Savannah Guthrie renewed her appeal for information about her missing mother on Sunday, Nov. 1, describing her family's continuing grief nine months after Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her home near Tucson, Arizona. Authorities believe the 84-year-old was taken against her will, and the case remains without an identified suspect or an arrest.
The "TODAY" co-host posted an old drawing by her daughter, Vale, on Instagram. It depicted a blue umbrella in the rain and included a message about needing her mother. Guthrie said discovering the picture captured her own feelings, explaining that the family's efforts to keep going and remain strong for their young children did not mean their lives had returned to normal.
Guthrie described relatives and grandchildren aching for Nancy and struggling to move forward without answers. She appealed to anyone with information to come forward, said a reward remained available and expressed the family's desire to celebrate her mother and give her the dignity she deserves. She also thanked supporters and asked them to continue praying for the family.
Nancy Guthrie was reported missing on Feb. 1. She had last been seen shortly before 10 p.m. on Jan. 31 at her home in the Catalina Foothills area. Doorbell camera footage showed a masked person carrying a weapon who appeared to be tampering with the camera. The FBI and Pima County Sheriff's Department have not identified a suspect. Sheriff Chris Nanos previously said she had not left voluntarily.
The sheriff's department said Friday that the Nancy Guthrie Task Force was still working with laboratories to advance DNA analysis. Investigators traveled to Florida in October to meet with laboratory scientists and discuss additional ways to move the investigation forward. The department said it continued working with its partners and encouraged people to share information, however small it might seem.
Guthrie has kept seeking answers while resuming her work on "TODAY." During a June appearance on "TODAY with Jenna & Sheinelle," she addressed questions about how she could return to her job, saying her mother was constantly on her mind. She said she cried on her way to work and on the journey home.
In August, Guthrie and her siblings issued another appeal marking six months since their mother disappeared. They described trying each day to draw on the strength and resilience Nancy had taught them, while remaining consumed by thoughts of her and the effort to find her.
Authorities made the contents of two ransom notes public in July. The first, sent Feb. 2, claimed Nancy was safe and sought $4 million in bitcoin for her release. A second note, sent four days afterward, claimed she had died soon after the kidnapping. Investigators highlighted distinctive writing patterns in the notes and asked anyone who recognized them to contact authorities. A possible additional ransom text reported in September was subsequently judged not credible.
People with information about the disappearance are asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 520-882-7463.
