Detectives have now been working for four days to try to locate the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, who officials believe was taken against her will from her home outside of Tucson.
On Wednesday morning, amid swirling rumors online about who could be involved, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos saidinvestigators still have not identified any suspect or person of interest in the suspected abduction of Nancy Guthrie, 84.
“While we appreciate the public’s concern, the sharing of unverified accusations or false information is irresponsible and does not assist the investigation,” the sheriff said in a social media post.
The statement comes as details of the case have trickled out and after several news outlets reported receiving possible ransom notes requesting money in exchange for Nancy Guthrie’s release. The sheriff’s office said it was aware of those notes, but did not verify their authenticity.
On Tuesday, the sheriff said investigators still “don’t know where she is” and called for anyone who has had contact with her to come forward.
The case timeline
Nancy Guthrie was last seen by family members around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, according to officials, when she was dropped off at her home in the Catalina Foothills, a community just north of Tucson.
The following morning, family members were notified around 11 a.m. that their mother hadn’t shown up for church, prompting family to go back to her house to check on her. She was nowhere to be found.
Soon after, family members reported her missing.
Local authorities say they immediately found “concerning circumstances” at the house, and later said Nancy Guthrie may have been forcibly taken in the middle of the night.
“We do believe Nancy was taken from her home against her will,” Nanos said at a news conference Tuesday.
News outlets have reportedthat there’s evidence Nancy Guthrie’s pacemaker stopped sending data to her phone around 2 a.m. Sunday, potentially indicating when she may have left her home. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday did not confirm this reporting, but said investigators are working to review any data from her pacemaker that may assist in the investigation.
Evidence from the house
While Nancy Guthrie was clearly gone, officials said essentials she would typically travel with remained in her home, including her cellphone, wallet, vehicle and medication.
There was also evidence that someone appeared to have forced their way inside, and there was blood on the premises, according to law enforcement sources not authorized to speak about the case publicly. Images reviewed by The Times showed a trail of blood droplets near the front door of the home.
There was also an empty security camera frame at the front door, though it was unclear when the camera was removed.
The home, however, was also equipped with several other cameras, and officials said they are still working to review that footage. They are also waiting on results from other evidence sent in for testing.
‘This isn’t somebody that just wandered off’
Nancy Guthrie lived alone in her ranch-style home in the Catalina Foothills community.
She is of sound mind without cognitive issues but does have physical ailments that keep her from walking far, officials said.
“This isn’t somebody that just wandered off,” Nanos said at a news conference. “She couldn’t walk 50 yards by herself.”
She also took a daily medication that she needs to survive. It appears she has been without that medication. Nanos said her life would be in immediate danger without it.
Nancy Guthrie has joined her daughter on the “Today” show several times, with clips showing the mother-daughter duo beaming with shared admiration. She was described in those clips as devoutly religious, an avid reader and a dedicated mother and grandmother.
Savannah Guthrie shared a statement on Instagram this week asking people to pray for her mother’s safe return home.
“Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant,” she wrote. “Raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment.”
Investigators do not know what Nancy Guthrie was wearing when she left her home.
Status of the investigation
Approximately 100 sheriff’s detectives continue to work on the case, in coordination with the FBI.
Officials continue to ask for tips or information that could help lead to Nancy Guthrie.
“Every lead and tip is important; we are aggressively pursuing and looking into every single one,” said John Edwards, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI office in Tucson, which is assisting with the ongoing investigation. “Again, please help us bring Nancy Guthrie home.”
A tip line has been set up for the case, and the Sheriff’s Department is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for images, information or videos that lead to the arrest of the person or people involved in her disappearance.
The post What we know about Savannah Guthrie’s missing mother appeared first on Los Angeles Times.
