Mystery of TV star’s lacking mum – ransom deadline, recent attraction and kidnapping fears
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported missing by her family in Arizona after failing to attend church as her daughter Savannah pleads for help in their ‘hour of desperation’
Missing Nancy Guthrie with her daughter Savannah (Image: Instagram)
The mum of a beloved TV star remains missing after an apparent ransom deadline passed without word from her alleged kidnappers.
A note demanding $6million (£4.4m) for the safe return of Nancy Guthrie, 84, set a deadline of 5pm MT (12am GMT) on Monday. Savannah Guthrie, the high-profile co-anchor of NBC’s Today news show in the US, said she and her siblings were willing to pay all of the money.
Only hours before the cutoff, Savannah appeared in a social media video, describing the moment as “an hour of desperation” and calling the unfolding ordeal a “nightmare.” She pleaded: “We believe our mum is still out there. She was taken, and we don’t know where. And we need your help.”
“If you see anything, if you hear anything, if there is anything at all that seems strange to you, that you report to law enforcement. We are at an hour of desperation. We need your help.”
Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her own home near Tucson, Arizona, on the evening of 31 January. Officials say she was taken against her will.
She was reported missing after failing to appear at church the following day, which her family said was completely out of character.
The FBI has since said that they are unaware of “any continued communication between the Guthrie family and suspected kidnappers” and is offering $50,000 (£36,000) for any information.
Federal investigators also confirmed that they still have no suspects or persons of interest and are continuing to examine the ransom notes that were sent not only to local television stations, but also to TMZ.
A spokesperson from the agency said: “For more than a week, FBI agents, analysts and professional staff have worked around the clock to reunite Nancy Guthrie with her family.
“The FBI is not aware of any continued communication between the Guthrie family and suspected kidnappers, nor have we identified a suspect or person of interest in this case at this time.”
They added: “We are currently operating a 24-hour command post that includes crisis management experts, analytic support and investigative teams. But we still need the public’s help.
“Someone has that one piece of information that can help us bring Nancy home. We need that person to share what they know.”
Elsewhere, the Pima County Sheriff’s Office confirmed it is pursuing “new leads” and will continue searching for evidence at the family’s homes as the probe intensifies.
Authorities previously said that blood found on the front porch of Nancy’s home matched her, raising fears about what happened in the hours before she vanished. Adding to the concern, her doorbell camera was disconnected in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Officials say they have growing concerns for her health as she requires daily medication and is understood to have a pacemaker. In addition, Nancy has a history of high blood pressure and heart issues.
Investigators say they are now looking for a vehicle or vehicles that may be linked to her in a case that has gripped the US.
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