It has been a week since 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie was last seen. She joined family for dinner, returned home that night and has not been heard from since.
Who is Nancy Guthrie?
Guthrie lives alone in the Catalina Foothills area north of Tucson, Arizona. She is the mother of three—Annie, Camron and Savannah Guthrie—and a grandmother. Her husband, Charles, died in 1988. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators do not believe she wandered off and that she was likely taken by force. He described her as mentally sharp, not dementia-related, though she has fragile physical health, relies on a pacemaker and needs medication that could be fatal if missed.
Timeline of the disappearance
According to the sheriff’s office, Guthrie took an Uber to a daughter’s house for dinner and games on Saturday evening. At about 9:48 p.m., a family member dropped her back at home. Her doorbell camera disconnected at roughly 1:47 a.m. Several minutes later the camera registered movement but officials say the footage could not be retrieved. At 2:28 a.m., her pacemaker disconnected from its app. When she missed church the next afternoon, parishioners alerted her family and police were contacted.
Investigators report a security camera is missing from the front of her home and that blood spatter on the front porch was confirmed by DNA to be Guthrie’s. Authorities have said they remain hopeful she can be returned safely.
Suspect status and ransom notes
No suspect or person of interest has been publicly identified. The FBI announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to Guthrie’s recovery and the arrest and conviction of anyone responsible.
Officials have been investigating ransom notes, including one sent to several media outlets that referenced specific details about Guthrie’s house such as an Apple Watch and a floodlight and included two deadlines (one that expired Thursday at 5 p.m. and another set for Monday). Authorities have not disclosed whether the note contained explicit demands. The Phoenix FBI office said it is taking the note seriously.
At least one ransom demand was determined to be fraudulent; police arrested a person connected to that message. Authorities said they are examining a “new message” and verifying its authenticity.
Family appeals and proof-of-life requests
Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have made public appeals to whoever may be holding their mother, asking for communication and proof that she is alive. In videos posted to social media, family members pleaded for contact and offered to pay for her return. They have asked for verification that cannot be easily falsified, citing concerns about manipulated images or audio.
Next steps and public appeals
Law enforcement says it is working tirelessly to secure Guthrie’s safe return and has urged anyone with information to come forward. Public figures, including former President Trump, said they offered support and federal resources to the family. The investigation is ongoing.
NPR’s Chandelis Duster contributed to this report.