In the United States, the alleged kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie, 84, mother of star NBC presenter Savannah Guthrie, is causing great emotion. Missing since February 1 in Arizona, the octogenarian is reportedly being held against her will. Update on the chronology, avenues and gray areas.

Published on: 06/02/2026 - 18:22

Within days, Nancy Guthrie's disappearance became a national story. The octogenarian, mother of one of the best-known figures on American television, was apparently kidnapped from her home on the night of Saturday to Sunday February 1st. Six days later, the United States is holding its breath: the authorities believe that she is still alive, despite the absence of an identified suspect and of clues considered worrying.

“We need to know without a shadow of a doubt that she is alive and that you have her with you,” Savannah Guthrie tearfully implored, speaking directly to her mother's alleged kidnappers in a video posted to her social media Wednesday evening. "Mom, if you can hear me, you are a strong woman. You are God's precious daughter," adds the star anchor of NBC's "Today" show. France 24 takes stock of what we know about this affair.

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A disappearance in the night after a family dinner

Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen Saturday, January 31, around 9:30 p.m., at her home in Catalina Foothills, a hilly residential neighborhood northeast of Tucson, Arizona. She had just spent the evening with her eldest daughter and her son-in-law, the latter having dropped her off at home.

The alert was given the next morning. Nancy Guthrie's absence from the religious service, which she usually attends, worries the members of her church, who warn her family. At 11:56 a.m., his relatives went to his home. Not finding her, they called 911 around 12:03 p.m.

On site, law enforcement discovered a house described as a “crime scene” by Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos. Traces of blood were found on the porch of the house, and signs of a break-in were noted. The octogenarian's phone, wallet, car and medication are, however, still there. On Tuesday, authorities confirmed: “We believe Nancy was taken from her home against her will.”

A massive investigation and worrying clues

Nearly 100 detectives, in coordination with the FBI, are mobilized. DNA analyzes confirmed that the blood found at the scene belonged to Nancy Guthrie, the sheriff confirmed Thursday during a press conference.

Investigators are also interested in digital data. Shortly before 2 a.m., the home's doorbell camera was disconnected. A few minutes later, movement was detected inside the house. As Nancy Guthrie does not have an active subscription, the company that manages the doorbell was unable to retrieve the images.

Then, “at 2:28 a.m., Nancy’s pacemaker application showed that it had been disconnected from the phone,” the sheriff said. The octogenarian is under treatment and "we don't know if she is taking her medication. Which, in itself, could prove fatal," he adds.

In the absence of images, investigators are reviewing everyone who had access to Nancy Guthrie's home, according to the sheriff, such as the Uber driver who drove him to his daughter's home Saturday evening, or the gardener. The Uber driver is not suspected. Bank statements are also examined to identify possible deliveries and reconstruct the timeline.

Ransom demands taken “very seriously”

Investigators say they take the messages demanding a ransom sent to several media outlets “very seriously”. According to Heith Janke, head of the FBI in Phoenix, these messages evoke a request for money with a first deadline set for Thursday evening, then a second, Monday, in the event of non-payment.

“We are taking all avenues extremely seriously,” he said, without specifying the amount requested or the threats made by the kidnappers.

At least one of the notes mentioned an Apple Watch and projector installed in Nancy Guthrie's home. The authorities specify that the decision whether or not to respond to ransom demands rests exclusively with the family.

An elderly and fragile woman, without medical treatment

While Nancy Guthrie is described as sane, Chris Nanos states that she has difficulty walking, even short distances. She suffers from high blood pressure and heart problems, according to an audio recording broadcast on broadcastify.com. She needs daily medication.

In a video posted on her social networks, Savannah Guthrie describes her mother's fragile state of health: "She lives in constant pain. She is without any medication. She needs it to survive (...) and not to suffer," she explains.

A target chosen for its name?

Investigators do not rule out that Nancy Guthrie was targeted because of her daughter's notoriety. “We cannot rule out this hypothesis,” acknowledges the sheriff, without being able to confirm it at this stage.

Savannah Guthrie, 54, has been the co-anchor of NBC's "Today" since 2012. It is one of the most-watched and longest-running morning shows in the United States, giving her daily exposure to millions of Americans.

She is also an author of children's books. She lives in New York with her husband, communications consultant Michael Feldman, and their two children. The journalist was scheduled to co-anchor coverage of the Winter Olympics opening ceremony on Friday. She ultimately stayed in Arizona, near her mother's home.

Nancy Guthrie appeared several times on "Today" alongside her daughter. She is described as “a real second mother” to the entire team of the show. “Our thoughts are with her and the entire Guthrie family as the search for their mother continues,” a spokesperson for the network said.

A case under high media attention...

The case quickly crossed the borders of Arizona. Around Nancy Guthrie's home, journalists and cameras take turns without interruption, while emotion spreads throughout the country. In this context, the FBI announced Thursday that it would offer up to $50,000 for any information leading to the finding of Nancy Guthrie safe and sound or leading to the arrest of the person(s) responsible for her disappearance.

This massive media coverage has also given rise to excesses. A California man was arrested Thursday for attempting to extort the Guthrie family. After following the affair on television, he allegedly sent several text messages asking if they had gathered the bitcoins "[which we] expect on our side for the transaction", according to a complaint filed in federal court in Arizona. The authorities emphasize that there is no evidence linking him to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. When questioned, he admitted having acted “to see if the family would respond”. He is scheduled to appear in federal court in Los Angeles on Friday.

And followed very closely by Trump

The matter is followed up to the top of the state: the American president, Donald Trump, took it up personally. He ordered the immediate mobilization of federal services, and claimed Wednesday to have spoken directly with Savannah Guthrie, who publicly displays political neutrality, having interviewed Presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

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By assuring on Truth Social to mobilize all means to find Nancy Guthrie "IMMEDIATELY", Donald Trump betrays a political calculation: while his popularity rating is at half mast, the president is trying to regain control through this highly publicized sequence.

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