NEED TO KNOW
More than 48 hours after authorities believe Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, was kidnapped from her home, an Arizona sheriff said that her whereabouts remain unknown.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Feb. 3, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators do not know where the 84-year-old woman is — or how many people may have been involved in her presumed kidnapping.
“No clue,” Nanos said. “It could have been one. It could have been more.”
Nanos also said authorities do not believe Guthrie’s disappearance poses an ongoing threat to the public.
“Is there somebody out there kidnapping elderly people in the middle of the night every night? We’ve not heard that,” he told reporters, adding that there’s crime in Tucson like there is in any other city.
He emphasized that investigators believe Nancy was taken against her will.
Following the press conference, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement that it is aware of reports circulating about a possible ransom note and stressed that investigators are taking “all tips and leads very seriously.”
The sheriff’s comments come after a Monday press conference in which he said authorities believe a crime occurred and that the investigation was more than “search mission.”
Nancy was last seen around 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 31 at her home in Catalina Foothills, north of Tucson, Ariz.. She was reported missing the next day after a friend from her church noticed she was not at service and called one of her adult children.
Pima County Sheriff’s Department
The relative then went to Nancy’s home to check on her and “did some searching and realized, ‘We need some help,’ and they called 911,” Nanos previously said.
Law enforcement announced on Tuesday, Feb. 3, that DNA evidence found in the home belongs to Nancy. Nanos did not specify its nature when asked about it at the press conference on Tuesday.
The sheriff told PEOPLE on Monday, Feb. 2, that Nancy’s “physical mobility was quite limited for a variety of reasons,” and that it is highly unlikely that she wandered off, despite her mental acuity.
“She is really just as sharp as a tack,” Nanos said. “And that too is concerning that here you have this lady who’s got all her wits about her, she knows what’s going on.”
Savannah, who is in Arizona with family as the investigation continues, has asked the public to pray for her mom’s safe return.
Savannah Guthrie/Instagram
“Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant,” she wrote in a Monday Instagram post.
The PCSD is now offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information related to Nancy’s disappearance. Officials are appealing to the public for “any video or photograph information” from the scene near her home.
Authorities have described Nancy as a female with brown hair and blue eyes. She is 5 feet 5 inches tall and weighs around 150 lbs.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900. People are encouraged to call 88-CRIME or 520-882-7463. All calls remain anonymous. They can also use the mobile app P3TIPS or visit 88crime.org.
