The nation’s eyes turned to Tucson, Ariz., after Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today” show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, was abducted from her home on Feb. 1, according to a New York Times article from Feb. 4.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen around 9:45 p.m. on Jan. 31 when her son-in-law dropped her off at her home after having dinner at his and her daughter’s house. Her son-in-law ensured Guthrie made it safely inside before leaving. Around noon on Feb. 1, a friend notified Pima County police when Guthrie failed to appear at their house to watch a live-streamed church service, according to a New York Times article from Feb. 4. Guthrie has limited mobility and needs medication every 24 hours, but despite that is in good cognitive health, according to a New York Times article from Feb. 16.
Guthrie’s front door camera was disconnected around 1:47 a.m. on Feb. 1. According to a New York Times article updated on Feb. 16, about 25 minutes later, a camera on her property detected motion, but no video was taken because Guthrie did not have a subscription to the service provider. At 2:28 a.m. Guthrie’s pacemaker disconnected from her phone, which was left inside the house. This suggests that this was around the time she was taken.
According to the same article, since her abduction, reports of ransom notes have been made. The Arizona news station KOLD received a ransom note on Feb. 2 and received another message on Feb. 6. The letters demand millions of dollars in bitcoin, but their authenticity has not been determined. Savannah and her siblings have released multiple videos on her Instagram account pleading for the safe return of their mother.
On Feb. 10, the New York Times reported that authorities released a 44-second clip of a suspect approaching Guthrie’s front door shortly before she was abducted. The video, in black and white, depicts a masked man who appears to be armed. The man approaches the camera and blocks it with his hand before attempting to obscure the camera with leaves from Nancy’s garden.
It seemed a break in the case had come when a man was arrested at a traffic stop shortly after the camera footage was released. The man was questioned for hours about the disappearance of Guthrie, 11 days after her abduction. However, the man was released early the next morning, where he spoke to reporters saying, “I hope they get the suspect, because I’m not it. They better do their job and find the suspect that did it so that they can clear my name,” according to a New York Times article from Feb. 11.
On Feb. 15, a man’s glove was found about two miles from Guthrie’s home. The FBI. stated that the glove appears to match the one the suspect was wearing in the doorbell camera footage. After running the DNA through a database system, no match was found. Along with this, the Pima County Sheriff has made it clear that Guthrie’s children are not suspects in her disappearance, according to New York Times Live Updates.
Guthrie’s disappearance has sent shock waves throughout the country as the motive for her abduction is questioned. The Guthrie family has asked for prayers for the safe return of their mother as the search continues into its fourth week as of Feb. 24.
