Arizona law enforcement chiefs on Thursday confirmed that they found blood belonging to Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Savannah Guthrie, a Today show TV anchor, on the 84-year-old’s porch after she was reported missing from the home over the weekend.
The sheriff of Pima county, Chris Nanos, said during a press conference that authorities do not yet have a suspect in the apparent kidnapping.
But they believe Nancy Guthrie is “still out there” and their protocol in such a situation is to assume she is alive until there is any information otherwise “and we will continue to assume so until we find her”, Nanos said.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was involved and the special agent in charge of the investigation, Heith Janke, announced a $50,000 reward for important information and also said that a ransom note under investigation gave an initial deadline of 5pm local time on Thursday for an answer.
Nanos confirmed that blood investigators found near the front door of Nancy Guthrie’s home, just north of Tucson, tested positive for her DNA. Also, at 2:28 a.m. Sunday, Nancy Guthrie’s pacemaker disconnected from her personal device, he said. His doorbell camera was also removed, but the software detected a presence, although without images it is not possible to determine at this point if the movement is a person or an animal, Nanos said.
The sheriff added that he “definitely fears” a worst-case scenario where Nancy Guthrie is no longer alive, saying: “I think we all are … especially without the medication that she needs every day.”
Savannah Guthrie is the longtime news anchor of the Today show, a breakfast news show on the US network channel NBC.
It appears that Nancy Guthrie went missing Saturday night and her disappearance was discovered late Sunday morning by family and she was reported missing shortly after noon. This prompted an investigation that authorities said included a suspected ransom note. Investigators believe Nancy Guthrie was taken against her will. Janke said Thursday that it was still unclear whether the apparent kidnapping was specifically related to Savannah Guthrie, a well-known national journalist.
On a ransom, Janke said: “We are communicating with the family. While we advise and recommend, from a law enforcement perspective, any action taken on any ransom is ultimately the family’s decision.”
Law enforcement leaders expressed sympathy for the family.
“This whole team is hurting you,” Nanos said of law enforcement personnel, directing his comments to the children Nancy was concerned about – Savannah and her sister and brother.
The brothers released a tearful public appeal via video on Wednesday night, focusing on their mother’s deteriorating health and the danger posed by the lack of medicine. The brothers asked for evidence that their mother was still alive.
“Everybody’s looking for you, Mom,” Guthrie said. “Anywhere. We will not rest. Your children will not rest until we are together again.”
Nanos said Thursday that there is no information in the ransom note they are primarily investigating that shows how the family communicated with those responsible for the apparent abduction.
Meanwhile, a man was arrested for sending a suspected fake ransom note, with the sheriff describing the man as an impostor.
According to authorities, Nancy Guthrie was last seen Saturday night at her home in Catalina Foothills, an affluent community about 6 miles (10km) northeast of Tucson. He was delivered by family members around 9:30 pm local time.
On Sunday morning, members of his church noticed that he was not at home and contacted his family. A missing-person report was filed later that afternoon after relatives called 911. A search effort began immediately, involving volunteers and border patrol agents, and continued into the next day. On Monday, investigators declared the house a crime scene.
on the video Shared on Instagram Wednesday, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings reiterated concerns about their mother’s medical condition and confirmed that she does not have access to her prescriptions.
“He’s 84 years old. His health, his heart, is weak. He lives in constant pain. He doesn’t have any medicine. He needs it to live, and he needs it not to suffer,” Guthrie said.
“We, too, have heard reports about a ransom note in the media. As a family, we are doing everything we can. We are ready to talk,” he said. “However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know without a doubt that he is alive and that you have him. We want to hear from you and we are willing to listen.”
Following the family statement, Donald Trump posted the social media that he spoke to Savannah Guthrie on Wednesday. The US president said he was “deploying all resources to keep his mother safe at home”. Axios reported that Pam Bondi, the attorney general, also spoke with Savannah Guthrie and that Kash Patel, the FBI director, planned to travel to Tucson.
Savannah Guthrie is not on the Today show this week. NBC said he will also step down from his scheduled role as co-host of the Winter Olympics opening ceremony on Friday so he can stay with his family.
“Our hearts go out to him and the entire Guthrie family as the search for their mother continues,” the network said in a statement shared with various news outlets.
In Arizona and across the US, people gathered to show support for the family.
“We need people who have that connection to Savannah, to Nancy, to the community, to show the love and support that we have for this family,” Anne Moral, a friend of Savannah Guthrie, told the ABC News-affiliate. KGUN9 during a prayer service in the Catalina Foothills of Arizona.