A big revelation has come through as the search for Nancy Guthrie continues after more than a month. According to an expert, the 84-year-old mother of NBC host Savannah Guthrie was suffering from a major health issue before she disappeared.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her Tucson, Arizona, home before she mysteriously disappeared. As the probe continues, authorities have returned to the location to gather more clues that might help them determine what may have happened.
According to reports, Guthrie was battling health issues, including limited mobility and a heart condition that required daily medication. According to the Irish Star, Pat Byrne, a sleep doctor, has claimed that the woman could have had a deadly heart attack risk from 2 a.m. sleep inertia combined with her pacemaker when the abduction took place.
A Ring cam in Catalina Foothills recorded 12 cars between midnight and 6 a.m. Feb. 1, near the 2:30 a.m. pacemaker sync of Nancy Guthrie.
Police still haven’t canvassed the street 25 days after she was taken. pic.twitter.com/HcGAbWuxHl
— Brandon Straka #WalkAway (@BrandonStraka) February 27, 2026
The expert explained that if she had been awakened at that unusual time due to the suspected kidnapping, Guthrie might have faced a serious strain on her heart. The doctor said on Nancy Grace’s Crime Stories podcast that the sleep inertia might have made Guthrie vulnerable when she found out about the masked intruder, who was seen on her Ring camera around 2 a.m. that night.
The expert pointed out that if Savannah Guthrie’s mother was indeed disoriented at that time, she might have failed to recognize the danger. “Our human brains do not go from fully asleep to fully awake,” Byrne pointed out.
Scientific research has previously determined that patients, especially the elderly, even without a history of cardiac attacks, could suffer sudden events if woken up abruptly. Byrne believes Guthrie’s existing heart condition and pacemaker might have made her more prone to a sudden heart attack. “That concerned me immediately,” the expert remarked.
The doctor’s comments made sense to many, especially since small blood droplets were found on the front stoop of her home. Dr. Michael Baden, a forensic pathologist, has stated that the blood spots, which looked “donut-shaped,” suggest that Guthrie might have been bleeding from her nose or mouth.
FBI Releases Nest Video of Masked, Armed Suspect Tampering with Camera at Nancy Guthrie’s Tucson Home on Feb. 1
What do you notice? pic.twitter.com/gCE8BZHg8A
— TaraBull (@TaraBull) February 10, 2026
Although it remains unclear whether she was taken from her home or left on her own, the new discovery of her medical crisis added more to the existing concerns about her case.
Nancy Guthrie disappeared on January 31. The investigation into her disappearance revealed a doorbell video that showed a masked intruder. The Pima County Sheriff’s Office has stated that the detectives are “refocusing resources” and reviewing the surveillance footage.
As America keeps Guthrie’s family in prayers, her daughter, Savannah, and others have declared a $1 million reward for any information related to her disappearance that might help with her safe return.
