Nancy Guthrie Update: Note to Media Says Savannah Guthrie’s Mom Is Dead
There’s been a disturbing update in the search for Savannah Guthrie‘s mom, Nancy Guthrie.
Going on five months since the 84-year-old was reported missing Feb. 1, three people familiar with the situation have told NBC News that, after an initial ransom note asked for cryptocurrency in exchange for her safe return, a second letter sent to media outlets indicated that Nancy is dead.Ā
Investigators involved in the case have examined the two notes, both of which were sent to the news director for NBC News’ Arizona affiliate KOLD, Jessica Bobula, and believe they are potentially credible, NBC News reported.
Every day, meanwhile, has come with its own challenges for the Guthrie family as they await concrete answers.
“Itās always with me,” Savannah said June 8 on Today with Jenna and Sheinelle, sharing an emotional update on how she’s been persevering in the wake of her mom’s disappearance. “I cry every morning on the way to work, and I cry every morning on the way home. And Iām grateful to have good friends and to be able to come to such a beautiful and joyous and supportive place.ā
When the 54-year-old abruptly leftĀ Today mid-show on May 6, fans were hopeful for a break in the case that has seemingly stymied authorities since family reported Nancy missing after last seeing her alive at her Arizona home Jan. 31.Ā
But the longtime co-anchor was back at the desk the following morning, having first returned to her post April 6 following months of searching and keeping her two-plus million Instagram followers apprised.Ā
“I can’t come back and try to be something that I’m not,” she previously explained in an interview with Hoda Kotb. “But I can’t not come back because it’s my family.”
If that means she has to break down in private to hold it together on-camera, so be it. And in the meantime, she continued to ask the public to share any intel they might have.
A human bone found seven miles from Nancy’s home May 7 was “not criminal in nature,” a spokesperson for the Tucson Police Department told People. And Savannah labeled the speculation that her brother Camron Guthrie, sisterĀ Annie Guthrie orĀ brother-in-lawĀ Tomasso Cioni were at all involved “irresponsible and cruel.”
But much like kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart, who noted, “There are cases that span many more years than mine does, and they came back alive,” Savannah isn’t letting go of hope that her mother could be found.
“We miss you with every breath,” the journalist wrote in a May 10 Mother’s Day tribute. “We will never stop looking for you. We will never be at peace until we find you.”
As such, “We desperately ask this community for renewed attention to our momās caseāplease consult camera footage, journal notes, text messages, observations or conversations that in retrospect may hold significance,” the siblings and their spouses said in a joint statement to KVOA News 4 Tucson in March. “No detail is too small. It may be the key.”
Keep reading for everything we know about the investigation surrounding Nancy Guthrie.Ā
Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images
WhenĀ Savannah GuthrieāsĀ Mom Nancy Guthrie Was Last SeenĀ
Nancy Guthrieāwho is mom toĀ Annie GuthrieĀ andĀ Camron Guthrie, in addition to Savannah Guthrieāwas last seen by her family at her Tucson, Ariz. home at approximately 9:30 p.m. Jan. 31, per Pima County police.Ā
Savannah Guthrie/Instagram
Nancy Guthrie Reported Missing
The 84-year-old was reported missing by her family Feb. 1 after a concerned friend alerted Nancyās loved ones that she didnāt show up for a church service that morning, police confirmed toĀ Today.Ā After her children searched Nancyās property for around an hour, they called authorities and reported her missing around noon.
PimaĀ County SheriffĀ Chris NanosĀ subsequently detailed the initial investigation, which included homicide detectives, at her house.Ā
“You don’t typically get the sheriff out at a scene like this, but it’s very concerning what we’re learning from the house,” he told reporters in a Feb. 2 press conference. “This one stood out because of what was described to us at the scene and what we found and located just in looking at the scene.”
“It’s not standard,” Nanos continued. “Typically, our homicide team comes out when we have a homicide, a body. This one was done simply because of what the surveyors were telling us.”
Nathan Congleton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images
Nancy Guthrieās Home Declared a “Crime Scene”Ā
Following their initial investigation, authorities confirmed they believed a crime took place in Nancyās home.
āWe believe now, after we processed that crime scene, that we do, in fact have a crime scene,āĀ Nanos shared duringĀ aĀ Feb. 2 press conference.Ā āWe’re asking the community’s help. This community hasĀ always stepped up to help us solve some pretty tough crimes. I’m looking for that again.ā
The sheriff citedĀ Nancyās limited mobilityāshe “couldn’t walk 50 yards by herselfāāa giveaway for concluding that foul play may have been involved in her disappearance.
āWe know she didn’t just walk out of there, that we know,ā he said, adding, āThere are other things at the site, at the scene, that indicate there was aāshe did not leave on our own.āĀ
Don Arnold/WireImage
Nancy Guthrieās Health Condition Revealed, Medication Needs for SurvivalĀ
As the search for Nancy continues, authoritiesĀ emphasized thatĀ she needsĀ to take daily medication for her survival, which she is likely without.Ā
“This is an 84-year-oldĀ lady who suffers from some physical ailments, has some physical challenges, is in need of medication,” NanosĀ shared atĀ theĀ Feb. 2Ā press conference, “medication that if she doesn’t have in 24 hours, it could be fatal.”
“So, we make a plea to anyone who knows anything about this, who has seen something, heard something, to contact us,” he continued. “Call 911. We don’t need another bad, tragic ending. We need some help.ā
While Nancyās physical health has been limited for some time, Nanos emphasized that her cognitive abilities are quite strong.
“Nancy Guthrie is of a great sound mind,” Nanos explained. “This is not dementia-related. She is as sharp as a tack. The family wants everybody to know this isn’t somebody who just wandered off. Her physical limits are based on just age.”
As the investigation into Nancy’s disappearance continues, Nanos shared his hopes for Nancyās safe return.
“I hope we find her safe and sound,” he emphasized, “but we cannot ignore what’s in front of us.”
Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images
Savannah GuthrieĀ Breaks Silence on Mom Nancy Guthrieās DisappearanceĀ
One day after Nancy was reported missing, theĀ TodayĀ anchorĀ spoke out about the devastating ordeal her family is going through.
“On behalf of our family, I want to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers and messages of support,”Ā she said in a Feb. 2 statementĀ to the NBC morning show. “Right now, our focus remains on the safe return of our dear Nancy.”
“We thank law enforcement for their hard work on this case,” she noted, “and encourage anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.”
Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images
Savannah Guthrie’sĀ TodayĀ FamilyĀ Expresses Support Amid Search for NancyĀ GuthrieĀ
After Savannah confirmed that her mom Nancy was reported missing, herĀ TodayĀ co-anchors publicly showed their support.
āWe love Nancy,āĀ Jenna Bush HagerĀ said during the Feb. 2 episode ofĀ Today with Jenna & Sheinelle.Ā āI know her personally.ā
āWe are thinking of our dearest, dearest Savannah and her whole family right now,ā she continued. āOur prayers obviously go out to Savannah and the entire family.ā
Meanwhile,Ā Sheinelle JonesĀ emphasized the importance of community during this difficult time.Ā
āI thought to myself, āOK, this is when weāre at our best as a community,āā she said of the daytime showās call to action, urging viewers to contact the Pima County Sheriffās department with any information about the matter āno matter how small.ā
She added, āSo weāre sending our prayers but weāre also sending our collective action.ā
Before concluding the segment, both hosts continued, āWe love you, Savannah.ā
Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images
AndĀ Sunday TodayĀ anchorĀ Willie GeistĀ also urged fans to keep an eye out for Nancy.
āIf you have any information at all about the location of @savannahguthrieās wonderful mother Nancy,ā he wrote onĀ Instagram StoriesĀ Feb. 2 along with the phone number to the proper authorities, āplease call the @pimasheriff in Arizona. She is missing.ā
Savannahās former co-hostĀ Hoda KotbĀ also reacted to the shocking news, sharing a sweet photo Savannah and Nancy on theĀ TodayĀ set. Keeping the caption simple for the Feb. 2Ā InstagramĀ post, Hoda simply wrote a red heart and prayer hands emoji.Ā
Nathan Congleton/NBC
Police Address Savannah Guthrieās Safety as Search for Her Mom Continues
While authorities have declared Nancyās Arizona home a ācrime scene,ā they believe there isnāt “any indication that the public is in danger.”
“I don’t think there’s an active threat,” Pima CountyĀ SheriffĀ Nanos said inĀ a Feb. 2 press conference, though noting that “there’s a lot of work still to do.”
While Savannah has been absent fromĀ TodayĀ since her mother was reported missing Feb. 1, local authorities have been in contact with the journalist regarding her safety.
“We’ve spoken to her,” the sheriff confirmed. “She has a security team that’s been in touch with us throughout the night, but we’re not going to dismiss any angles for sure.”
Instagram/Savannah Guthrie
Authorities Say Nancy Guthrie May Have Been Abducted
On Feb. 2, Pima County policeĀ sharedĀ a series of updates onĀ the timeline ofĀ NancyāsĀ disappearance.
“At this point, investigators believe she was taken from the home against her will, possibly in the middle of the night,ā a spokesperson for the Pima County Sheriffās Office told MS Now Feb. 2. “Detectives are looking into a possible kidnapping or abduction.ā
Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
Savannah Guthrie Shares a Public Plea to Bring Her MotherĀ Nancy GuthrieĀ Home Safely
Following news that Nancy may have beenĀ abducted from herĀ Arizona homeĀ while she slept, Savannah shared an emotional request.
āWe believe in prayer,ā she wrote inĀ a Feb. 2Ā InstagramĀ post. āWe believe in voices raised in unison, in love, in hope. we believe in goodness. we believe in humanity. above all, we believe in Him.ā
āThank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant,ā Savannah continued. āRaise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment.ā
She added, āwe need you.ā
To conclude her plea, Savannah shared a Bible verse from Isaiah.
āāHe will keep in perfect peace those whose hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord,āā she wrote. “a verse of Isaiah for all time for all of us.ā
Savannah continued, āBring her home.ā
Instagram/Savannah Guthrie
Police Find DNA Evidence at Nancy Guthrieās Home
Pima County Sheriff Nanos confirmed that DNA evidence was found at Nancyās home, which has been declared a crime scene.Ā
āWe took some samples that we hope will have enough of a DNA profile,ā he told NBC News in aĀ report shared onĀ TodayĀ Feb. 3, āthat will give us some identification as to what weāre looking at.ā
In a press conference two days later, Nanos shared the timeline of events leading up to Nancy’s disappearance.Ā
Roughly four hours after she returned home from visiting family, “at 1:47 a.m., the doorbell camera disconnects,” Nanos detailed at a Feb. 5 press conference.Ā
Although the software detected a person on the doorbell camera, he said the clip was automatically overwritten because Nancy didn’t have a subscription to the service. Despite that, he emphasized they weren’t done trying to retrieve the footage.
“At 2:28 a.m., Nancy’s pacemaker app shows there was a disconnect from the phone,” the sheriff continued. “At 11:56 a.m., the family checks on Nancy and discovers her missing and at 12:03 p.m., 911 is called in to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.”
Roughly 10 minutes later, he summed up, “Our patrol teams arrive. They see the scene and we start our response with our search-and-rescue teams, and our detectives on various units.”
Savannah Guthrie and Siblings Speak Directly to Nancy Guthrie’s Possible Captors
On Feb. 4, Savannah, Camron and Annie read letters addressed to their mom and her possible abductors, pleading for Nancy’s safe return home.
“As a family, we are doing everything that we can. We are ready to talk,” theĀ Today anchor said in the Instagram video. “However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her.”
“Our mom is our heart and our home,” she added.Ā “Her health, her heart is fragile. She lives in constant pain. She is without any medicine. She needs it to survive. She needs it not to suffer.”
The next day, Camron confirmed in a separate video that the family was still “waiting for contact.”
“Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you,ā he said. “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.”
In a Feb. 5 press conference, FBI special agent Heith JankeĀ also shared that authorities arrested California man Derrick Callella for allegedly sending fake random textsāāIt was someone that was trying to profit from it. A total imposter”āand were taking a separate detailed ransom letter shared with TMZ “extremely seriously.” (Callella did not enter a plea and was released on $20,000 bond.)
However, he noted, the Guthrie family was “still waiting for communication.”
Savannah Guthrie/Instagram
Savanah Guthrie Shares Apparent Response to Nancy Guthrie’s Captors
On Feb. 7, the same day authoritiesĀ confirmed to Today they’d conducted a search of Annie’s Arizona property as “part of the normal course” of the case, Savannah shared another Instagram video that seemed to indicate their previous request had been answered.Ā
“We received your message and we understand,” she said in the clip while holding hands with Camron and Annie. “We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace.”
And if her intentions weren’t clear, Savannah added, “This is very valuable to us and we will pay.”
Pima County Sheriffās Department
FBI Releases Surveillance Images of Potential Subject in Disappearance of Nancy Guthrie
In a major development, authorities released surveillance photos of a potential subject in the investigation Feb. 10.Ā
In the imagesārecovered from a camera on Nancyās propertyāan individual wearing a ski mask and backpack is seen approaching the home, before appearing to hit the camera with their fist. Authorities previously reported the camera was broken when police arrived to the house.Ā
“Over the last eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department have been working closely with our private sector partners to continue to recover any images or video footage from Nancy Guthrieās home that may have been lost, corrupted, or inaccessible due to a variety of factors, including the removal of recording devices,ā a statement shared with E! News alongside with the photos read. “The video was recovered from residual data located in backend systems.”
“Working with our partners,ā the note continued, “law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie’s front door the morning of her disappearance.”
Pima County Sheriffās Department
Authorities Reveal New Details About Suspect in Nancy Guthrie Doorbell Video
Two days after the FBI released footage of the masked individual approached Nancy’s home, investigators released descriptive information of the suspect.
āThe suspect is described as a male, approximately 5ā9ā – 5ā10ā tall, with an average build,” the FBIās Phoenix office shared in a Feb. 12 statement to X. “In the video, he is wearing a black, 25-liter āOzark Trail Hiker Packā backpack.ā
The FBI also announced that they have increased the financial reward from $50,000 to $100,000 for āinformation leading to the location of Nancy Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.ā
Savannah Guthrie/Instagram
All Siblings and Spouses Cleared as Possible Suspects in Nancy Guthrie Disappearance
More than two weeks after Nancy went missing, Pima County Sheriff Nanos issued a statement to clarify the potential list of subjects involved in the case.
āTo be clearā¦the Guthrie familyāto include all siblings and spousesāhas been cleared as possible suspects in this case,” he shared in a Feb. 16 statement. “The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case.ā
Pima County Sheriffās Department
Gloves Found Near Nancy Guthrie’s House Traced to Restaurant Worker
As police learned, the gloves found near Nancy’s home did not fit into the overall picture of the investigation.Ā
Nearly three weeks after a pair of gloves with DNAĀ were found roughly two miles from her house, Pima County Sheriff Nanos toldĀ local NBC affiliateĀ KVOA March 2, “At that time, we believed wholeheartedly that those gloves belonged to a restaurant.”
And while amateur sleuths have floated theories that the gloves looked an awful lot like the ones worn by the masked subject in the released doorbell footage, Nanos called that hunch “speculation.” They had tracked down the gloves’ ownerāa worker at the nearby eaterāand determined the supposed evidence had “nothing to do with the case.āĀ
Instagram/Michael Feldman
Human Bone Found Near Nancy Guthrie’s Home Not Linked to Case
Though authorities dug deep after a human bone was found roughly seven miles from Nancy’s home May 7, police later confirmed it was not a piece of the puzzle.Ā
A spokesperson for theĀ Tucson Police Department toldĀ PeopleĀ that the evidence was “not criminal in nature,” adding that it was a “prehistoric anthropological investigation.”
Grace Trejo/ Arizona Daily Star via Getty Images
Second Note Sent to Media Said Nancy Guthrie Died
NBC News reported June 22 that, according to three people familiar with the situation, a second note sent to the media indicated that Nancy had died.
While the first note said Nancy was safe and requested cryptocurrency in exchange for her release, the second did not contain an apology or ask for money, according to the outlet. Both letters were sent to Jessica Bobula, news director for NBC News’ Arizona affiliate KOLD.
(Originally published May 17, 2026, at 6:45 a.m. PT)
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