The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, has been declared a kidnapping after five days. The FBI has been called in and is working with local law enforcement to figure out what happened to her. In a joint investigation, they have arrested an “imposter” kidnapper who made a ransom demand.
FBI Joins The Search
Authorities believe that Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her Arizona home in the early hours of Sunday morning. There has yet to be any identification or clarity into whether police have a suspect or person of interest. During a press briefing on Guthrie’s abduction on Thursday, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said they are operating as if she is still alive and “we’re going to continue thinking that way until we find her.“
“Right now, we believe Nancy is still out there,” Nanos said. “We want her home.” Investigators are waiting on surveillance footage from her home’s security cameras from the companies. The FBI announced Thursday that there is a $50,000 reward for information leading to the rescue of Nancy Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of those involved in her disappearance.
The FBI is sending extra agents and experts to the county to reinforce search efforts and aid local investigators. “We are actively reviewing and analyzing information from all digital sources, which includes banks, social media companies, phone companies, and any other organizations where a digital footprint could have been captured,” special agent in charge of the FBI’s Phoenix office, Heith Janke, said. “All this information provides data points and helps put the picture together.”
Disappearance of Nancy Guthrie
The 84-year-old woman was last seen in her home in the Catalina Foothills area on Saturday night. She had dinner with her family that evening and was dropped off at home before 10 p.m. She was reported missing the following day after she did not show up for church service, and a fellow churchgoer called the family.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Office provided new details of her activity before she went missing. Around 1:47 a.m. on Sunday, her doorbell camera disconnected, and according to authorities, they do not have it in their possession. Less than thirty minutes later, the software detected a person on camera, but Guthrie did not have a subscription, so there is no video recording to show what or who it was. “Could that be an animal? I imagine that’s possible. We don’t know that,” Nanos suggested.
At 2:28 a.m., her pacemaker app “shows that it was a disconnect from the phone.” Nanos confirmed that they found blood on Guthrie’s front porch and matched it to hers. They have not confirmed if there are other operating cameras or if they have also been destroyed, and it is unclear if there was forced entry into the home.
Authorities are confident in their investigation, but say there is a chance her disappearance has “nothing to do with a kidnapping,” and she may or may not have been targeted. “We cover all angles. We’re not going to dismiss something,” Nanos said.
Impostors Issue Ransom Notes
The sheriff’s department said it has been reviewing potential ransom notes that have been submitted in connection with Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance or kidnapping, and seeing if they are legitimate. One letter was received by several media outlets on the local and national level, according to Janke.
Apparently, the letter demanded money by 5 p.m. Thursday, and another demand for Monday if the first one was not met. The letter details an Apple Watch and a smashed floodlight; however, those have been presented to the public, so it does not necessarily mean it is legit. “But that’s why we’re taking it serious no matter what, and following the leads on that,” Janke said.
Following the arrest of the imposter, Janke issued a warning: “To those impostors who are trying to take advantage and profit from this situation, we will investigate and ensure you are held accountable for your actions,” he said. Any action taken on ransom is ultimately Guthrie’s family’s decision.
Statement from Guthrie’s Children
Savannah Guthrie addressed the reports of a ransom letter in an emotional video with her siblings on Wednesday. “As a family, we are doing everything that we can. We are ready to talk. 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. We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us,” she said.
“Our mom is our heart and our home,” Savannah Guthrie said in the video. “She is 84 years old, 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.”
Anyone with information is urged to call 911 or the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900.
