FBI Director Kash Patel Mobilises Resources in Nancy Guthrie Disappearance Case
FBI Director Kash Patel has declared his readiness to personally intervene in the urgent search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie, who vanished from her home in Tucson, Arizona, five days ago. The development follows a direct intervention from President Donald Trump, who announced he had spoken with Savannah Guthrie and ordered all federal law enforcement to assist immediately.
Federal Response Activated After Presidential Directive
President Trump took to Truth Social to confirm his personal involvement, stating: "We are deploying all resources to get her mother home safely. The prayers of our Nation are with her and her family." He added emphatically that he was "directing ALL Federal Law Enforcement to be at the family's, and Local Law Enforcement's, complete disposal, IMMEDIATELY."
The FBI confirmed to media outlets that Director Patel is receiving continuous personal updates from his investigative team and stands prepared to provide any necessary support. "The Pima County Sheriff's Department remains the lead in the investigation, and the FBI will continue to provide any and all support needed in the case," an agency spokesperson stated. While potential travel plans to Tucson had been discussed weeks prior to this incident, the FBI noted that "plans may change" depending on investigative developments.
Suspicious Circumstances and Ransom Note Reports
Nancy Guthrie was last seen around 9:45 p.m. on January 31st when family members dropped her off at her Catalina Foothills residence following dinner. Her disappearance was reported on Sunday after she failed to attend her regular church service. Law enforcement officials have described her home as a crime scene, citing evidence of forced entry and what Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos called "suspicious circumstances."
Investigators believe the elderly woman, who suffers from serious health conditions including heart problems requiring a pacemaker and daily medication, was taken against her will. A visible blood trail documented by NewsNation leading to Guthrie's front door prompted authorities to collect DNA samples, though officials have not confirmed whether the substance was blood.
Multiple media outlets, including TMZ and Tucson station KGUN, reported receiving alleged ransom notes demanding millions of dollars in Bitcoin for Guthrie's safe return. Sheriff Nanos confirmed that investigators are analyzing these communications to determine their authenticity. "When the note comes to us, it's like any piece of evidence," Nanos told CBS News. "You give it to us, you give us a lead, we're going to look at every aspect of that lead."
Family's Emotional Appeal and Community Response
On Wednesday evening, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings—sister Annie Guthrie and brother Camron Guthrie—released a heartbreaking video appeal directly addressing their mother's potential captors. "We are ready to talk. However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated," Savannah stated. "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."
Speaking directly to her missing mother, Savannah added with emotional intensity: "We will not rest. Your children will not rest until we are together again." She described Nancy Guthrie as a "kind, faithful, loyal, fiercely loving woman of goodness and light" whose character becomes immediately apparent to anyone who speaks with her.
The community has rallied in support, with a candlelight vigil held Wednesday at St. Philip's in the Hills Episcopal Church in Tucson where congregants prayed for Nancy's safe return. Neighbors have displayed handmade signs outside her home, while additional rewards have been announced, including $25,000 from Victory Church in Albany, New York, and up to $2,500 for information leading to an arrest.
Investigation Intensifies with Federal Involvement
Law enforcement activity has intensified significantly, with deputies conducting grid searches in nearby fields and helicopters flying low to scan the ground. Federal agents were observed entering the home of Guthrie's daughter Annie, located approximately ten miles from Nancy's residence. Sheriff's spokesperson Kevin Adger explained this as "a follow-up investigation" after detectives initially released the property to the family.
Two sources familiar with the matter told Axios that Director Patel is "devoting all resources possible to help" in the search and is "prepared to go if the situation warrants." This personal involvement follows Patel's history of engaging directly with high-profile cases, including his controversial visit to Utah following the Charlie Kirk shooting and his premature announcement about a thwarted terrorist attack in Michigan last Halloween.
As of Thursday morning, authorities confirmed that no suspect or person of interest had been identified, and there had been no public response to the Guthrie family's proof-of-life demand. Savannah Guthrie has stepped away from her anchoring duties at NBC, and the network announced she will not cover the upcoming 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics as she focuses entirely on her family during this traumatic period.
