Authorities found blood inside the Tucson home of Nancy Guthrie, law enforcement sources said, heightening concerns that the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie was the victim of foul play.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen Saturday night at her residence, and local authorities say she may have been forcibly taken in the middle of the night.
Family went to her residence Sunday afternoon after they were alerted that she had failed to show up to church that morning, according to the Arizona Department of Public Safety. All of her personal belongings including her wallet, cellphone and car were still there, but she was nowhere to be found.
Officials have not theorized about why she may have been snatched, but Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos appealed Monday to any potential abductor.
“Just call us. Let her go. Just call us. The family will tell you, there’s no questions asked here,” he told NBC News.
Nanos, at a news conference Monday, called on the public for help, asking for reports of anything out of the ordinary or any possible sightings of Nancy Guthrie. A tip line was set up Monday evening, and the Sheriff’s Department is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for images, videos or information that leads to the arrest of the person or people involved in her disappearance.
“We don’t need another bad, tragic ending,” Nanos said, “we need some help.”
Adding to the urgency of the case, Nanos warned that Nancy Guthrie’s life was in immediate danger if she did not take a certain type of medication every day.
Nanos said the department was not aware of any specific threats to Savannah Guthrie that might be related to her mother’s disappearance.
“We’re doing all we can to try to locate her,” Nanos said. “Every tool we have, we will use.”
Details continue to emerge about the scene at Nancy Guthrie’s home.
The sources, who were not authorized to discuss the case publicly, said there were signs of forced entry. It’s unclear whose blood was found inside the house.
“At this point, investigators believe she was taken from the home against her will, possibly [in the] middle of the night,” department spokesperson Kevin Adger told The Times on Monday afternoon. “Detectives are looking into a possible kidnapping or abduction.”
Nanos confirmed that detectives had transitioned their investigation from a missing person case to a criminal case.
“We do in fact have a crime scene; we do in fact have a crime,” Nanos said at the news conference.
“She did not leave on her own, we know that,” he said. “She’s very limited in her mobility.”
On Monday evening, Savannah Guthrie shared a statement on Instagram asking people to pray for her mother’s safe return home.
“Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant,” she wrote. “Raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment.”
On Monday morning, “Today” hosts shared a statement from Savannah Guthrie that thanked viewers for their “thoughts, prayers and messages of support.”
“Right now our focus remains on the safe return of our dear mom,” the longtime “Today” personality and journalist wrote on behalf of her family. She encouraged anyone with information on her mother’s location to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.
