3 min readKochiFeb 11, 2026 08:19 PM IST
Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case: Although it has been nine days since Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of renowned US television journalist Savannah Guthrie, went missing from her Arizona home, authorities have still not been able to trace her or the person(s) who might have abducted her. Meanwhile, they have released videos of an armed man wearing a ski mask allegedly tampering with the doorbell camera at Nancy’s home on the night she went missing. Nonetheless, the person(s) is yet to be identified.
Despite Savannah and her two siblings releasing a series of videos requesting the return of their mother and affirming a willingness to pay a ransom, there has been no success. Although a man was picked up in connection with the case and his home in Rio Rico was searched, the police released him a few hours later, CBS News reported. He later told the media that he didn’t know who Nancy Guthrie was.
Who is Savannah Guthrie?
Currently serving as a main co-anchor of the renowned NBC News morning show Today, Savannah has been a journalist for over three decades. Born in Melbourne, Australia, where her father worked, her family returned to the US when she was two, and she subsequently grew up in Tucson, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She attended Amphitheater High School and graduated from the University of Arizona’s School of Journalism in 1993. After a successful weekend anchor gig in Columbia the same year, she worked at various media houses, covering high-profile cases such as the Michael Jackson child molestation case, the Boston clergy sex abuse scandal trial, and the sentencing of Martha Stewart. She joined Today full-time in June 2011.
This combo from images provided by the FBI shows surveillance footage at the home of Nancy Guthrie the night she went missing in Tucson. (FBI via AP)
In a recent post on social media, sharing the video of a masked man tampering with the doorbell camera at Nancy’s home, she wrote, “Someone out there recognises this person. We believe she is still out there. Bring her home.” Nancy is the mother of three children: Camron Guthrie, a retired F-16 fighter pilot; Annie Guthrie, a writer and published poet; and Savannah Guthrie.
Here are five things that have happened since Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapping:
- 01
Nancy Guthrie goes missing
Nancy Guthrie was reported missing from her Arizona home on Sunday, February 1. Although the authorities believe she was taken against her will, a BBC report from February 10 quoted the FBI as saying that they are not aware of “any continued communication between the Guthrie family and suspected kidnappers.” The agency also announced a USD 50,000 (Rs 45 lakh) reward for anyone providing information on her whereabouts.
- 02
Media outlets receive ransom notes with deadlines
According to news agency Reuters, at least two purported ransom notes surfaced in the subsequent days, which were initially delivered to news media outlets. The authorities have since been probing these notes, including one that contained two deadlines: February 5 and 9. However, officials have not confirmed to the media if any of the ransom notes demanding money, with deadlines already passed, were authentic.
- 03
‘We will pay,’ says Nancy Guthrie’s family
Following Nancy’s purported abduction, Savannah and her siblings released video statements affirming their willingness to pay a ransom. “We received your message and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay,” Savannah said, holding her siblings’ hands.
- 04
Man detained in connection with case
On Tuesday, February 10, a person was detained for questioning in connection with the case. He was quizzed and released later. “I hope they get the suspect, because I’m not it,” he told the media afterwards.
- 05
FBI releases video masked man outside Nancy Guthrie’s front door
The same day, the FBI released surveillance videos of the masked man at the door of Nancy’s Arizona home. Although the footage was initially suspected to be lost, the agency managed to retrieve the silent, black-and-white doorbell camera videos, totalling 44 seconds.
