Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have used Instagram to document what their family said it knows and wants in the days after 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie disappeared in Arizona, according to a timeline of videos compiled from the family’s posts. The messages, delivered by Guthrie and other family members, began with direct outreach to whoever had Nancy Guthrie and moved toward broader appeals to the public for tips as the search continued and law enforcement released new information.
The timeline begins Feb. 4, when Savannah Guthrie said in a recorded video that her family had heard media reports about a ransom letter. She said the family was willing to talk and listen but wanted proof that Nancy Guthrie was alive, and she and her siblings spoke directly to her in the video. Savannah Guthrie said, “Mommy, if you are hearing this, you are a strong woman, you are God’s precious daughter, Nancy,” as she called for contact and validation.
On Feb. 5, Camron Guthrie, speaking for the family, said they had not heard anything directly from whoever took Nancy Guthrie. He said the family wanted to talk but was waiting for contact and needed a way to communicate to move forward, and he said they needed proof. That same day, Savannah Guthrie posted that the family was prepared to pay for Nancy Guthrie’s safe return as the search entered what she described as a seventh day. The family’s posts also included instructions to reach law enforcement with information.
By Feb. 7, Savannah Guthrie posted that she and her siblings received a message and that they “understand” it, without providing details. In that video, she said they were begging for their mother to be returned and repeated, “We will pay.” The family’s public posts kept focus on communication with whoever had Nancy Guthrie, while also maintaining pleas for her safe recovery.
On Feb. 9, Savannah Guthrie described her family being at an “hour of desperation.” She said they believed Nancy Guthrie was still out there and asked for prayers and help while urging the public to report anything they see or hear to law enforcement. In that post, she did not mention a ransom note despite what she described as a purported deadline for that evening.
The tone shifted again on Feb. 10, when Savannah Guthrie posted surveillance images and video that the FBI released. Authorities said the masked person in the footage had tampered with a camera on Nancy Guthrie’s front porch the night she went missing, and the FBI described the person as a male about 5-foot-9 inches tall, or 175 centimeters. In the family’s post, Savannah Guthrie showed what appeared to be a handgun holster at the waist and depicted the person covering a camera with a gloved hand before placing plants over it.
In a second Feb. 10 post, Savannah Guthrie again urged anyone with information to contact authorities. She said, “Someone out there recognizes this person,” and she added, “We believe she is still out there. Bring her home.” The FBI has also said it is unaware of ongoing communication between Guthrie’s family and any purported kidnappers, according to the timeline.
After Feb. 10, the family’s video posts continued. On Feb. 12, Savannah Guthrie posted a vintage home video of “our lovely mom” with two children sharing pink flowers to music, along with text saying, “we will never give up on her,” and thanking viewers for prayers and hope; the video ended with a family photo of Nancy Guthrie and her three young kids. On Feb. 15, Savannah Guthrie posted another video saying two weeks had passed and she continued to hold on to hope, saying, “We believe in the essential goodness of every human being, and it’s never too late,” while addressing whoever took her mother or anyone who knows where she is.
Later in the timeline, Savannah Guthrie posted on Feb. 24 announcing a reward up to $1 million for information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s recovery and describing the family’s agony over the previous 24 days as it continued to seek answers. The family also announced a $500,000 donation to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.