Sheriff Confirms Belief Nancy Guthrie Remains Alive Amid Kidnapping Investigation
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has expressed a firm belief that Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of TODAY co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, is "still out there" five days after her disappearance from her Catalina Foothills home in Arizona. This statement came during a press conference on Thursday, where authorities unveiled new, critical details in the ongoing investigation.
Ransom Demands Issued Without Proof of Life
The case escalated this week when multiple media outlets reported receiving ransom notes demanding millions of dollars in Bitcoin for Guthrie's safe return. FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke confirmed that none of these letters contained proof of life, a standard requirement in kidnapping cases to verify the victim's well-being. Janke emphasized that the family is desperate for contact, stating, "The family wants to be contacted. They know time is of the essence."
He revealed that the ransom notes referenced specific deadlines, with the first set for 5 p.m. on Thursday and a second on Monday, though exact timing for the latter was not disclosed. The notes also mentioned "an Apple Watch" and "a floodlight," but Janke declined to elaborate further to protect the investigation's integrity. "We're not going to go into specifics," he said, highlighting concerns that public details could be exploited.
Timeline of Disappearance and Evidence
Authorities provided a detailed timeline of Guthrie's final known movements:
- She ordered an Uber at 5:32 p.m. on Saturday to attend a family dinner.
- She returned home at 9:48 p.m., with her garage door closing two minutes later.
- Her doorbell camera was disconnected at 1:47 a.m. on Sunday.
- Motion was detected at 2:12 a.m., but no video was recoverable.
- Her pacemaker disconnected from its monitoring device at 2:28 a.m.
Blood found splattered on her front porch was confirmed to be hers, leading investigators to conclude she was taken "against her will" between late Saturday night and early Sunday. Family members discovered her missing at 11:56 a.m. on Sunday, prompting a 911 call at 12:03 p.m.
Family's Plea and Expanded Search Efforts
In a video posted Wednesday evening, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings, Annie and Camron Guthrie, made a direct plea for proof of life. They expressed readiness to negotiate, saying they were "ready to talk" and urged the kidnappers to provide evidence. Sheriff Nanos echoed this sentiment, offering sympathy to the grieving family: "The family, you know, they just hurt. Understandably so, and so I really want you to know this entire team here – those behind me and our community – are hurting with you. We really just want mom back."
The search for Nancy Guthrie has expanded across Arizona and beyond, with Nanos affirming, "We're looking for her everywhere." Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact law enforcement immediately as the investigation continues to unfold.
