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PIMA COUNTY, Ariz. (BFMG) —Authorities in Arizona now believe 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, was taken from her home against her will, and her Tucson-area residence is being treated as a crime scene.
What began as a missing person report has escalated into a criminal investigation after detectives found “concerning circumstances” inside Guthrie’s Catalina Foothills home, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said. Nanos said investigators no longer think Guthrie simply walked away from the house
Evidence at the scene, along with Guthrie’s physical condition, indicates she did not leave on her own, according to the sheriff. Guthrie has limited mobility but is considered of sound mind, making a voluntary disappearance unlikely, authorities said.
Family members last saw Guthrie on Saturday night, Jan. 31, when she was dropped off at her home in the Tucson area around 9:30 to 9:45 p.m. She was expected at church the next morning, but when she did not arrive and could not be reached, relatives contacted law enforcement.
Deputies who responded for a welfare check reported signs that something was wrong inside the residence. The home was soon cordoned off and reclassified as a crime scene as detectives and forensic teams began searching for evidence about how and when Guthrie disappeared. Investigators now believe she was taken from the home in the middle of the night.
Nanos has said publicly that investigators are operating under the assumption that Guthrie was abducted. “She did not leave on her own,” he said, adding that the facts gathered so far point to a crime rather than a confused or voluntary departure.
Homicide detectives have joined the case, not because authorities have confirmed Guthrie is dead, but because the circumstances require the highest level of investigative resources, officials said. Investigators are reviewing physical evidence, potential surveillance footage and phone or digital records that could identify who may have approached Guthrie’s home overnight.
As the case shifts into a criminal investigation, the search for Guthrie remains urgent. Deputies and specialized teams are using aircraft, drones and search dogs to canvass the Catalina Foothills and surrounding areas.
Authorities said Guthrie requires daily medication and that going without it for 24 hours could threaten her health.
Detectives are asking the public for help. Anyone who may have seen Guthrie, spotted someone matching her description or noticed suspicious activity near East Skyline Drive and North Campbell Avenue late Saturday night or early Sunday is urged to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.
Investigators are particularly interested in home security, doorbell or dashcam video from that area and time frame that could show unfamiliar vehicles or people near Guthrie’s residence.
The case has drawn national attention because of Nancy Guthrie’s connection to her daughter, but authorities and advocates emphasize that it is, at its core, about a vulnerable woman who vanished from her own home.
Officials say community awareness and timely tips could be critical to finding Guthrie and bringing those responsible to justice.
