NEW YORK, APRIL 7, 2026 —
Savannah Guthrie returned to the anchor desk of NBC’s Today show on Monday morning — her first broadcast appearance since her 84-year-old mother Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson, Arizona home on the night of January 31 under circumstances authorities describe as an abduction.
“Good morning. Here we go, ready or not. Let’s do the news,” Guthrie said as the program opened, flanked by co-host Craig Melvin. “It is good to be home.”
The return was emotional and widely watched. But the circumstances that prompted her departure have not changed. As of Tuesday, April 7 — day 66 of the disappearance — Nancy Guthrie has not been found. No suspect has been publicly identified. The $1 million reward offered by the family in late February remains unclaimed. And new purported ransom notes have emerged, adding fresh confusion to an investigation that has generated intense national attention while yielding almost no concrete breaks.
What Happened — and What Is Known
Nancy Guthrie was last seen at 9:45 PM on January 31, when her son-in-law drove her home after a family dinner. He saw her safely inside. The garage door closed. Hours later, at 2:28 AM, her pacemaker stopped syncing with her Apple devices — the moment investigators believe she was taken.
She was reported missing the following afternoon when she failed to appear for a virtual church service at a friend’s home. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators quickly concluded she had been taken against her will. Blood found on her front porch was confirmed by DNA testing to be hers. The FBI released doorbell camera footage showing an armed, masked man tampering with her camera in the early morning hours. Back doors of her home were found propped open. Her phone and purse remained inside.
All family members have been cleared as suspects.
Key Facts in the Investigation
| Detail | Status |
|---|---|
| Last seen | January 31, 2026 — 9:45 PM |
| Reported missing | February 1, 2026 |
| Days missing as of today | 66 |
| Suspect identified | No |
| Blood at scene | Confirmed as Nancy’s |
| Doorbell camera suspect | Armed, masked — not yet identified |
| Family reward offered | $1 million — unclaimed |
| FBI reward | $100,000 |
| Nancy’s pacemaker synced last | 2:28 AM February 1 |
| Ransom notes | Multiple — some determined fake, investigation ongoing |
| Location of Nancy | Unknown |
New Ransom Notes and Dead Ends
The case has been complicated by a wave of fraudulent ransom demands that investigators have had to sort through. A California man was arrested in early February for posing as an abductor and demanding payment from the family — a scheme investigators determined was unrelated to the actual disappearance. TMZ reported Monday receiving two new purported ransom notes — one claiming Nancy is dead, another claiming she was seen alive in Sonora, Mexico. The FBI has been alerted to both.
Savannah Guthrie has said in interviews that she believes two of the early ransom notes her family received were genuine. The family publicly responded to those demands, with Savannah posting a video stating “We will pay.” A deadline passed with no contact.
Investigators have acknowledged early mistakes — initially treating the case as a search-and-rescue operation rather than a criminal abduction, slowing the response in the critical first hours. Tips have slowed in recent weeks despite the high national profile of the case.
Savannah’s Return
Savannah told NBC colleague Hoda Kotb in a March interview that returning to Today was “part of my purpose now.” She also acknowledged the weight she carries about whether her public profile made her mother a target.
“He said, ‘I think she’s been kidnapped for ransom,’ and I said, ‘What?’ I said, ‘Do you think because of me?'” Savannah recalled of a conversation with her brother Camron, a former military intelligence professional. “He said, ‘Sorry sweetie, but yeah, maybe.'”
She has said she does not know that is the reason but cannot rule it out.
Anyone with information about Nancy Guthrie’s whereabouts is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov.
