Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, has been reported missing in Arizona.
She was last seen on the night of Jan. 31 outside her home in Tucson. Her home is being considered a crime scene, according to USA Today.
Nancy Guthrie was reported missing at noon on Feb. 1 and Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said aspects of the scene at her home caused “grave concern.”
Nanos provided updates in a news conference on Monday morning.
What we know about Nancy Guthrie and her disappearance
Authorities shared that Nancy Guthrie does not have cognitive issues, but she does suffer from physical challenges and needs medication that can be fatal if she doesn’t receive it within 24 hours, per Today.
“She is very limited in her mobility, we know she didn’t just walk out of there, that we know,” Nanos said. “There were other things at the scene that indicate that she did not leave on her own.”
The sheriff added that Nancy Guthrie would not be able to walk 50 yards by herself. He would not elaborate on what makes the home a crime scene, saying “it would be inappropriate at this time.”
Savannah Guthrie shared a statement on Monday on behalf of her family, per Today.
“On behalf of our family, I want to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers and messages of support,” Savannah Guthrie said. “Right now, our focus remains on the safe return of our dear mom. We thank law enforcement for their hard work on this case and encourage anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at (520) 351-4900.”
Nanos said that Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance is being treated as a crime and the search for her has been “shut down.”
It is unknown whether Nancy Guthrie was targeted because she is Savannah’s mother.
“We’re not going to dismiss any angles for sure, but right now immediately we don’t know of anything like that,” Nanos said in the news conference.
Nanos shared that he does not believe the public is in any danger. He added that multiple teams responded to the scene and foul play cannot be ruled out.
“You don’t typically get the sheriff out at a scene like this, but it’s very concerning what we’re learning from the house,” he said during the news conference.
Nancy Guthrie is described as 5 feet, 5 inches tall, weighing 150 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen by her family around 9:30 on Saturday, per The New York Times. People with information should contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Office at 520-351-4900.
Savannah Guthrie’s close relationship with her mother
Savannah Guthrie has often talked about her close relationship with her mother. She was absent from Monday’s “Today” broadcast, which started with the news of her mother’s disappearance.
In 2022, Savannah Guthrie celebrated her mother’s 80th birthday on air during one of the show’s broadcasts. She praised Nancy’s “grit” and resilience. Savannah Guthrie’s father died of a heart attack when she was 16 years old.
“She’s a truth teller, whether you really want to hear the truth or not,” Savannah Guthrie said of her mother during the 2022 tribute, per The New York Times. “She’s quick and she’s smart, she’s well-read, she’s curious about everything.”