Official believe Savannah Guthrie’s mother is ‘still out there’ but have no suspects.
Savannah Guthrie and her mother, Nancy Guthrie.
(Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
The search for Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, entered its sixth day on Friday, with law enforcement officials in Arizona saying they believe she is still alive but have not yet identified any suspects. Now, federal and local law enforcement are “actively inspecting” a newly received message related to Guthrie’s disappearance.
The message was reportedly sent to KOLD 13 News, a Tucson-area television station that had previously received one of the alleged ransom letters in the case. The station said it turned the message over to authorities on Friday afternoon, but officials have not disclosed any information about its contents.
“The FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department are aware of a new message regarding Nancy Guthrie. Investigators are actively inspecting the information provided in the message for its authenticity,” reads a joint statement shared on the Pima County Sheriff’s Department X account. “While this is one new piece of information, the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department are still asking anyone with tips to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.”
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information “leading to the recovery of Nancy Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.”
At a press conference Thursday, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said that authorities believe Nancy is “still out there.”
“Our department, along with all of our partners at the FBI, have been working around the clock,” he said. “We want her home.”
Nanos said that, contrary to media reports, police have not identified a person of interest in her disappearance.
“We have nobody of interest, or anybody you would consider a prime suspect,” Nanos said. “We are just not there yet.” He added that no one has been ruled out as a suspect, either.
“We’re actively looking at everybody we come across in this case,” Nanos said. “We would be irresponsible if we didn’t talk to everybody. The Uber driver, the gardener, the pool person, whoever, everybody.”
A view of Nancy Guthrie’s house on Feb. 5.
(REUTERS / REUTERS)
Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her home in the Catalina Foothills just north of Tucson, Ariz., on Saturday night, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. Her family reported her missing on Sunday after she did not show up for church.
for information leading to the recovery of Nancy Guthrie “and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.”
Late Thursday, the family made another appeal to her apparent abductor.
“Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you,” Camron Guthrie, Savannah Guthrie’s older brother, said in a video posted to Instagram. “We haven’t heard anything directly. We need you to reach out, and we need a way to communicate with you so we can move forward. But first, we have to know that you have our mom. We want to talk to you, and we are waiting for contact.”
Police release timeline
At the press conference, the sheriff took reporters through a timeline of events surrounding her disappearance (all times local):
Saturday, Jan. 31
5:32 p.m.: Nancy Guthrie arrives at her daughter Annie Guthrie’s nearby home for dinner
9:48 p.m.: Nancy is dropped off at home
9:48 p.m.: Garage door at Nancy’s home opens
9:50 p.m.: Garage door closes
Sunday, Feb. 1
1:47 a.m.: Doorbell camera at the home disconnects
2:12 a.m.: Software detects a person or animal on camera, but no video is available
2:28 a.m.: Nancy’s pacemaker app appears to disconnect
11:56 a.m.: Family goes to the home to check on Nancy
12:03 p.m.: A call is made to 911 to report Nancy Guthrie missing
12:15 p.m.: Police arrive at the home
Nancy Guthrie’s personal belongings, including her cellphone, watch, wallet, hearing aid, medication and car, were left behind, authorities said.
DNA tests confirmed that blood found on the porch belonged to Nancy Guthrie, Nanos said.
Earlier this week, the Associated Press reported that investigators “found signs of forced entry” at the home. Nanos would not confirm or deny that report.
Nanos said that Nancy Guthrie took an Uber to dinner on Saturday, and investigators located and questioned the Uber driver.
The sheriff previously told the New York Times that Annie Guthrie’s husband, Tommaso Cioni, dropped Nancy Guthrie off at her home after dinner and “ensured she made it inside safely before leaving.”
Latest on the purported ransom notes
Earlier this week, three news outlets reported receiving ransom notes containing specific details about the night of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance and demanding millions of dollars in bitcoin for her safe return.
Janke said that the FBI is working to determine whether the notes received are authentic.
He confirmed that the ransom notes included two deadlines — the first at 5 p.m. on Thursday, the second at an unspecified time on Monday — to meet those demands. No time zone was specified for the 5 p.m. deadline, the agent said. And there has been no contact between a would-be kidnapper and the family or authorities, he said, and no offer of proof of life.
“In a normal kidnapping case, there would be contact by now, trying to discuss that,” Janke said.
Janke issued a message “to anyone that may be involved.”
“Do the right thing,” he said. “This is an 84-year-old grandma. This is an 84-year-old grandma who needs vital medication for her wellbeing. You still have the time to do the right thing before this becomes a worse, much worse scenario for you.”
Family makes emotional plea
Nancy Guthrie and Savannah Guthrie on the ‘Today’ show in 2019.
(Nathan Congleton/NBCUniversal/Getty Images)
Late Wednesday, Savannah Guthrie posted a heart-wrenching video message asking her mother Nancy’s apparent abductor for proof that she is still alive.
“We need to know without a doubt that she’s alive and that you have her,” Guthrie, flanked by her siblings, said in the emotional video posted to Instagram. “We want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us.”
“We too have heard the reports about a ransom letter in the media,” she continued. “As a family, we are doing everything that we can. We are ready to talk. However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated.”
Reading from a sheet of paper, Savannah Guthrie said their 84-year-old mother is in “constant pain” and needs her daily medication to survive.
“She has grandchildren that adore her and crowd around her and cover her with kisses,” the Today show host said, fighting through tears. “She loves fun and adventure. She is a devoted friend. She is full of kindness and knowledge. Talk to her, and you’ll see.”
“Mommy, if you are hearing this, you are a strong woman,” Savannah Guthrie said. “Everyone is looking for you, Mommy, everywhere. We will not rest. Your children will not rest until we are together again. We speak to you every moment and we pray without ceasing and we rejoice in advance for the day that we hold you in our arms again. We love you.”
Annie Guthrie also spoke directly to her mother in the video.
“Momma, if you’re listening, we need you to come home, we miss you,” Annie Guthrie said.
Camron Guthrie concluded the video, saying, “We love you, mama. Stay strong.”
Man arrested for making ‘imposter ransom demand’
At Thursday’s press conference, Janke announced that an arrest had been made in connection with what he described as an “imposter ransom demand.”
Derrick Callella, 42, of Hawthorne, Calif., was charged in federal court with transmitting a demand for ransom and “utilizing a telecommunications device with the intent to abuse, threaten, or harass a person.”
According to a criminal complaint filed by U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, Callella allegedly sent texts to Annie Guthrie and Tommaso Cioni after the family’s first video was posted, stating: “Did you get the bitcoin were [sic] waiting on our end for the transaction.” Approximately three minutes after the text messages, phone data shows that Callella called one of Guthrie’s family members. The call lasted 9 seconds.
Prosecutors said that, after being advised of his Miranda rights, Callella admitted to sending the two text messages. He said that had been following the case on television and, after finding their phone numbers on a “cyber website,” he sent the texts to see if the family would respond.
“To those imposters who are trying to take advantage and profit from this situation — we will investigate and ensure you are held accountable for your actions,” Janke said.
Trump says U.S. ‘deploying all resources’
President Trump said in a social media post late Wednesday that he had spoken to Savannah Guthrie and “let her know that I am directing ALL Federal Law Enforcement to be at the family’s, and Local Law Enforcement’s, complete disposal, IMMEDIATELY.”
“We are deploying all resources to get her mother home safely,” Trump said. “The prayers of our Nation are with her and her family. GOD BLESS AND PROTECT NANCY!”
A motive for Nancy Guthrie’s possible abduction remains unclear. Nanos said that there was “no credible information” indicating that she was specifically targeted.
On a missing persons flier distributed by the sheriff’s department, Nancy Guthrie is described as 5 feet 5 inches tall, with brown hair, blue eyes and weighing around 150 pounds. It’s unclear what type of clothing she was wearing when she disappeared.
