The sudden disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie, came as a major shock to the people of the nation. Investigators have been following all major leads after Nancy was reported missing on February 1.
The 84-year-old was last seen on the night of Saturday, January 31, when she arrived home in Tucson, Arizona, at approximately 9:48 p.m., according to Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos.
Nancy was reportedly under medication and lived in the secluded, upscale and scenic neighborhood north of the city. Authorities suspect that she may have been kidnapped. Savannah and her siblings have been actively searching for their missing mother.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has announced a reward of up to $50,000 for details leading to her whereabouts.
Nancy’s family issued a public appeal on February 1 to whoever may be holding their mother, saying the family is prepared to communicate but needs confirmation that she is still alive and safe.
From regular social media updates from Savannah to featuring the case on a series titled “Desert Law,” which premiered on A&E at the beginning of January, every attempt made in the case so far has been unsuccessful.
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On February 16, the FBI said it would use a national DNA database called the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) to check DNA found on a pair of gloves near Nancy’s house. However, no DNA matched any profile in the database, according to CNN.
Investigators say it could still belong to the suspect seen covered in black clothing from head to toe on Nnancy’s Ring doorbell camera. Nanos also told KVOA that officials have received between 40,000 and 50,000 tips combined with the FBI.
According to The Irish Star, the active search for Nancy intensified after two individuals believed to be true crime content creators were observed pulling a large white barrel from a river near her home.
Using a grabber, the duo lifted the barrel, noting a strong odor and swarming flies. True crime accounts reported finding miscellaneous items nearby, including an empty box of small-caliber bullets and a Modelo beer can.
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Local residents have suggested the barrel may be connected to the disappearance, but investigators have not confirmed any link. Meanwhile, authorities from Phoenix later confirmed that a woman’s body had been found in a canal roughly 182 to 187 kilometers from Nancy’s residence. The identity of the woman has not been revealed at the time of writing.
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Owing to Savannah’s connections, the case has received widespread support, prayers and awareness. Authorities involved in Nancy’s investigation said they “won’t quit,” even though the search might be longer than expected.
Nanos, in an interview with The New York Times on Friday, February 13, stated, “Maybe it’s an hour from now. Maybe it’s weeks or months or years from now. But we won’t quit. We’re going to find [Nancy Guthrie]. We’re going to find this guy.”
