The search for Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today” show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, continued in the Tucson area as authorities investigated what they described as an apparent kidnapping and awaited proof the 84-year-old is alive.
On Friday, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told The Associated Press that he remains concerned about Guthrie’s health because she “requires medication” and that authorities have “no way of knowing whether they’re getting that medication to her.” He said her conditions would likely be worsening “day by day” as the days pass without confirmation.
Authorities said Guthrie has not been seen since Jan. 31, when she was dropped off by family at her home in the Tucson area. The investigation has also pointed to evidence consistent with her having been taken: DNA tests confirmed that blood found on Guthrie’s front porch came from her. No suspects or motive had been identified as of Friday.
A major part of the investigation has involved the FBI, which said purported ransom notes sent to media organizations were being taken seriously. Brooke Brennan, described by the AP as with the FBI’s Phoenix office, said there was no new information to share Friday regarding whether anyone had responded to the videos posted by Guthrie’s children.
Guthrie’s family has asked the captor to get in touch with them, warning that messages and images could be manipulated. Savannah Guthrie said in a video posted Wednesday that “We are ready to talk,” but that she and her siblings live in a world where “voices and images are easily manipulated,” adding that they “need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her.” She said they want to “hear from you” and “are ready to listen.”
Her brother, Camron Guthrie, reiterated the request in another video Thursday, saying, “We haven’t heard anything directly. We need you to reach out, and we need a way to communicate with you so we can move forward,” the AP reported.
The AP also reported that the FBI announced a $50,000 reward for credible information about the abduction. The FBI did not outline whether anyone had answered the family’s appeals by Friday.
News organizations said they received purported ransom notes that included specific details. CNN anchor Mary Coleman, interviewed by CNN, said that when she and others saw “some of those details,” it became “clear after a couple of sentences that this might not be a hoax,” according to the AP account. The notes included a demand for money with deadlines and referenced details that investigators said only the kidnapper could have known, including a floodlight at Nancy Guthrie’s home and an Apple watch.
The search has also been shaped by limited usable video evidence. Investigators said Nancy Guthrie lived alone in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood, where homes are set back from the street and appear to have little street lighting at night. The AP reported that the doorbell camera was disconnected within hours after Guthrie was dropped off, and that the company could not retrieve video because Guthrie did not have an active subscription.
Authorities told the AP that Guthrie’s app connected to a pacemaker was disconnected from her phone at 2:28 a.m., and that she was reported missing around noon Sunday when she did not attend church. The sheriff said the lack of helpful evidence from cameras at the house was unfortunate because it raised expectations for footage.
The case has continued to draw attention because of Guthrie’s age and medical needs, and because authorities said there remained no verified proof she was alive.