When authorities were initially called to Nancy Guthrie\u2019s desert home a few miles north of Tucson on Sunday, they immediately found what officials described as suspicious and concerning circumstances.<\/p>\n
There was no sign of the 84-year-old<\/a> mom of \u201cToday\u201d show host Savannah Guthrie, but essentials she would travel with remained: her cell phone, wallet, car and medication. While she was of sound mind, she had physical ailments that kept her from walking very far \u2014 suggesting she didn\u2019t leave on her own. <\/p>\n According to law enforcement sources not authorized to speak about the case publicly, there was blood at the scene and someone appeared to have forced their way inside. A security camera frame at her front door was empty, though it was unclear for how long. <\/p>\n Now, three days into the search for her and her possible abductors, the mystery has only deepened. <\/p>\n Authorities on Tuesday said they couldn\u2019t rule out that she was kidnapped in order to get a ransom about an hour before TMZ reported<\/a> it had received an alleged ransom note demanding millions in cryptocurrency for Guthrie\u2019s release. The outlet did not report on when or how it received the note, nor did it reveal of its contents, but did say it was turned over to the Pima County Sheriff\u2019s Department, which is leading the case\u2019s investigation. <\/p>\n Sheriff Chris Nanos said the department is aware of \u201creports circulating about possible ransom note(s)<\/a>\u201d in the Guthrie case, but did not verify the TMZ report.<\/p>\n \u201cWe do believe Nancy was taken from her home against her will,\u201d Nanos said at the news conference Tuesday.<\/p>\n Nancy Guthrie was last seen Saturday night<\/a> at her residence, and local authorities say she may have been forcibly taken in the middle of the night. <\/p>\n Family members went to check on her at her home after they were alerted that she didn\u2019t show up to church Sunday morning, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety. <\/p>\n Officials have not theorized about why she may have been snatched, but Nanos appealed directly to any potential abductor while speaking with the media the day after she was reported missing. <\/p>\n \u201cJust call us. Let her go. Just call us. The family will tell you, there\u2019s no questions asked here,\u201d he told NBC News<\/a>. <\/p>\n At Tuesday\u2019s news conference, officials continued to plea for any information that might help lead to Nancy Guthrie. <\/p>\n \u201cEvery lead and tip is important, we are aggressively pursuing and looking into every single one,\u201d said John Edwards, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI office in Tucson, which is assisting with the ongoing investigation. \u201cAgain, please help us bring Nancy Guthrie home.\u201d<\/p>\n Since she disappeared, investigators have completed searching and processing Nancy Guthrie\u2019s home for any evidence and opened the property back to her family, officials said. They did not provide any details on what was found inside.<\/p>\n Nanos declined to answer many questions about the case, but did confirm that there was an empty frame for a security camera near Guthrie\u2019s front door. He said investigators do not know if it was taken during her disappearance, but said they were looking into it.<\/p>\n The sheriff said investigators did not know what Guthrie was wearing when she disappeared and did not speculate on how many people could have been involved in taking her. <\/p>\n \u201cWe have a lot of work in front of us,\u201d Nanos said. \u201cWe have someone\u2019s life in jeopardy.\u201d<\/p>\n According to sources who spoke with The Times who were not authorized to discuss the case publicly, there were signs of forced entry at her home and blood at the scene. It\u2019s not immediately clear whose blood it was.<\/p>\n