MISSING: Nancy Guthrie

By Ariel Lee Apr. 5, 2026

The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC “Today” show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has entered its fifth week without resolution. Law enforcement believe she was abducted from her home in Catalina Foothills, Ariz, and her family has offered a $1 million reward for information that leads to her safe return—one of the largest and most publicized incentives in a missing-person case in recent times.  

Nancy Ellen Long Guthrie, born 1942, is a long-time Arizona resident. While thousands of people are reported missing in the United States each year, this case has drawn national and global attention due to evidence suggesting an abduction, surveillance footage of a masked suspect, ransom notes demanding cryptocurrency and Savannah’s highly publicized appeals for help. 

“I feel bad for Savannah and her family. Seeing the news all over social media makes me think about how many missing person cases do not get such attention, although I hope the coverage brings answers,” Junior Jayden Li said. 

Guthrie was last seen Jan. 31 at 5:30 p.m. after her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, dropped her off at her house and confirmed she was safely inside. Surveillance cameras at the home were disconnected in the early morning hours of Feb. 1, and Guthrie’s pacemaker later lost contact with her cellphone, which investigators found inside the residence. The local police department states that this suggests she was taken around that time. 

She was reported missing the morning of Feb. 1 after failing to appear at a scheduled event. After a search of her home, the authorities found her phone, wallet, hearing aid, daily medication and car. At her front stoop, they found an empty mount where a doorbell camera had once hung, and on the floor they observed spatters of blood, which DNA analysis later confirmed to be Guthrie’s. On Feb. 2, a Tucson television station received a message claiming to be from Guthrie’s kidnapper, and according to Thirty-Mile-Zone (TMZ), the latter demanded millions of dollars in bitcoin for Guthrie’s release. A second message followed days later was not described publicly, but it was revealed that it came from a different IP address than the original note and similar methods had been used to hide the address. Authorities have not confirmed the credibility of the communications and have not publicly identified any suspects. The next day, Savannah released a video responding to the ransom messages and appealing to the public for help in locating her mother.  

On Feb. 10, new images and video released by the FBI showed a masked, armed person at Guthrie’s doorstep the night she was abducted, marking the first significant break in the investigation. The FBI said gloves found about two miles from Guthrie’s home had an unknown man’s DNA on them and would be entered into a database in an effort to identify the person. On the following day, Feb. 11, the FBI said that the gloves appeared to match those worn by the man who was captured on Guthrie’s doorbell camera on the night she was abducted. 

“It is really scary that someone could be taken from their home like that, especially an older person who needs medication. It shows how serious and unpredictable crime can be, even for people just living their normal lives,” Sophomore Ethan Yin said.  

As of early March 2026, Nancy Guthrie remains missing. Authorities continue to pursue leads, work with community surveillance footage and seek information from the public. The investigation remains active, with no public confirmation of suspects or Nancy’s whereabouts. 

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About the Contributors

Ariel Lee

Page Editor

Ariel Lee is a junior at Leland High School and the School News and Last Word Page Editor for The Charger Account. In her free time, she enjoys watching movies and shows, hanging out with friends, and eating new foods.