The search for Savannah Guthrie’s mother has shifted from a missing person case to what investigators bluntly describe as a crime. Sheriff Chris Nanos has said he believes Nancy Guthrie was taken from her Arizona home and did not simply wander off, a chilling turn that now includes blood evidence and a possible ransom note. As the hours tick by, the investigation is widening, the language from law enforcement is hardening, and a very public family is living through a nightmare in full view of the country.
At the center of it all is a quiet residential house that is now treated as a crime scene, a daughter who spends her mornings on national television, and a sheriff who keeps repeating some version of the same line: there is every reason to think something violent happened here, and no reason to think Nancy Guthrie walked away on her own.
The night Nancy Guthrie vanished
Investigators say Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her Arizona home on a Saturday night, and by Sunday her absence had triggered a full search by local Authorities. Family members and neighbors expected to find a simple explanation, but what they walked into instead was a scene that immediately raised red flags. Detectives have described the interior of the house as “very concerning,” a phrase that, in law enforcement speak, usually signals visible signs of a struggle or injury rather than a quiet, voluntary exit.
That impression hardened quickly. Officials have said they are treating the Home Declared a Crime Scene as they work through physical evidence collected inside. Detectives noted that Nancy Guthrie relies on daily medication and did not take it with her, a detail that undercuts any theory that she simply decided to leave for a few days without telling anyone, and that has pushed investigators to move quickly before a medical issue compounds whatever happened that night.
Blood evidence and a house turned crime scene
From the start, Sheriff Chris Nanos has been clear that what his team found inside the house changed everything. Detectives reported finding blood drops and other possible DNA evidence in multiple spots, which is why the property is now locked down as a Crime Scene. Forensic teams are working to confirm exactly what those samples are, but the presence of visible blood alone is enough for investigators to say, out loud, that they believe a crime took place.
Officials have said they collected multiple samples that are being tested to determine whether they are blood and whether they belong to Nancy Guthrie, a process that can take time even when labs are rushing. According to Officials, the working assumption is that the person who left that DNA did not walk out of the house uninjured. That is why Sheriff Nanos has been so blunt in public briefings, telling reporters that “there is a crime here” and that investigators are operating on the belief that Nancy Guthrie was taken against her will rather than simply missing.
“Taken from her home”: the sheriff’s stark assessment
As the evidence piled up, the language from the sheriff’s office sharpened. Sheriff Nanos has said more than once that Savannah Guthrie’s mom was “taken” and that she was taken “against her will,” a description that moves the case squarely into abduction territory. In one briefing, he stressed that this is not a situation involving someone who just wandered off, a point echoed when the Sheriff said Monday that Guthrie is not someone who just wandered off.
That assessment is backed up by other investigators who have spoken publicly. One officer put it plainly, saying “She did not leave on her own, we know that,” and adding that the team is focused on the place “where She was taken from and where she is at,” a comment reported by Jon Haworth and Meredith that captured the urgency of the search. At a separate news conference, Nanos was asked directly whether he believes they are looking for someone who is still alive, and During the Feb response he said they are operating in hope, describing Nancy Guthrie as “a good and faithful servant,” according to During the Feb briefing.
A possible ransom note and a widening mystery
As if the blood evidence were not enough, investigators are now dealing with a potential ransom note that has added a new layer of complexity. Sheriff Nanos confirmed that a note was sent to a local Arizona news station referencing the disappearance of the Arizona mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie, and that his office is working to determine whether it is legitimate or a cruel hoax. The document was turned over to investigators, who are analyzing handwriting, language, and any trace evidence that might link it to a real suspect.
Authorities have been searching for Nancy Guthrie since Sunday, and they say she was last seen at her home Saturday night, a timeline that leaves a narrow window for whoever might have written the ransom note to act. Amid the swirl of attention, police have also had to address public chatter about the note and other unverified claims. Amid the speculation, they have stressed that they are following every credible lead but will not let the investigation be driven by rumor, a point echoed as Arizona police addressed the possible ransom communication involving the Today host Savannah Guthrie and her mother Nancy Guthrie.
Inside the search: from Tucson briefings to national scrutiny
On the ground, the search has been intense and highly visible. In TUCSON, Ariz, Sheriff Nanos has held multiple briefings where he has walked through what investigators found and what they still do not know, with one update flagged as Nation Updated on Feb 3, 2026 2:01 PM EST and Published shortly before that, according to a Nation Updated account of the EST news conference. Search teams have combed the area around the home, used dogs and helicopters, and fielded a flood of tips from people who think they might have seen something, anything, that could help.
Despite that effort, Police still “don’t know” where Savannah Guthrie’s mother is more than 72 hours after she was reported missing, and they say she has not been seen at her Arizona home since January 31, a detail highlighted in one Police briefing. Officials have also described how they are using the national spotlight to their advantage, pushing out Nancy Guthrie’s photo and basic description so that anyone, anywhere, who recognizes her can call in a tip. The Disappearance of Nancy Guthrie entry notes that Authorities described Guthrie as a missing person and have used that Disappearance of Nancy case profile to solicit tips from the public.
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