Nancy Guthrie disappearance: Daughter Savannah says ‘ready to talk’ after ransom note surfaces, demands proof of life

Savannah Guthrie, host of NBC’s “Today” show, said Wednesday that her family is prepared to communicate with those holding her mother, but only after receiving confirmation that she is alive, AP reported.

In a recorded video shared on social media, Guthrie added that her family learned of an alleged ransom letter through media reports.

“We are ready to talk. However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated” Guthrie said. “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 reach out to us.”

Watch the video here:

“Is there somebody out there who’s kidnapping elderly people in the middle of the night, every night?” Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said Tuesday. "We don’t believe that’s the case. We believe Nancy was taken from her home against her will.”

The sheriff suggested there was video from some cameras, though he didn’t elaborate, adding: “That’s all been submitted and we’re doing our best with the companies that own those cameras or built those cameras.”

Investigators reported signs of forced entry at the residence in the Catalina Foothills neighbourhood. Guthrie has limited mobility, and authorities do not believe she left voluntarily. During a search on Sunday, a sheriff’s dispatcher told deputies that Guthrie has high blood pressure, a pacemaker and heart problems, according to audio from broadcastify.com.

Jim Mason, longtime commander of a search-and-rescue posse in Maricopa County, isn't involved in the search for Guthrie but said desert terrain can make looking for missing people difficult. He said it can be hard to peer into areas that are dense with mesquite trees, cholla cactus and other desert brush, as reported by Associated Press.

“Some of it is so thick you can’t drive through it,” Mason said.

Multiple media organisations reported receiving purported ransom notes on Tuesday that they handed over to investigators. The sheriff’s department has said it’s taking the notes and other tips seriously but declined to comment further.

The sheriff’s department said Guthrie was last seen around 9:45 p.m. Saturday, when family members dropped her off at home after dinner. She was reported missing around midday Sunday after she failed to show up at church.

“Me and my wife, we watch Savannah every single morning. We’ve heard of her faith. We’ve heard of her mom’s faith. And she’s got such a sweet spirit,” Pastor Charlie Muller said.

The White House said President Donald Trump called and spoke with Savannah Guthrie on Wednesday.

For a third day, “Today” opened with Guthrie’s disappearance, but Savannah Guthrie was not at the anchor’s desk. NBC Sports said Tuesday that she will not be covering the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics “as she focuses on being with her family during this difficult time.”

The “Today” show host grew up in Tucson, earned her degree from the University of Arizona and previously worked as a reporter and anchor at Tucson television station KVOA. Her parents moved to Tucson in the 1970s when she was a young child. The youngest of three siblings, she has credited her mother with keeping the family together after her father died of a heart attack at age 49, when Savannah was just 16.

(With inputs from AP)