In new video, Savannah Guthrie says family is ‘at an hour of desperation’
The investigation into what happened to the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie entered a second week with still no word on whether the 84-year-old is still alive.
TUCSON, Ariz. — The FBI said Monday it is unaware of any continued communication between Savannah Guthrie’s family and suspected kidnappers more than a week after the Today show host’s mom went missing.
The FBI has still not identified any suspects or persons of interest in the mysterious disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, said Connor Hagan, a spokesperson for the FBI.
Savannah Guthrie said the family was “at an hour of desperation” in a video released Monday, just hours before a purported ransom deadline apparently set by her mom’s abductors.
Savannah Guthrie didn’t mention the deadline in the video, saying her family continues to believe their 84-year-old mother is out there and hearing everyone’s prayers.
“She was taken and we don’t know where and we need your help,” Guthrie said in the video posted on Instagram that urged people nationwide to be on the lookout. “No matter where you are, even if you’re far from Tucson, if you see anything, if you hear anything.”
The mysterious disappearance and search has riveted the U.S. — from President Donald Trump, who spoke with Savannah Guthrie last week, to the online sleuths who’ve flooded social media with tips, theories, and rumors.
The FBI is now asking for the public’s help on digital billboards up in several major cities in Texas, California, Arizona, and New Mexico. The FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for information.
Multiple press outlets have received alleged ransom letters during the past week. At least one letter made monetary demands and set deadlines for receiving the money. The first deadline passed last Thursday but a second one was set for Monday evening.
Law enforcement officials declined to affirm that the letters were credible but said all tips were being investigated seriously.
Authorities say they have growing concerns about Nancy Guthrie’s health because she needs daily medication. She is said to have a pacemaker and has dealt with high blood pressure and heart issues, according to sheriff’s dispatcher audio on broadcastify.com.
Investigators returned to Nancy Guthrie’s Arizona neighborhood several times over the weekend.
Savannah Guthrie said over the weekend that the family was prepared to pay for her mother’s return.
“We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her,” she said in a video posted Saturday. “This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”
Authorities believe Nancy Guthrie was taken against her will from her home just outside Tucson. She was last seen there on Jan. 31 and reported missing the next day after not attending church services. DNA tests showed blood on Guthrie’s front porch was a match to her and her doorbell camera was disconnected in the early hours of Sunday morning, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has said.
Outside the home on Monday, neighbors strolled by on their morning jogs and walks, while a county sheriff’s deputy remained stationed out front.
Detectives and agents carried out follow-up work at multiple locations over the weekend as part of the investigation, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said Sunday. “Investigators have not identified any suspects, persons of interest, or vehicles connected to this case,” the department said.
Investigators on Saturday were inside daughter Annie Guthrie’s home, about 4 miles from Nancy Guthrie’s house. On Sunday, an investigator was seen using a pole to search an underground tank behind Nancy Guthrie’s home.