Here's the latest
• A public plea: Savannah Guthrie posted another video yesterday saying family members believe her 84-year-old mother is “still out there.” The “Today” host described the ordeal as “another week of this nightmare.”
• No suspects: The FBI said it has not identified a suspect or person of interest in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, who authorities believe was taken from her Arizona home against her will and was reported missing February 1. The agency said more FBI personnel are deploying to Tucson.
• Purported deadline passes: Guthrie’s possible abductors demanded $6 million by 5 p.m. yesterday, CNN affiliate KGUN reported, citing a note sent to the station. The note included a threat to Guthrie’s life, KGUN said. The FBI said it was not aware of any communication between the Guthrie family and suspected kidnappers.
Authorities continue search at Guthrie residences
Authorities looking into the presumed kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie plan to continue investigating at her home and that of her daughter Annie’s nearby, according to the FBI.
“Many of you observed an active law enforcement presence at the Guthrie residences over the weekend,” the FBI said in a release yesterday. That activity is expected to continue today “as part of the ongoing investigative process, including the expansion of the search and follow-up on new leads,” the FBI said.
Over the weekend, investigators were seen at Nancy and Annie’s homes.
“This is all part of the investigative process, as the search for Nancy expands and new leads come in,” the FBI said.
Context: Nancy Guthrie was at Annie’s home the night before her disappearance, according to investigators. After dinner, family members dropped the elder Guthrie back at her home, authorities said.
How Savannah Guthrie’s videos about her missing mother have evolved with the case
Savannah Guthrie posted another video yesterday saying family members believe her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, is “still out there.” She has previously posted two videos of her with both her siblings and a third featuring only her brother. Each video is different, and experts say they can provide insight into how the case is evolving.
“The first two communications from the Guthrie family were appeals to the kidnapper,” said former FBI special agent Ken Gray.
The first video was posted on February 4, four days after Nancy’s disappearance. Savannah Guthrie, flanked by her siblings Annie and Camron, pleaded for their mother to come home.
“The first one is to humanize their mother; to try to get contact with them to start negotiations,” Gray said.
After Cameron’s video the next day, Savannah and her siblings released a second video together on February 7, the one-week mark of their mother’s disappearance. In the video, they tell the purported kidnappers they are willing to pay ransom.
“The second one is much more shorter – ‘Yes, we will pay,’ ‘We want our mother back,’” Gray said.
On February 9, Savannah posted another video to social media.
“This one, on the other hand, is not towards the kidnapper,” Gray said. “This one is towards the public seeking potential leads for law enforcement. Because right now, law enforcement seems to be running up against the wall here.”
In the latest video, Savannah Guthrie asks anyone watching to report anything “strange” to law enforcement.
“We are at an hour of desperation, and we need your help,” she said.
Nancy Guthrie was expected to attend a church service live stream on February 1, not in person
Online sleuths and internet commenters have sowed confusion in recent days about how, exactly, Nancy Guthrie’s absence was first noticed on February 1.
Local authorities originally said Guthrie did not show up to church Sunday morning, leading a church member to call her family.
But people later pointed out that Guthrie attended church virtually, not in person.
She was expected to drive there on Sunday morning, so when she did not arrive, one of the friends alerted her family.
Guthrie transitioned to live-streaming services during the Covid-19 pandemic, the source added. She streamed the services from Good Shepherd New York, the same church Savannah Guthrie attends.
Good Shepherd pastor Michael Rudzena talked about Nancy watching his services online on today’s “Today” show.
See more on how the “Today” show has rallied around Guthrie.
We're tracking developments as the search for Nancy Guthrie enters a 10th day
Ten days after the search for Nancy Guthrie began, investigators are combing through forensic and digital evidence, the FBI is appealing for information from the public and her family is desperate for answers.
“Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie made a new appeal Monday for information on her 84-year-old mother’s disappearance from her home near Tucson, Arizona – the latest development in a case that has seen purported ransom demands and deadlines and multiple visits to the scene by law enforcement searching for clues.
Public tip could shift the search for Nancy Guthrie, former homicide investigator says
As the search for Nancy Guthrie stretches into a second week, a former homicide investigator said a tip from the public could play a pivotal role in moving the case forward, echoing renewed pleas from both federal investigators and the Guthrie family.
“Somebody will see something or report something that will eventually push an outcome on this case,” Troy Hillman, a retired Phoenix Police Department homicide sergeant, told CNN’s Rosemary Church. “Because right now it just seems like we’re in a gigantic holding pattern.”
Hillman added that news coverage is “very important in terms of getting the community involved,” noting key leads in past investigations have surfaced only after tips from the public.
On Monday, Savannah Guthrie and the FBI appealed to the public to report anything that could be relevant.
“Someone has that one piece of information that can help us bring Nancy home,” the FBI Phoenix field office said.
Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have posted 4 different videos. Here’s a breakdown
Over the past week, “Today” host Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have posted four videos on her Instagram begging for their mother Nancy Guthrie to be returned after she disappeared.
But each video has had subtle differences in tone and audience as they try to find her.
Here is a timeline of each video and their messages:
February 4: Savannah, Camron and Annie Guthrie post a video with the trio sitting on a bench as Savannah reads a statement. This video focuses on humanizing their mother, describing her as a “kind, faithful, loyal, fiercely loving woman of goodness and light” — while also discussing her health issues and the importance of her getting proper medical treatment. The statement also addresses the rumors of a ransom note and its potential writer or writers, saying, “We want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen.” Even though they address the potential ransom, the focus of this video is mostly sharing who their mother is, and trying to send her a message that they are looking for her and to stay strong.
February 5: The next video appears on Thursday, featuring Camron Guthrie alone. This video directly addresses the potential kidnapper or kidnappers, saying the family hasn’t heard from them but needs evidence that they have Nancy Guthrie. “We need you to reach out and we need a way to communicate with you so we can move forward,” he says.
February 7: This video, featuring all three siblings holding hands, also appears to be a direct plea to the potential kidnapper or kidnappers. Savannah says in the short video that they’ve received “your message,” an apparent reference to a message sent to CNN affiliate KOLD Friday. In response, Savannah says “we beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her” as it is the only way they will know peace. For the first time, Savannah also says they will pay.
February 9: Savannah uploads a video only featuring herself that begs anyone who may know anything to help. It is the first video from the family that asks the public for help. “We believe our mom is still out there. We need your help,” she says, adding the family is “at an hour of desperation.”
The evidence linked to Guthrie's disappearance
In the 10 days since Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, authorities have released information about some of the potential evidence being looked at in their investigation.
Take a look at what we know about this evidence:
- A surveillance camera at the 84-year-old’s house detected a “person on camera” at 2:12 a.m. on Sunday, February 1, but there was no video to show who — or what — exactly triggered the alert, officials said. Because of this, it is possible that the camera was not triggered by a person, but instead something else, like an animal, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said Thursday.
- Blood found on the front porch of Guthrie’s home belonged to her, Nanos also said last Thursday. Video taken by channels KTVK and KPHO showed what appeared to be blood on the property’s front door, as well as on the porch tiles.
- A front-door camera is missing from Guthrie’s home, Nanos told CNN. The camera was previously in the “front door area” of the house, and investigators are not aware of any other cameras missing, Nanos said.
- Guthrie had a pacemaker that was connected to her iPhone, according to a source briefed on the investigation. Nanos said Guthrie’s pacemaker app data shows it disconnected from her phone at 2:28 a.m. on Sunday, February 1.
- Two messages purportedly from a captor or captors have been sent to media outlets since Guthrie’s disappearance. The first demanded millions of dollars in bitcoin for Guthrie’s return, with two deadlines: the first was last Thursday and a there was a second deadline yesterday.
CNN’s Elise Hammond, Rebekah Riess, Cindy Von Quednow, Andy Rose, Elizabeth Wolfe and Chris Boyette contributed to this reporting.
Why would investigators search a septic tank near Nancy Guthrie's home?
The recent examination of a septic tank near Nancy Guthrie’s Arizona home indicates investigators are leaving no stone unturned in the search for the 84-year-old, according to CNN’s chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst John Miller.
At least two investigators were seen examining the septic tank near Nancy Guthrie’s home yesterday, according to video from CNN affiliate KNXV.
When asked about the probe, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department echoed earlier statements, saying, “Detectives and agents continue to conduct follow-up at multiple locations,” and details would not be released yet.
“While they are investigating this kidnap angle, where else could she be?” Miller said to CNN’s Jake Tapper, noting investigators are likely working their way through an exhaustive list.
Investigators may not have a lot of substantial leads, according to Benjamin Jimenez, a former homicide investigator with the Tucson Police Department, who told CNN, “They are trying to tie up any loose ends, any areas that they haven’t checked.”
Here's the latest on the search for Nancy Guthrie
The search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, continues more than a week after she went missing.
Here are the latest developments:
The family’s pleas: Savannah Guthrie released a new video, saying, “We believe our mom is still out there.” She thanked the public for their prayers and asked for their help, saying, “We are at an hour of desperation.” The Guthrie family has posted four videos in total.
Purported ransom deadline: Guthrie’s potential abductor or abductors demanded $6 million by 5 p.m. yesterday, in purported ransom notes sent to CNN affiliate KGUN and other media outlets. The note included a threat to Guthrie’s life, KGUN reported. The initial purported ransom note sent to media has “a direct, stark statement about consequences” if the potential kidnappers don’t get the money, TMZ founder Harvey Levin told CNN.
The investigation: There is no new information to share, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said Monday. The department previously said it was continuing the investigation in multiple locations and would continue to guard the 84-year-old’s home at the request of her family. At least two investigators were seen examining a septic tank near Nancy Guthrie’s Arizona home yesterday, according to CNN affiliate KNXV.
FBI involvement: FBI director Kash Patel is receiving updates from his team on the case, the FBI Phoenix office said. The FBI, which has called on the public for help, said it has not identified a suspect or person of interest in the case. The agency also said more of its personnel are deploying to Tucson from across the nation.
Guthrie’s colleagues react: Former “Today” show co-host Hoda Kotb stepped in for Savannah Guthrie Monday morning. Kotb said Guthrie and her family were “our top priority.” This came after Guthrie released a statement about her mother’s disappearance on the show last week.
CNN’s Amber Sumpter, Catherine Nicholls, Chris Boyette, Toni Odejimi and Amanda Musa contributed to this reporting.
