Police say they believe Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, was taken from her home against her will before her family reported her missing from her Arizona residence the following day.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen on the night of Jan. 31 at her home outside Tucson and was reported missing at noon on Feb. 1 by her family, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said at a news conference on Feb. 2. Nancy Guthrie’s home is being considered a crime scene, he told reporters, adding that aspects of the scene “were concerning.”
Speaking to Tom Llamas on NBC Nightly News on Feb. 2, Nanos said, “We believe she was taken out of the home against her will, and that’s how this investigation is moving.”
“I can’t think of the last time where in the middle of the night in someone’s bed, an 84-year-old woman disappeared on us,” he added.
Law enforcement officials also told NBC News that they believe Nancy Guthrie was harmed when she was taken from her home.
Savannah with her mom, Nancy, on TODAY in 2023.Nathan Congleton / TODAY
Nancy Guthrie does not have cognitive issues, Nanos said at the press conference, but has physical challenges and is in need of medication that can be fatal if not received within 24 hours.
“She is very limited in her mobility, we know she didn’t just walk out of there, that we know,” Nanos said. “There were other things at the scene that indicate that she did not leave on her own.”
Nanos said later in the press conference that Nancy Guthrie “could not walk 50 yards by herself.”
Nanos would not elaborate on what makes it a crime scene, saying “it would be inappropriate at this time.”
He added that a search for Nancy Guthrie has been “shut down” because her disappearance is being treated as a crime. Savannah and her family have been in touch with police, he said.
“Right now, we don’t see this as a search mission as much as we do a crime scene,” he said.
Savannah, whom Nanos said is now in Arizona, issued a statement on Feb. 2 on behalf of their family.
“On behalf of our family, I want to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers and messages of support,” she said. “Right now, our focus remains on the safe return of our dear mom. We thank law enforcement for their hard work on this case and encourage anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at (520) 351-4900.”
Her family told police they were alerted to her disappearance when they received a call from someone at their local church saying Nancy Guthrie was not there. The family then went to her house and searched for her before calling police.
Authorities are in possession of Nancy Guthrie’s cell phone, according to Nanos. She lives alone and had house staff, some of whom have been in touch with law enforcement, according to the sheriff.
Police do not know if Nancy Guthrie was targeted because she is Savannah’s mother and are not aware of threats aimed at Savannah after speaking with her, Nanos said.
Nanos added that he does not believe the public is in any danger.
Nanos said multiple teams responded to the scene, including homicide detectives. Foul play cannot be ruled out, he said.
“You don’t typically get the sheriff out at a scene like this, but it’s very concerning what we’re learning from the house,” he said at his first news conference Feb. 1.
Nancy Guthrie is described as 5 feet, 5 inches tall, weighing 150 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Her family last saw her at home around 9:30 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. Saturday, Nanos said.
Officials had been searching using drones, a helicopter, an airplane, search-and-rescue dogs and volunteers, Nanos said on Feb. 1.
Savannah has often described her close relationship with her mother. Her father, Charles, died when she was 16 years old, leaving Nancy as a single mother of Savannah and her two siblings.