Investigation underway after Nancy Guthrie disappearance
Authorities search for Nancy Guthrie after the 84-year-old mother of Savannah Guthrie vanished from her Arizona home under suspicious circumstances.
It’s a nightmare none of us ever could have imagined.
Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “Today Show” host Savannah Guthrie, was reported missing from her home in Tuscon, Arizona on Sunday Feb. 1. Since then, the details of the case have become increasingly tragic and concerning, as authorities now say Guthrie was “taken from her home against her will” and two unverified ransom notes were delivered to media outlets TMZ and CBS’s Tucson affiliate, KOLD News.
Neither the public nor investigators know exactly what happened to Guthrie at this point. All we know for sure is that the devoted mother and grandmother didn’t make her Sunday Church service, and her family has asked for prayers from the public. And we know that it is an incident that is deeply, horrifically sad and frightening. And we can’t stop watching and waiting for news.
America can’t look away from celebrity tragedy
Crime relating to celebrities and public figures always becomes a huge news story in the United States, all the way back (at least) to the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh’s baby in 1932.
When tragedy hits the lives of the rich and famous, the American public can’t help but tune in. The murders of celebrated director and producer Rob Reiner and his wife Michelle Reiner Singer became the biggest celebrity news story of 2025 when the news broke in December. Every update on the release of government files about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein includes the names of celebrities to the dismay of fans and viewers. The trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs for sex-related charges in 2025 attracted full courtrooms and daily updates from news outlets, fans and amateur “sleuths.” The list goes on and on.
There’s something about bad things involving people we’re used to seeing on a big screen or listening to sing in our headphones that feels almost personal to fans and even casual observers. Audiences feel a deep connection with movie and TV stars, musicians, athletes and the news anchors they wake up to every single morning. A “Today” fixture since 2011, Savannah Guthrie is the centerpiece of a show that is intimate and casual, meant to be a jovial companion to Americans as they eat breakfast and sip their coffee. The anchors are newspeople and performers, but they also feel like friends and companions.
When “Today” host Matt Lauer was accused of multiple counts of sexual abuse, harassment and assault in November 2017 as part of the #MeToo movement, viewers of the program were shocked, appalled and fascinated. Lauer was a paternal figure who represented stability and safety. To see him as a criminal, a perpetrator and villain, was a cognitive dissonance that demanded our attention. (Savannah Guthrie was part of this moment, too, tearfully processing the shocking news on live TV alongside cohost Hoda Kotb.)
Similarly, to see Savannah Guthrie, 54, normally a joyful and smiling companion who narrates the major events of our day-to-day lives, in such a vulnerable and upsetting position is jarring. She reports the news, but she doesn’t typically become it. Similarly the vulnerability of Nancy Guthrie, an elderly woman described as having mobility problems, as a possible victim of a violent crime, is sickening and deeply uncomfortable. Our society is supposed to protect the young and the old, and somehow Nancy Guthrie became endangered anyway. How safe is anyone?
The ‘Today Show’ has covered the story with somber grace
Perhaps one of the most unique aspects of this story versus other instances of celebrities involved in tragic crime is that some of Guthrie’s closest friends are required to report the latest updates in the case.
“The Today Show” is among the many national news outlets following updates on Nancy’s disappearance, and so the news anchors who work with Savannah day in and day out must also report soberly on this difficult news story.
On Monday, Feb. 2, asking fans to pray, Savannah’s “Today” coanchors shared they were doing just that. “Her faith leads us, and Nancy leads us as well,” Jenna Bush Hager said, close to tears.
“And it’s the one thing we all have, and we can do,” Sheinelle Jones added. “Doesn’t cost a thing.” (Jones opened up to fans about her own family tragedy last year following the death of her husband at age 45.)
Craig Melvin said many fans of the show, from social media to on the street, have shared that they were praying for the Guthrie family.
“And that’s exactly what Savannah and the family needs to hear,” he continued. “My pastor used to have this saying years ago. He’s like, ‘It’s easy to be faithful when things are going well in your life. You have to be faithful when you’re at the top of the mountain, but the God of the mountain is the God of the valley.'”
Carson Daly added, “It’s easy to be pessimistic and negative at a time like this, but I feel like you have the same option to still think about a positive outcome. Through our faith, let’s get Nancy home. It just takes one phone call.”
In addition to these emotional and personal updates, the anchors, particularly Melvin and Jones, have been able to pivot to their important jobs as reporters when the time calls for it. Each “Today” episode since Feb. 2 has fully reported the latest updates on the case with the impartiality and professionalism viewers expect from the hosts. The anchors have gracefully code-switched from objective anchors to concerned friends as best they can in this deeply unique and unsettling situation. Viewers could hardly ask for anything more from them.
Can America give Savannah Guthrie the privacy and dignity she deserves?
It’s easy to be grimly fascinated and horrified by what has happened to Nancy Guthrie. It’s easy to keep up with the case, to share terrible updates on social media and to talk about it with friends and family. It’s harder to know when to stop.
Wild rumors, accusations and conspiracy theories have already been flooding the internet since the case has taken the spotlight, to the point where local law enforcement has been forced to deliver further statements underlining the truth of what we do know, and what we don’t.
On Feb. 4th the Pima County sheriff’s department, for instance, released a statement underlining that there are no persons of interest yet in the case, and scolded the public for platforming “unverified accusations.”
“Detectives continue to speak with anyone who may have had contact with Mrs. Guthrie,” the statement read. “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.”
Every crime that garners national attention brings this kind of questionable theorizing and back-seat investigating. But as the sheriff’s department pointed out, guessing at what happened doesn’t help anyone find the truth. And it could be deeply hurtful to the family involved.
As law enforcement searches for Guthrie and any potential perpetrators, and the news media reports on the truth, it is our job at home not to make things worse; not to guess or speculate or cause harm.
This story is already tragic enough. No need to speculate on how much worse it could be.
Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY