There was no public indication on early Thursday that anyone responded to a message from Today show host Savannah Guthrie to the person who allegedly kidnapped her 84-year-old mother. She stated that the family had learned of a ransom note through media reports, according to AP.
In a video shared on social media on Wednesday, Guthrie said her family is willing to communicate but is seeking proof that her mother, Nancy Guthrie, who authorities say was taken from her Arizona home against her will, is still alive.
“We are ready to talk. However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us," Savannah Guthrie said.
The sheriff’s department stated that Nancy Guthrie was last seen around 9:45 PM on Saturday, when family members dropped her off at her home after dinner. She was reported missing on Sunday afternoon after she failed to attend a church service.
The family shared their message after police spent several hours on Wednesday searching inside and around her home. Kevin Adger, a spokesperson for the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, said investigators had already examined the residence for a few days earlier in the week before returning it to the family, noting that officers could reenter the home if necessary.
"This was a follow-up investigation,” he said, indicating officials would return on Wednesday.
Adger added that the sheriff’s department was not commenting on the video released by the family.
Several media outlets reported getting what were described as ransom notes on Tuesday, which they turned over to investigators. The sheriff’s department said it was taking the notes and other tips seriously but refused to provide additional details.
What's Guthrie's message for Nancy?
Savannah Guthrie appeared visibly moved at times during the recording, her voice breaking as she spoke. When addressing her mother directly, she smiled and looked into the camera, saying the family was praying for her and that many people were searching for her.
“Mommy, if you are hearing this, you are a strong woman. You are God’s precious daughter,” she said.
Guthrie termed her mother as a “kind, faithful, loyal, fiercely loving woman of goodness and light,” adding that she was funny, spunky, and clever.
“Talk to her and you’ll see,” she said.
Guthrie was joined by her sister, Annie, and her brother, Camron, both of whom also spoke. Annie called their mother their beacon and said the family needs her. “Mamma, if you’re listening, we need you to come home. We miss you,” Annie Guthrie said.
Meanwhile, for a fourth straight day on Thursday, Today opened its broadcast with coverage of Guthrie’s mother’s disappearance, airing the family’s video message in full, though Savannah Guthrie herself was absent from the anchor desk. NBC Sports announced on Tuesday that she will not be part of the network’s coverage of the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, saying she is focusing on spending time with her family during what it called a difficult period.
Guthrie was raised in Tucson, graduated from the University of Arizona, and previously worked as a reporter and anchor at local station KVOA. Her parents moved to Tucson in the 1970s when she was young. The youngest of three children, Guthrie has said her mother played a central role in keeping the family together after her father passed away due to a heart attack at age 49, when Savannah was 16.
(With inputs from agencies)
