More than 48 hours after authorities believe Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show anchor Savannah Guthrie, was kidnapped from her Arizona home, investigators say they still have no idea where she is—or who took her.
At a press conference Tuesday, Feb. 3, Chris Nanos offered a blunt assessment of the investigation so far. Asked how many people may have been involved in the apparent kidnapping, the sheriff responded simply: “No clue. It could have been one. It could have been more.”
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen around 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 31 at her home in the Catalina Foothills area north of Tucson. She was reported missing the following day after a friend from her church noticed she did not attend services and contacted one of her adult children. A relative then went to the home, searched briefly, and called 911 after realizing something was wrong.
Authorities have made clear that this is not a case of an elderly woman wandering away. Nanos said Nancy’s physical mobility was significantly limited, even though her mental faculties were not. “She is really just as sharp as a tack,” he said earlier this week, adding that it would be “highly unlikely” for her to have left on her own.
On Tuesday, law enforcement confirmed that DNA evidence found inside the home belongs to Nancy, reinforcing their belief that a crime occurred. The sheriff declined to describe the nature of the DNA, citing the ongoing investigation. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department has also acknowledged reports circulating about a possible ransom note, stressing that all tips and leads are being taken seriously.
Despite the alarming circumstances, Nanos said investigators do not believe the disappearance poses an ongoing threat to the general public. “Is there somebody out there kidnapping elderly people in the middle of the night every night? We’ve not heard that,” he said, while noting that Tucson experiences crime like any other city.
Savannah Guthrie has traveled to Arizona to be with her family as the search continues. In a post shared on social media, she asked the public to pray for her mother’s safe return, describing Nancy as “a woman of deep conviction” and “a good and faithful servant.”
Investigators are now offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information related to Nancy’s disappearance and are appealing for any video or photographic evidence from the area around her home. Authorities described her as 5 feet 5 inches tall, about 150 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes.
As the hours stretch on with no clear answers, officials continue to emphasize one point: this is no longer a missing-person search, but a criminal investigation. And for now, the central question remains painfully unresolved—where is Nancy Guthrie?
