Benjamin Heffner
Connector Editor
The mother of NBC News anchor and Today Show co-host Savannah Guthrie has been kidnapped in a missing persons case that has grappled the entire nation.
84-year-old Nancy Guthrie of the Catalina Foothills neighborhood in Tucson, Arizona was reported missing on February 1, 2026, when her relatives were contacted by a member of her church after she did not show up to regular church service. When the family arrived at the home and could not locate her, they called 911 and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, who recovered her phone as well as other essential items.
Given Guthrie’s sharp mentality and limited mobility, investigators determined she did not leave voluntarily and was forcibly removed from her home. However, her physical health became a major concern as she required daily medication. In addition, a pacemaker synced to an app on her iPhone and Apple Watch became disconnected shortly before 2:30 a.m., although investigators believe that the pacemaker can still work without the app.
Shortly after Guthrie’s disappearance, on February 4, Savannah and her two siblings, Annie and Camron, posted a video message on Instagram, saying the family was “ready to talk.”
She added, “We want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to this.”
Around the same time, news organizations in Arizona as well as TMZ received an alleged ransom note demanding millions of dollars in Bitcoin with a deadline, as well a message said, “you will have no way of contacting me.”
Information surrounding the case remained limited until February 10, when FBI Director Kash Patel released doorbell camera video footage and images of a masked intruder wearing gloves and a backpack, along with a holster carrying a gun, outside Guthrie’s home. Later specifics described the suspect as a 5’9’’ to 5’10’’ male, with an average build, wearing a black Ozark Trail backpack.
The FBI has offered a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to Guthrie’s disappearance or the arrest of anyone involved. Savannah Guthrie has also offered a $1 million reward for any information leading to her mother’s disappearance.
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social saying that he had talked with Guthrie’s family and was employing all federal and local law enforcement to assist with the case.
Dr. Rebecca Dunlea, Assistant Professor of Criminology & Justice Sciences, said that kidnappings, and any abduction for that matter, often become very complex cases. She said, “In this case, it seems there’s a lot of evidence that a kidnapping did actually occur. The longer a case drags on, the more difficult it can be to solve.”
Dunlea also added, “It may not seem to the public eye that we’ve had any significant breakthroughs in this case, but it’s a really good example of how far we’ve come with the use of technology in investigations.”
The FBI asks that anyone with information concerning this case to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online a tips.fbi.gov
