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TODAY show host breaks silence on mother's disappearance
Savannah Guthrie has described her family's anguish in her first public interview since her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, vanished from her Tucson, Arizona, home on February 1.
The investigation so far
Police released security footage showing a masked individual near Nancy Guthrie's residence but have yet to identify a suspect. Despite nationwide appeals and multiple leads, authorities have made no arrests.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos revealed this month that investigators believe Nancy Guthrie was targeted, though he declined to disclose a motive, citing the ongoing probe. He warned residents not to assume they are safe, stating, "Don't think for a minute that because it happened to the Guthrie family, you're safe."
Emotional plea for answers
In an excerpt from her interview with former co-host Hoda Kotb, Guthrie said the family is "in agony" and "unbearable" pain. "To think of what she went through, I wake up every night in the middle of the night, every night," she said. "In the darkness, I imagine her terror."
"Someone needs to do the right thing. We are in agony. It is unbearable... But she needs to come home now."
Savannah Guthrie, TODAY show interview
Kotb described Guthrie as displaying both "desperation and steeliness," noting her hope that someone with information would come forward.
Rewards and nationwide efforts
The Guthrie family is offering a $1 million reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie's return, in addition to a $100,000 pledge from the FBI. Authorities have examined DNA evidence and ransom notes but have not named a suspect.
Sheriff Nanos cautioned that the kidnapper could strike again, urging vigilance in the area where Nancy Guthrie was last seen.
Broader impact and support
Savannah Guthrie temporarily stepped away from her TODAY show duties, missing planned coverage of the Winter Olympics. The family also donated $500,000 to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children in February, hoping to extend support to other families facing similar crises.
Nancy Guthrie is one of 33 people reported missing in Arizona over the past year, according to the U.S. Department of Justice's missing-persons database. Six of those cases originated in Pima County.
What's next
The full interview, covering the police investigation, Guthrie's faith, and her resilience, will air later this week on the TODAY show.
