Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, was reported missing from her home in Tucson, Arizona, and authorities say they believe she was taken against her will and may have been harmed in the process.

What happened to Savannah Guthrie’s mom?

  • Nancy Guthrie, 84, did not show up for her regular church service on Sunday, 1 February 2026, which prompted her family to report her missing.
  • She had been dropped off at home the night before and was later found to be gone from the house.
  • The local sheriff in Pima County, Arizona, has said that evidence at the home indicates she was “taken against her will,” and they are treating the case as a kidnapping and active crime scene.

Why do police say she was “taken”?

Investigators have pointed to several details from the house:

  • Evidence of forced entry at Nancy’s home, suggesting someone broke in rather than her leaving on her own.
  • Indications she was harmed inside the residence before being taken, including reports from law‑enforcement sources of blood found in the home, though officials have not fully detailed whose it is or the extent of any injuries.
  • Personal items such as her wallet, keys, ID, and phone were reportedly left behind, which strongly suggests she did not voluntarily walk away.

Because of these factors, the sheriff has said they are confident this is not a case of an elderly person simply wandering off but of an abduction.

Current status and ongoing search

  • The investigation has been escalated from a missing‑person case to a criminal kidnapping investigation, with the FBI assisting local authorities.
  • There have been ransom‑related complications, including at least one fake ransom demand that led to an arrest but did not bring investigators closer to finding Nancy.
  • Officials have also stressed that Nancy requires critical medication and that going without it for long could be life‑threatening, adding urgency to the search.

Possible motive (what experts are saying)

Law‑enforcement experts and former FBI agents have publicly discussed potential motives, though none have been confirmed:

  • They note that kidnappings of this kind are often driven by “profit or revenge,” and in this case may be linked to Savannah’s high public profile.
  • Some experts have speculated that the abduction could be a way to target Savannah herself—through obsession with her, anger over a story she covered, or a broader grudge.

These ideas remain theories , not established facts, and investigators have not publicly named a suspect or confirmed a specific motive.

How Savannah Guthrie has responded

  • Savannah has traveled to Arizona and has issued emotional public pleas asking for her mother’s safe return and promising “we will pay” in response to messages from the apparent abductor.
  • She has asked for prayers and support, and her colleagues on “Today” have spoken about the situation on air, describing Nancy’s medical vulnerability and the family’s fear.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.