Savannah Guthrie posts video message asking her mother Nancy’s kidnapper for proof she’s alive

The search for Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, entered its fifth day on Thursday with her children pleading for her safe return.

Savannah Guthrie posted a heart-wrenching video message late Wednesday 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 older siblings Annie and Camron, 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.”

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.”

Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her home in the Catalina Foothills just north of Tucson, Ariz., on Saturday, Jan. 31, at about 9:30 p.m., according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. Her family reported her missing at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 1, after she did not show up for church.

Annie Guthrie — who, along with her husband Tommaso Cioni, had dinner with Nancy Guthrie the night before she was reported missing — 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.”

The family’s video plea came a day after 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. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators are working to determine whether the notes are authentic.

“We too have heard the reports about a ransom letter in the media,” Savannah Guthrie said in the video. “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.”

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!”

Earlier on Wednesday, the sheriff’s department issued a statement pushing back against a report that investigators had identified a suspect in Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance.

“At this point, investigators have not identified a suspect or person of interest in this case,” the statement said. “Detectives are working closely with the Guthrie family. While we appreciate the public’s concern, the sharing of unverified accusations or false information is irresponsible and does not assist the investigation.”

Shortly before the family’s video was posted to Instagram, CNN reported that “an increased law enforcement presence,” including FBI agents, could be seen outside Nancy Guthrie’s home, conducting what the sheriff’s department described as a “follow-up” search of the property and neighborhood.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Nanos said that, after processing her home, investigators believe that Nancy Guthrie, who lives alone, was abducted.

“Nancy was taken from her home against her will,” he said. “We don’t know where she is.”

Both the sheriff and Jon Edwards, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI field office in Tucson, appealed to the public for any information that might help law enforcement solve the case.

“We are looking at this from every angle but need your help,” said Edwards. “Every lead and tip is important.”

Later Tuesday, the sheriff’s department acknowledged reports of a possible ransom note regarding Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance. “We are taking all tips and leads very seriously,” the department said in a post on X. “Anything that comes in goes directly to our detectives who are coordinating with the FBI.”

The Associated Press reported that investigators “found signs of forced entry” at the home. Nancy Guthrie’s personal belongings, including her cellphone, watch, wallet and car, were left behind.

According to CNN, Nancy Guthrie’s pacemaker stopped syncing with her Apple devices at roughly 2 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 1 — which could help authorities pinpoint the time she was taken.

Nanos said that Nancy Guthrie has limited mobility and would not have been able to leave her home on foot. “We know she didn’t just walk out of there,” he said. “She couldn’t walk 50 yards by herself.”

The Los Angeles Times reported that blood was found inside Nancy Guthrie’s home. At Tuesday’s press conference, the sheriff said that DNA samples were taken from and home and submitted for analysis, but would not say if those samples were blood.

Annie Guthrie, Savannah’s older sister, and her husband, Tommaso Cioni, had dinner with Nancy Guthrie on Saturday night, Nanos told the New York Times. Cioni dropped her Nancy Guthrie off at her home and “ensured she made it inside safely before leaving,” the sheriff told the paper.

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 Guthire is described as 5 feet 5 inches tall, with brown hair, blue eyes and weighing around 150 lbs. It’s unclear what type of clothing she was wearing when she disappeared.

On Sunday night, search and rescue ground crews and dog teams scoured the area around Nancy Guthrie’s home on foot, while drones, a helicopter and an airplane searched by air. As of Monday morning, the search and rescue mission has been shut down.

“We don’t see this as a search mission as much as we do a crime scene,” Nanos said.

The sheriff said detectives are depending on technology, such as license plate readers and camera systems, to aid in the search.

Nanos said investigators are asking Guthrie’s neighbors to go through their home camera footage. He also called on the community for help in locating Nancy Guthrie.

“We don’t need another bad, tragic ending,” he said. “We need some help.”

Nancy Guthrie has three adult children: Savannah, Annie and Camron. Her husband, Charles Guthrie, died of a heart attack at age 49, when Savannah Guthrie was 16, leaving Nancy Guthrie to raise their children on her own.

Savannah Guthrie grew up in Tucson and graduated from University of Arizona in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Last week, she returned to the Today show after an extended break following vocal cord surgery.

She has been absent from coanchoring the Today show broadcast this week. Nanos said that she is in Arizona. Savannah Guthrie had been scheduled to travel to Italy to be part of NBC’s Winter Olympics coverage, but the network said Tuesday that she would remain in the U.S.

“Savannah will not be joining us at the Olympics as she focuses on being with her family during this difficult time,” NBC said in a statement.

Savannah Guthrie’s Today show colleagues said Thursday that they have been praying for her and her family.

“It’s easy to be pessimistic and negative at a time like this, but I feel like you have the same option to still think about a positive outcome,” Carson Daly said. “I know these hours and days goes by, that feels harder, but we still have that ability. You know, through our faith, think let’s get Nancy home.”