NBC reporter Savannah Guthrie and her family are navigating a crisis after her mother, Nancy Guthrie, was found missing from her home. The search for Savannah’s 84-year-old mother continues, with even the FBI joining the investigation. Local authorities in Arizona are urgently pursuing plenty of leads, while the Gurthie family hopes for Nancy’s safe return.

The day before the abduction

According to multiple reports, Savannah’s mother was last seen on the evening of Saturday, January 31, 2026, between 9:30 pm and 9:45 pm, when her children dropped her off at her home in the Catalina Foothills area outside Tucson, Arizona.

Neighbors confirmed her presence, stating, “Nancy is a longtime neighbor and dear friend, and we are all worried about her. We live on the same street. [We are] in complete shock and very concerned.” They added, “I just saw her two days ago [on Saturday] checking her mail. She was always smiling and always asking about our family and neighbors. She was very engaged with the community. … It’s very concerning.”

What seemed to be a peaceful evening turned into a chaotic Sunday morning when, around 11 am, a friend from her church called her family to report that she had not attended the service.

Confirmation regarding the NBC reporter’s mother

On the same day, on February 1, relatives entered Nancy’s home to search for her but were unable to locate the 84-year-old. They didn’t wait for long and immediately contacted the Pima County Sheriff’s Department to officially report her missing around noon.

The local police didn’t take much time but began the search on a large scale. Trained personnel, drones, an airplane, a helicopter, volunteers, and search-and-rescue dogs were lent from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and deployed to aid in the case.

Local sheriff’s official statement on Nancy Guthrie

On Monday, February 2, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos provided crucial details on the investigation, stating, “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. This one stood out because of what was described to us at the scene and what we found and located just in looking at the scene.”

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He added, “It’s not standard. Typically, our homicide team comes out when we have a homicide, a body. This one was done simply because of what the surveyors were telling us. We believe now, after we processed that crime scene, that we do, in fact have a crime scene. We’re asking the community’s help. This community has always stepped up to help us solve some pretty tough crimes. I’m looking for that again.”

Savannah Guthrie’s plea to the entire community on NBC

Following the sheriff’s statement, Savannah Guthrie shared a few words during the NBC morning show, stating, “On behalf of our family, I want to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers and messages of support.”

“Right now, our focus remains on the safe return of our dear Nancy. We thank law enforcement for their hard work on this case. and encourage anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.”

Savannah also took to her Instagram with a hopeful note: “We believe in prayer. We believe in voices raised in unison, in love, in hope. We believe in goodness. We believe in humanity. Above all, we believe in Him. Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant. Raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment. We need you…Bring her home.”

The appearance of a strange note

On Tuesday, February 3, the entire investigation took a turn due to a ransom note that was sent to local media outlets. Indeed, TMZ was the first to report on the alleged letter, which demanded payment of millions in Bitcoin with an address for the release of Nancy Guthrie.

The investigation team has taken this note seriously and is still investigating with all the help they can get. However, the concerning part about the entire situation is that the sheriff confirmed that Nancy was on daily medication, and when she was abducted, all of her belongings were left behind.

NBC confirms Savannah’s status for the Winter Olympics

An NBC spokesperson reported, “Savannah will not be joining us at the Olympics as she focuses on being with her family during this difficult time. Our hearts are with her and the entire Guthrie family as the search continues for their mother. We will share additional information about our Opening Ceremony coverage plans soon.”

With this statement, it was confirmed that Savannah, who had been part of the NBC team at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, the 2024 Paris Olympics, and more, will be absent from Milano Cortina for Winter Olympics coverage due to this concerning event surrounding her family.

A candle march and Chris Nanos’ latest statement

The community has rallied in support of Nancy Guthrie, and a candlelight service will be held at a local Arizona church in honor of Nancy Guthrie on Wednesday, February 4. This was followed by an update from Sheriff Nanos.

“At this point, investigators have not identified a suspect or person of interest in this case. Detectives continue to speak with anyone who may have had contact with Mrs. Guthrie. Detectives are working closely with the Guthrie family. While we appreciate the public’s concern, the sharing of unverified accusations or false information is irresponsible and does not assist the investigation. No suspect or person of interest has been identified at this time,” he said on social media.

The last person to see Nancy Guthrie

The New York Post reported that Nancy Guthrie’s son-in-law and Savannah’s brother-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, was the last person to see the 84-year-old before her abduction.

Local authorities who are leading the investigation confirmed that Cioni dropped Nancy back at her home on Saturday evening. She returned home safely after a dinner with her daughter Annie and Cioni. His son-in-law also confirmed that he made sure that she returned inside her house without any issues.

Furthermore, the FBI also paid a visit to Cioni’s Tucson house, which is a ten-minute drive from the crime scene.

Stay tuned for further updates on EssentiallySports.