Savannah Guthrie Renews Plea Nine Months After Mother's Abduction

Savannah Guthrie asked the public again on Sunday for information about her mother, Nancy Guthrie, nine months to the day after the 84-year-old was reported missing from her home outside Tucson, Arizona. The FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department have not identified a suspect, and no one has been arrested.

The "Today" co-host marked the date on Instagram with an old drawing made by her daughter, Vale. It shows a blue umbrella in the rain and the words, "I know it might not seem like it, but I really need my mommy."

The post, and what it said

"Found this old drawing from my daughter today," Guthrie wrote. "It says so much about how I feel." She said the world goes on and things appear normal while the family tries to keep going and be strong for their young kids, then added: "but it's not and it never will be."

She named the rest of her family in the post. "For Annie and Tommy, for Cam and Kristine, for Mike and me and for all of Mom's beloved grandchildren: We ache for her, we cry out for answers, we cannot move forward," she wrote. "We need someone to help us, tell us what you know."

The message ended with a direct ask. "Our mom was a light in this world. We want to celebrate her and give her the dignity she deserves. The reward is still available. Please. We are begging you. Please help us." She thanked people who have been kind and asked them to "join us in praying without ceasing."

Investigators flew to Florida in October

The Pima County Sheriff's Department posted its own update two days earlier, on Oct. 30, saying the Nancy Guthrie Task Force is still working with laboratories to push the DNA analysis further.

"Earlier this month, investigators traveled to Florida to meet with lab scientists to see what more could be done to advance this case," the department wrote on X. "A number of ideas were discussed, and we continue to work with all our partners to solve this case."

The department also repeated its request for tips, saying even the smallest piece of information could be critical to the investigation. Sheriff Chris Nanos has said Guthrie did not leave on her own.

The last night anyone saw her

Guthrie took an Uber at 5:32 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31, to her daughter Annie's home for dinner, according to the official timeline presented at a Feb. 5 press conference. Her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, who is married to Annie, dropped her back at her house at 9:48 p.m. He is the last known person to have seen her. Her garage door closed at 9:50 p.m., and he drove off.

The next morning she did not show up for a scheduled livestream of a church service. A member of her church called the family around 11 a.m. to say she had not appeared. Relatives got to the house at 11:56 a.m., searched it and the property, and found nothing. They called 911 at 12:03 p.m. Deputies arrived at 12:15 p.m.

Her phone and other essentials were still inside. Deputies treated the report as more than a routine missing-person call almost immediately, given her limited mobility and the absence of any sign she had left on purpose. On Feb. 2, the case shifted from a search operation to a criminal investigation, and homicide investigators were brought in.

A masked figure at the doorbell camera

At 1:47 a.m. on Feb. 1, a doorbell camera at the house was disconnected by a masked and gloved person. Motion was detected at 2:12 a.m. Her bedside pacemaker monitor missed its scheduled transmission at 2:28 a.m.

On Feb. 10, the FBI released still images and a short video recovered from Google Nest backend systems. The footage shows an armed individual in a mask, carrying a backpack, tampering with the camera on Guthrie's property before she vanished. That person has never been identified.

Bloodstains were found at or near the entrance of the home, and forensic testing determined the DNA belonged to Guthrie. Officials declined to say how badly she may have been hurt or how much blood was found.

Nanos was blunt about what the scene told investigators. "At this point, investigators believe she was taken from her home against her will, possibly in the middle of the night," he told People. "Taken against her will includes possible kidnapping or abduction." At a news conference he put it more plainly: "She couldn't walk 50 yards by herself."

Two ransom notes, four days apart

The first note arrived at Tucson CBS affiliate KOLD-TV on Feb. 2 and was addressed to Savannah Guthrie. It said her mother was alive and safe and demanded $4 million in bitcoin for her release.

The second, sent Feb. 6 and addressed to the Guthrie family, said she had died shortly after she was taken, of what the writer believed was a heart problem. It claimed she was buried "in nature now."

Authorities released the contents of both notes in July, with redactions, hoping someone would recognize the writing. Investigators said the notes contain distinctive patterns and asked anyone who recognizes the style and voice to call. A possible additional ransom text message reported in September was later deemed not credible by investigators.

The family put up $1 million in February

The FBI is offering up to $100,000 for information leading to Guthrie's recovery. On Feb. 24, the family offered a reward of its own, $1 million. Savannah Guthrie's Sunday post confirmed the money is still on the table.

Family appeals on social media have not produced the proof of life the Guthries have asked for. Her condition and whereabouts are unknown.

Guthrie went back to the anchor desk

She stepped away from her NBC News duties after her mother disappeared, including co-hosting the opening ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, to take part in the search. She later returned to "Today."

In a June appearance on "TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle," she addressed viewers who wondered how she could do the job at all. "I know maybe people wonder, 'What's going on? How is she able to do that job? Is she not thinking about it? Did she forget?' No. Never," she said. "It's always with me. I cry every morning on the way to work, and I cry every morning on the way home."

In July she posted a video aimed directly at whoever took her mother. "It has been months since our mom was taken from us. Our family is in agony. We are in a nightmare that will not end. Nothing about our situation has changed," she said. "We have done our part, and we will never stop looking for her. We will always ache for her and feel that hole in our hearts."

At the six-month mark in August, Guthrie and her siblings released a statement saying they have lived every moment, every breath and every heartbeat in agony and despair since February. "Every day, we wake up and try to be strong and go on," she wrote, because that is what their mother taught them, before adding that the family's hearts are in ruins.

Who Nancy Guthrie is

She was born Nancy Ellen Long on Jan. 27, 1942, in Fort Wright, Kentucky. Her family moved to Tucson in the early 1970s, and she lived in the area for more than five decades.

She was married to Charles Guthrie until his death in 1988 at age 49, during a mining exploration trip in Mexico. They had three children: Camron, Annie and Savannah.

Relatives describe her as mentally sharp and independent. She lived alone in Catalina Foothills, was active in the neighborhood and went to church regularly. Authorities classified her as a vulnerable adult because of her age and mobility limits, while noting she had no known cognitive impairments.

What investigators want from the public

The multi-agency investigation is led by the Pima County Sheriff's Department with help from the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and search-and-rescue teams. Search dogs, drones and aerial resources were used in the early days and turned up no trace of her.

Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or leave an anonymous tip with 88-CRIME at 520-882-7463. The sheriff's department says no tip is too small.