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By Dan Gooding and Joshua Rhett Miller
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An Arizona sheriff investigating the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of Today host Savannah Guthrie said Monday that investigators believe a crime occurred.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos updated reporters on the search for Nancy Guthrie during a press conference early Monday, declaring her Tucson home to be a crime scene.
"We believe now, after we've processed that crime scene, that we do in fact have a crime scene, that we do in fact have a crime," Nanos said. "And we're asking the community's help."
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Nanos said Guthrie, who was last seen late Saturday at her Tucson home, had limited mobility but did not suffer from cognitive issues.
"We know she didn't just walk out of there," Nanos said. "She did not leave on her own."
Nanos said Guthrie, who lived alone, needs medication within 24 hours on Monday while pleading for help from the public to locate her.
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"What I really need is, I need this community to step up and start giving us some calls," he said. "Let us know if you've seen something."
Investigators were scouring license plate readers and surveillance cameras throughout Guthrie's neighborhood for clues regarding her whereabouts, as well as data from her home, Nanos said.
"What I really need is the community's help," he said. "It is a crime scene, we know that. She needs her daily medication."
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Nanos said evidence at the home indicated a crime occurred, but he declined to elaborate. Investigators do not believe there's any active threat to the community, he said.
"We just want to find her and bring her back safe," Nanos said.
Savannah Guthrie thanked the public for their "thoughts, prayers and messages of support" in a statement released Monday.
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"Right now, our focus remains on the safe return of our dear mom," Guthrie told Newsweek. "We thank law enforcement for their hard work on this case and encourage anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff's Department."
Has Savannah Guthrie's Mother Been Found?
Nancy Guthrie remained missing as of midday Monday, Pima County Sheriff Department officials told Newsweek.
Deputies previously said missing persons calls were not uncommon, but that the scene at Guthrie’s home had raised greater concerns. The investigation will likely draw greater attention because the missing woman’s daughter is a prominent journalist, appearing on NBC’s Today show since 2012.
What To Know
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported missing midday Sunday, but had been last seen at around 9:30 p.m. Saturday at her home near East Skyline Drive and North Campbell Avenue in Tucson, Arizona.
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Authorities described Guthrie as 5’5” tall, weighing 150 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Officers searched an area around her home late Sunday, utilizing drones, heat sensors and search dogs.
It wasn't immediately clear what clothing Guthrie may have been wearing at the time of her disappearance and PCSD deputies are concerned that she may have been exposed to cold temperatures. Nanos said investigators became concerned about Guthrie's welfare after finding something at her home, although he did not elaborate during Monday's press conference.
Detectives from the homicide team were on the scene as well, Nanos said, adding that he would not rule out foul play.
Guthrie has no cognitive issues, but she was not said to be in good physical health, PCSD said. All local hospitals and emergency services in the area had been checked.
Nanos said that Savannah Guthrie was not in Tucson at the time of the press conference Sunday night. The mother had appeared alongside her daughter on Today a few times in the past, including in November 2025, when the host returned to her hometown. Savannah Guthrie had arrived in Arizona as of Monday, the sheriff said.
Guthrie, 54, whose father died while she attended high school, has previously discussed her tight bond with her mother. In 2023, the co-host recalled taking her first journalism job in Montana decades earlier and being emphatically encouraged to follow her ambition.
“And that's when she said, 'If you can't leave me, then I didn't do my job right, Savannah,'" Guthrie said of her mother’s selfless gesture. "She just gave me permission to go, you know?"
How Many Siblings Does Savannah Guthrie Have?
Guthrie, whose father Charles died when she was 16 years old, has two older siblings: Annie Guthrie and Camron Guthrie. Savannah previously spoke about her relationship with Annie and how it deepened following the unexpected death of their 49-year-old father in 1988.
"Our whole family just hung onto each other for dear life because it was such a shock,” Savannah Guthrie said in 2017. "We were just trying to figure out how to become a family of four, when we had always been a family of five."
What People Are Saying
Jenna Bush Hager, co-host of NBC's Today with Jenna & Sheinelle, on Monday: "We love Nancy. I know her personally. And we just want to report too that she takes daily medication and she needs them for survival. She’s without her medication so we are thinking of our dearest, dearest Savannah and her whole family right now. Our prayers obviously go out to Savannah and the entire family."
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, late Sunday: “I don’t need to tell you, this is very concerning to us. We don’t typically get the sheriff out on a scene like this, but it’s very concerning.”
What Happens Next
Investigators asked the community to send tips for possible details on Guthrie's whereabouts. An investigation is ongoing, Nanos said. Anyone with information should contact the Pima County Sheriff's Department at (520) 351-4900.
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