Federal authorities are scrambling to solve what investigators now describe as a late-night kidnapping in the foothills north of Tucson, Arizona, after the 84-year-old mother of longtime NBC host Savannah Guthrie vanished from her home under violent and unexplained circumstances.

Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her residence in the Catalina Foothills late Saturday night, Jan. 31. Nearly a week later, law enforcement officials say they still do not know who took her, where she is being held, or whether she is alive.

What began as a local missing-persons report has since drawn in multiple federal agencies and even the White House. One reason is Guthrie’s connection to public life: she is the mother of Savannah Guthrie, a longtime co-host of NBC’s Today show and one of the most recognizable faces in American morning television. That link has helped thrust the case into the national spotlight.

According to investigators, Guthrie spent Saturday evening with family members before being dropped off at her home near East Skyline Drive and North Campbell Avenue around 9:30 p.m. There were no signs of trouble. Relatives say she was in good spirits and gave no indication that she felt unsafe.

By Sunday morning, she had vanished.

Concern first arose when Guthrie failed to appear at church, something friends and family describe as highly unusual. Members of her congregation contacted relatives, who went to her home shortly before noon. When they arrived, the house was empty.

Sheriff’s deputies were called to the scene and quickly determined that this was not a routine disappearance. Investigators found signs of forced entry and evidence of a struggle inside the home. Drops of blood were discovered near the entrance. Guthrie’s cellphone, wallet, and car were still inside.

Within hours, authorities reclassified the case as a suspected abduction.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has repeatedly stressed that Guthrie could not have left on her own. She has severe mobility limitations and requires assistance to walk more than short distances. Police say it would have been physically impossible for her to simply walk away in the middle of the night.

“We know she didn’t just walk out,” Nanos said at a briefing. “She did not leave on her own. This is an abduction.”

Forensic teams have spent days processing the home, collecting DNA samples, searching for fingerprints, and examining every possible point of entry. Some laboratory results have returned, officials say, but none have yet led to a suspect. Investigators believe Guthrie may have been taken while she was asleep.

As the physical investigation unfolded, a digital mystery emerged. Several media organizations reported receiving electronic messages from individuals claiming responsibility for Guthrie’s disappearance. The communications reportedly demanded a large ransom payment in Bitcoin in exchange for her safe return.

Law enforcement officials have not confirmed whether the messages are genuine, but say they are being analyzed by federal cybercrime specialists. The FBI has urged the public and the media to avoid spreading unverified information, warning that false claims could complicate negotiations or put Guthrie at further risk.

The stakes are particularly high considering Guthrie’s medical conditions. She relies on daily prescription medication to manage chronic health problems. By Wednesday night, she had been without her medication for more than four days.

“If she is alive, those medications are vital,” Nanos said. “This is life or death.”

Authorities have repeatedly appealed directly to whoever may be holding her, urging them to release her so she can receive medical treatment.

Savannah Guthrie has remained in Arizona since her mother went missing, stepping away from professional obligations to stay with her family. NBC News announced that she would temporarily suspend her on-air duties, including covering the upcoming Winter Olympics.

On social media, Guthrie has posted emotional messages asking for prayers and information. In a video released Wednesday, she appeared alongside her siblings and addressed her mother’s captors directly.

“We are ready to talk,” she said. “We just want her home.”

President Donald Trump confirmed Wednesday that he had spoken with Savannah Guthrie and directed federal agencies to assist local authorities.

The FBI, Homeland Security, and Customs and Border Protection have all assigned personnel to the case. Officials say specialized units are helping analyze data, track financial activity, and review travel records.

At the center of the investigation is a fundamental question: why was Nancy Guthrie taken?  Detectives are examining whether the crime was financially motivated, whether it was a random but unusually organized home invasion, or whether it was connected in some way to her daughter’s public profile. So far, authorities say there is no definitive evidence pointing to any single theory.

Authorities are now focused on reviewing surveillance footage from homes and traffic intersections, analyzing cell phone data from nearby towers, tracing possible cryptocurrency activity, and conducting extensive interviews with neighbors, service workers, and recent visitors. Every vehicle and digital device detected near the home during the critical overnight hours is being scrutinized.

“This case is solvable,” Sheriff Nanos said. “But we need information.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)