Savannah Guthrie and her two brothers posted a tearful video Wednesday in which they pleaded for the return of their mother, Nancy Guthrie, and asked her would-be kidnapper to contact them.
“We live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know, without a doubt, that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen. Please contact us,” Guthrie says in the video posted on Instagram.
She says she is aware of reports of a ransom demand and that the family is willing to talk.
“Today” co-host Guthrie expresses concern for her mother’s health. “He lives in constant pain. He doesn't have any medication. He needs them to survive and not suffer.”
Guthrie describes her mother as “kind, faithful, loyal and fiercely loving.”
“She loves fun and adventure. She is a devoted friend. She is full of kindness and knowledge. Talk to her and you will see.”
“Mom, if you're listening,” Annie Guthrie says, “we need you to come home, we miss you.”
Authorities have been searching for Nancy Guthrie, 84, for four days.
There was evidence that someone had broken into his Tucson home and there was blood on the premises, according to law enforcement sources not authorized to discuss the case publicly. Images reviewed by The Times showed a trail of blood drops near the front door of the home.
On Wednesday morning, amid rumors circulating online about who might be involved, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators had not yet identified any suspects or persons of interest.
“While we appreciate the public's concern, sharing unverified allegations or false information is irresponsible and does not help the investigation,” the sheriff said in a social media post.
The statement comes as details of the case have emerged and after several media outlets reported receiving possible ransom notes requesting money in exchange for the release of Nancy Guthrie. The Sheriff's Department said it was aware of those notes but did not verify their authenticity.
“We have nothing else to go on except the belief that she is here, she is present, she is alive and we want to save her,” Nanos told NBC during an interview Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the sheriff said investigators still “don't know where she is” and asked anyone who may have had contact with her to come forward.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen by family members around 9:30 p.m. Saturday, according to officials, when they dropped her off at her home in Catalina Foothills, a community just north of Tucson.
The next morning, around 11 a.m., family members were notified that their mother had not shown up to church, prompting them to go to her house to check on her. She was nowhere to be found.
Shortly after, his family reported him missing.
Local authorities said they immediately found “concerning circumstances” at the home and later said Nancy Guthrie may have been forcibly abducted in the middle of the night.
“We believe Nancy was taken from her home against her will,” Nanos said at a news conference Tuesday.
In Wednesday's Instagram video, Savannah Guthrie says, “Our mother is our heart and our home. She is 84 years old. Her health, her heart, is fragile… We will not rest, her children will not rest, until we are together again.”
