.
According to celebrity news website TMZ.com, the first outlet to report receiving a copy of the note in question, it demanded a ransom sum "in the millions" to be paid in cryptocurrency.
Janke claimed that the letter mentioned certain details that supported its authenticity, including unspecified references to an Apple Watch and a reflector. He added that the note demanded nothing more than a ransom.
"Any action taken regarding the rescue is ultimately decided by the family," Janke told reporters.
Janke also said investigators arrested someone in connection with an "imposter ransom demand" sent to family members.
Among other concerns for Nancy Guthrie's well-being was that her fragile health depended on daily medication, a point made by Janke in comments she addressed to her captors during the press conference.
"You still have time to do the right thing before this becomes a much worse scenario for you," Janke said.
"We don't know if he is receiving his medication. That in itself could be fatal," the sheriff added.
The victim's daughter, co-anchor of NBC's "Today" morning news show since 2012, posted a video online Wednesday calling for her mother's safe return and appealing to whoever may have been holding her to open a line of communication with the family.
"We need to know for sure that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen. Please contact us," Savannah Guthrie, 54, said in her video message.
Trump orders to prioritize search
Donald Trump gave instructions for all federal and local forces to immediately be made available to the presenter's family.
The president stated on his Truth Social account that his priority is for her to return "safe and sound" to her home and sent a message of support to the journalist's loved ones.
Trump noted that the Government is "deploying all available resources" to collaborate with the authorities investigating the case and participating in the search operations.
With EFE, AP and Reuters
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