Savannah Guthrie, a host on NBC's Today show, has issued a direct appeal to the person who abducted her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, from her home in Tucson, Arizona, on February 1. In an Instagram video, Guthrie said she had a "very specific message" for the kidnapper.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen on the evening of January 31 when relatives dropped her off at home; she failed to appear for a virtual church service the next morning, according to reports. Authorities later discovered blood on her porch and released doorbell camera footage from February 10 showing a masked man tampering with the camera.
Two ransom notes were sent to the media that authorities deemed potentially credible. One note demanded millions in Bitcoin for Nancy Guthrie's release, while another claimed that she had died. Law enforcement asked media not to publish details of the notes during the investigation. Savannah Guthrie stated that some ransom notes sent to the family were believed to be fake.
The suspect is described as a man with an average build, 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall, wearing a black backpack — identified by the FBI as a 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack. A glove found two miles from Nancy Guthrie's home initially appeared to match the suspect's but was later determined to belong to a restaurant worker. No suspects have been identified.
In her video, captioned "Bring her home" with a yellow heart emoji, Guthrie said: "I truly believe it is never too late to do the right thing" and "I believe there is always a way home." She added, "We have done our part, and we will never stop looking for her." In a March interview with Hoda Kotb, she said, "Someone needs to do the right thing," and described the family as being in agony.
Nancy Guthrie requires daily medication, and her daughter has acknowledged that her mother may no longer be alive. The Pima County Sheriff's Department stated that the investigation remains active and ongoing without a significant development. In June, Guthrie posted an Instagram story featuring a painting of Jesus Christ with the text "Oh my, my soul it cries out, soul, it cries out."