FBI offers $50,000 reward as search for Savannah Guthrie's missing mother enters sixth day
Nancy Guthrie, 84, disappeared from her Tucson home Sunday. A ransom note with multiple deadlines has emerged; the first passed Thursday at 5 p.m.
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Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, has been missing since Sunday after disappearing from her home in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood of Tucson, Arizona, authorities said.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen Saturday night. She attended dinner at her daughter Annie's home, arriving at 5:32 p.m., and was dropped off at her own residence around 9:48 p.m. by her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, who waited until she was inside before leaving. The following morning, she failed to appear at her regular religious service, and a friend alerted family members to her absence. Relatives called 911 at midday Sunday after discovering she was missing.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos described the residence as "a crime scene" and said investigators found signs of forced entry. The sheriff's office immediately launched a search and rescue operation involving drones, dogs, volunteers, and a helicopter.
A ransom note has surfaced in the case. According to law enforcement officials, the note made a demand with a deadline of 5 p.m. Mountain Time on February 5, with a second demand set for February 9. The note reportedly demanded millions of dollars in bitcoin for Nancy's safe return and contained insider details about her suspected abduction, including information about her Apple Watch and a floodlight at her home. The first deadline passed Thursday evening without resolution.
The FBI is now jointly investigating the case with the Pima County Sheriff's Department. During a press conference Thursday, FBI Phoenix special agent Heath Yonke announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie's recovery or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance. "The FBI has agents, analysts and professional staff and employees working day and night with our partners at the Sheriff's department," Yonke said.
Savannah Guthrie has made public appeals for her mother's return. On Wednesday, the family released an emotional video on Instagram. Her brother Camron posted a direct message to the suspected captor after the first deadline passed, saying, "We need you to reach out and we need a way to communicate with you so we can move forward, but first we have to know that you have our mom. we want to talk to you and we are waiting for contact."
President Trump said he is directing all federal law enforcement to be at the family's "complete disposal," according to reports.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos became visibly emotional during an interview on the "Today Show" early Friday when asked what gave him hope that Nancy Guthrie is still alive. "You have to have hope. You have to have hope. Come on, this is somebody's mom," he said, pausing to choke back tears. "We're gonna find her," he vowed.
The search is now in its sixth day, with authorities still working to identify possible suspects and determine a motive in the disappearance.