A well-known American news anchor has made a public plea for the return of her mother since reports emerged of her alleged abduction nearly a week ago.
NBC co-host Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mother was last seen at her home in Tucson, in the U.S. state of Arizona, on the evening of January 31, 2026.
The FBI are also investigating two ransom notes, one of which was later determined to be fake, and led to an arrest.
Local authorities believe she “is still out there” and continue to search for her.
At this stage, investigators have not identified a suspect or person of interest.
Savannah Guthrie
Journalist and former lawyer Savannah Guthrie has been a co-anchor of NBC’s Today show since 2011.
The Australian-born broadcaster has built a prominent career covering major U.S. political and legal stories.
She drew global attention during the height of the #MeToo movement in 2017, when she opened Today with the announcement of the dismissal of her co-host Matt Lauer, following several sexual assault allegations by fellow staff.
Disappearance
A week ago, local authorities issued a missing person’s alert for Nancy Guthrie after she was last seen at her home in Tucson, Arizona, on Saturday night (local time).
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She had been dropped off at the residence at 9:49pm, after a dinner at a relative’s house.
Authorities have described the 84-year-old as a “vulnerable adult” who has difficulty walking. Due to existing health conditions, she wears a heart monitor and requires daily medication.
Just after 2am, a doorbell camera at the home detected movement, however investigators later discovered the camera had been disconnected around 15 minutes earlier, leaving no footage.
At 2:28am, data showed Guthrie’s heart monitor was disconnected.
The following morning, when family members went to check on her, she was nowhere to be found.
An initial examination of the property found blood on the front porch, later confirmed to belong to Guthrie. Police have not specified how much blood was found.
The FBI are now investigating ransom letters allegedly received by media companies after her disappearance.
One has been dismissed as a hoax after they found the author had “no evidence to connect [it] to Nancy’s case”. The FBI has arrested someone in relation to this.
Investigators believe she has been abducted and authorities have issued repeated pleas for Guthrie’s safe return.
In a press conference overnight, FBI agent Heath Janke said: “This is an 84-year-old grandmother who needs vital medication for her wellbeing. You still have time to do the right thing before this becomes a much worse situation.”
