TUCSON, AZ — A chilling new development has emerged in the search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie. Law enforcement sources have revealed that the primary suspect in her abduction may have visited her front door on at least one occasion prior to the night she was taken.
The revelation, first reported by ABC News and later confirmed by CBS, suggests a level of premeditation in a case that has already gripped the nation. According to the source, doorbell camera images recovered from Guthrie’s Nest system appear to show the same masked individual on her doorstep on a separate day before the suspected kidnapping on February 1, 2026.
The Footage: A Masked Stalker?
The FBI previously released grainy, black-and-white footage of a masked intruder armed with a handgun on the porch of Guthrie’s Catalina Foothills home the night she vanished. In that footage, the suspect is seen carrying a 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack and eventually covering the camera lens with nearby plants.
The newly surfaced images, however, show the same masked individual but without the backpack. This subtle difference led investigators to believe the appearances occurred on different dates, pointing toward a possible “stalking” phase or a failed initial attempt.
However, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, led by Sheriff Chris Nanos, has pushed back against these reports. In a statement released on X (formerly Twitter), the department cautioned:
“There is no date or time stamp associated with these images. Therefore, any suggestion that the photographs were taken on different days is purely speculative.”
A Timeline of Disappearance
Nancy Guthrie was last seen on the evening of January 31, 2026, after having dinner with her family. Her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, dropped her off at approximately 9:50 p.m. The official timeline released by authorities reveals a rapid and violent sequence of events in the early hours of the following morning:
- 1:47 a.m.: The doorbell camera is manually disconnected.
- 2:12 a.m.: Motion sensors are triggered, but no video is saved due to an inactive subscription.
- 2:28 a.m.: The signal from Nancy’s Bluetooth-enabled pacemaker disconnects from her phone—a detail that has led many to believe this was the exact moment she was removed from the property.
Responding officers later found Guthrie’s phone, wallet, medications, and hearing aids still inside the house. Blood spatters found on the front porch were later confirmed through DNA testing to belong to the 84-year-old.
Investigation Updates: Rewards and Ransom Notes
The search for Nancy has entered its fourth week with no arrests and no “proof of life.” The case has seen several bizarre turns, including:
- Ransom Demands: Multiple “well-constructed” ransom notes demanding millions in Bitcoin were sent to local news stations. While one “imposter” has been arrested for a fraudulent note, the FBI continues to analyze the others.
- The Reward: The total reward for information leading to Nancy’s safe return has climbed to over $200,000, combined from the FBI and private donations.
- Forensic Struggles: Sheriff Nanos recently revealed that DNA samples found at the scene are “mixed,” meaning they contain genetic material from multiple people, making it difficult to find a clean match in the national CODIS database.
The Guthrie Family’s Plea
Savannah Guthrie has remained off the air since her mother’s disappearance, staying in Arizona to coordinate with investigators. Along with her siblings, Annie and Camron, she has released several emotional video messages.
“We are ready to talk,” Savannah said in a direct appeal to the kidnappers. “We just need to know she is okay. Please, do the right thing.”
The investigation remains active, with the FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department following up on more than 40,000 tips from the public.
Would you like me to create a digital map of the search area in Tucson or draft a template for a missing person flyer that you can share?
Today show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother is missing
This video provides a direct look at the early stages of the investigation and the Pima County Sheriff’s assessment that Nancy Guthrie was taken against her will.