Trump comments on search for Nancy Guthrie
President Donald Trump told the media to “report on other subjects” as law enforcement searches for Nancy Guthrie in an ongoing investigation.
Editor’s Note: Law enforcement has asked anyone with information to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department (520-351-4900), or 88-CRIME.
The search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old missing mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, is stretching into a fourth week with no major breakthrough.
Guthrie, who has been described by her family as in fragile health, was last seen Jan. 31 after being dropped off at her Arizona home following a dinner with family. She was reported missing the following day when a friend alerted her family. Law enforcement officials say they believe she was taken against her will.
The FBI released photos earlier this month showing a masked, armed individual at Guthrie’s door in the early morning hours of Feb. 1. The individual, described now as a suspect, attempted to obscure the doorbell camera with nearby foliage. But despite multiple emotional pleas from Savannah Guthrie and her siblings, multiple rewards for information and weeks of searching, the disappearance remains a mystery.
Here’s what we know.
Authorities address speculation about photos on Nancy Guthrie’s porch
Images of a masked man standing on Nancy Guthrie’s porch, who was described as a suspect in her disappearance, appear to have been taken on two different days, news outlets reported on Monday, Feb. 23. Reports from ABC News and KOLD-TV, the CBS affiliate in Tucson, cited unnamed law enforcement sources.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department, however, has dismissed the reports as speculation.
In a statement on Feb. 23, the department said the images from the camera had no date or time stamp associated with them. “Therefore, any suggestion that the photographs were taken on different days is purely speculative,” spokesperson Angelica Carrillo said. “As with any investigation, conclusions will be guided by verifiable evidence and established facts. Speculation, without factual support, does not advance the investigative process.”
In the cache of images and video footage released by the FBI on Feb. 10, there appeared to be subtle differences. In some shots, the suspect wore a backpack that seemed to be full and had reflective tape on the shoulder straps. In another image, the person had no backpack.
Backpack found near Nancy Guthrie’s home likely not connected to case, authorities say
After volunteers found a backpack on Feb. 22 during an informal search not far from Guthrie’s, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said it was likely not connected to her case.
“After reviewing the bag and its contents, it does not appear that this is a viable lead for the investigation,” department spokesperson Kevin Adger told The Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY network. “The bag appears to have been outside for much longer than three weeks. It also contained identification of a minor within it.”
‘No trespassing’ signs requested near Nancy Guthrie’s home
The Guthrie family has requested that “No Trespassing” signs be placed around Nancy Guthrie’s home, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a Tuesday, Feb. 24 update.
“Members of the media are expected to observe these postings and comply with the law,” the update read.
Savannah Guthrie ups the reward for mom’s return
Savannah Guthrie took to social media Tuesday, Feb. 24, to post another video detailing the “agony” of her mother’s disappearance and announcing a new $1 million reward.
“It is day 24 since our mom was taken in the dark of night from her bed, and every hour and minute and second and every long night has been agony since then, of worrying about her, and fearing for her, and aching for her, and most of all, just missing her,” Guthrie said in the video, her first public statement about the case in more than a week.
She went on to say that “we still believe in a miracle,” but acknowledged the possibility that her mother may not be alive. Guthrie announced her family is offering a reward of up to $1 million “for any information that leads us to her recovery.”
Key details in Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance
The following is a timeline of all of the biggest developments in the Nancy Guthrie case:
Jan. 31: Nancy Guthrie is last seen, at 9:48 p.m, after being dropped off at her home following an evening with family.Feb. 1: Nancy Guthrie is reported missing. According to the sheriff’s department, the doorbell camera in front of her home disconnected at 1:47 a.m. that morning, a person was detected on the camera at 2:12 a.m., and Guthrie’s pacemaker app showed it was disconnected from her phone by 2:28 a.m. The family called 9-1-1 to report her missing by 12:03 p.m. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos tells reporters that night that Guthrie is “not of good physical health and so naturally we have some great concerns.”Feb. 2: In a news conference, Nanos confirms authorities believe a crime has taken place and that Guthrie’s home is being treated as a crime scene. He stresses the case is not dementia related and notes that Guthrie takes medication “that, if she doesn’t have in 24 hours, it could be fatal.” In an Instagram post, Savannah Guthrie thanks followers for their prayers.Feb. 3: Nanos confirms authorities believe that Nancy Guthrie was “taken from her home against her will,” but “we don’t know where she is.” Reporters for The Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network, observe dried blood droplets at Guthrie’s home. Meanwhile, outlets include TMZ report receiving apparent ransom notes.Feb. 4: Savannah Guthrie posts a video on Instagram with her siblings Annie and Camron, addressing the purported ransom notes. “We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen,” Guthrie tells the apparent kidnapper. “Please reach out to us.”Feb. 5: In a media briefing, Nanos says “we believe Nancy is still out there” and confirms that dried blood found at the house belonged to her. FBI special agent in charge Heith Janke, meanwhile, shares that a ransom letter sent to the media included two deadlines: one on Feb. 5 and another on Feb. 9. Camron Guthrie later posts a video saying the family is still waiting to hear from the person apparently “holding our mother.”Feb. 6: The FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirm they are investigating a “new message” in the case.Feb. 7: Savannah Guthrie and her siblings share a new video, telling the purported kidnapper, “We received your message and we understand.” They ask the person to return their mother and say that “we will pay.”Feb. 9: In another new video, Savannah Guthrie says that “we believe our mom is still out there” and asks followers to report anything suspicious they may see to law enforcement.Feb. 10: The FBI shares images of a possible suspect, who is masked and armed, appearing to tamper with the camera at Nancy Guthrie’s front door the morning she disappeared. The same day, an individual is detained by but later released. The sheriff’s department also confirms it was conducting a “court-authorized search of a location” in Arizona.Feb. 12: The FBI releases a description of the suspect, describing him as a male, about “5’9″ – 5’10” tall, with an average build, who is wearing a black, 25-liter ‘Ozark Trail Hiker Pack’ backpack. The sheriff’s department confirms investigators have recovered “several items of evidence, including gloves” and asks neighbors to submit any video footage that may be relevant. The FBI doubles its reward for information leading to Guthrie’s recovery, to $100,000Feb. 13: The Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirms that law enforcement collected “DNA other than Nancy Guthrie’s and those in close contact to her” from her property. That evening, law enforcement executes a search warrant at a residence “based on a lead we received,” but no arrests are made. Authorities also conduct a traffic stop and question a person, but this does not lead to an arrest.Feb. 15: The FBI says that gloves were recovered that appear to “match the gloves of the subject in the surveillance video,” and they were went to a lab for testing. Guthrie releases a new video, her most recent, saying that “we still have hope and we still believe.”Feb. 16: Nanos confirms that all members of the Guthrie family, including siblings and spouses, have been cleared as possible suspects.Feb. 17: The sheriff’s department confirms that DNA from the gloves recovered near the Guthrie home did not turn up a match in the FBI’s national DNA database.Feb. 18: Nanos tells NBC News that DNA found at Guthrie’s property “may” belong to the suspect, but “we won’t know that until that DNA is separated, sorted out.”
Contributing: Richard Ruelas, Sarah Lapidus, Helen Rummel, Rey Covarrubias Jr., Perry Vandell, Arizona Republic; Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY