Savannah Guthrie, host of NBC’s “Today” show, said Wednesday that her family is ready to communicate with those holding her mother, but only after they receive confirmation that she is alive, the AP reported.
In a recorded video shared on social media, Guthrie added that her family learned about the alleged ransom letter through media reports.
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“We are ready to speak. But we live in a world where voices and images can be easily manipulated,” Guthrie said. “We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen. Please contact us.”
Watch the video here:
Investigation on
Authorities did not release any details Wednesday as investigators worked to reconstruct the events leading up to and immediately following the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie.
“Is there someone who kidnaps old people in the middle of the night, every night?” Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said Tuesday. “We don’t believe that’s the case. We believe that Nancy was taken from her home against her will.”
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The sheriff suggested that there was video from some of the cameras, although he did not elaborate, adding: “Everything has been submitted and we are doing our best with the companies that own these cameras or made these cameras.
Signs of forced entry
Nanos’ office said Wednesday that detectives are continuing to question anyone who was in contact with Nancy Guthrie over the weekend, but no suspects or persons of interest have been identified. The house where she lived alone has since been returned to her family.
Investigators reported signs of forced entry at a residence in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood. Guthrie has limited mobility and authorities do not believe she left voluntarily. During Sunday’s search, a sheriff’s dispatcher told deputies that Guthrie had high blood pressure, a pacemaker and heart problems, according to audio from broadcastify.com.
Jim Mason, longtime commander of the Maricopa County Search and Rescue Squad, is not involved in the search for Guthrie, but said the desert terrain can make it difficult to find missing people. He said it can be difficult to see in areas that are thick with mesquite, cholla cacti and other desert shrubs, according to the Associated Press.
“Some are so thick you can’t drive through it,” Mason said.
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Several media organizations said they had received the alleged ransom on Tuesday, which they handed over to investigators. The sheriff’s department said it was taking the notes and other tips seriously, but declined to comment further.
The sheriff’s department said Guthrie was last seen around 9:45 p.m. Saturday when family members dropped her off at home after dinner. She was reported missing around noon on Sunday after she failed to show up at church.
$25,000 reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s location
Elsewhere in the country, Victory Church in Albany, New York, said it was offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie.
“My wife and I watch Savannah every morning. We heard about her faith. We heard about her mother’s faith. And she has such a sweet spirit,” Pastor Charlie Muller said.
The White House said President Donald Trump called and spoke with Savannah Guthrie on Wednesday.
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Day three began with Guthrie’s disappearance on “Today,” but Savannah Guthrie was not at the anchor desk. NBC Sports said Tuesday that it will not be covering the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Cortina “as she is focused on being with her family during this difficult time.”
The “Today” host grew up in Tucson, earned a degree from the University of Arizona and previously worked as a reporter and anchor at Tucson television station KVOA. Her parents moved to Tucson in the 1970s when she was a young child. The youngest of three siblings, she credited her mother with keeping the family together after her father died of a heart attack aged 49 when Savannah was just 16.
