The desperate search for “TODAY” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie’s mother stretched into its fourth day Wednesday as local and federal authorities continue to investigate her possible abduction.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported missing Sunday afternoon from her home outside Tucson, Arizona, after she did not show up at church, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told NBC News. She was last seen around 9:45 p.m. the previous day, when family members dropped her off at home.
The sheriff’s department believes Guthrie was taken “possibly in the middle of the night, and that includes possible kidnapping or abduction.” The FBI is now involved in the investigation, which also includes about 100 detectives from the sheriff’s office. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would commit to sending more federal agents to assist.
In a statement Wednesday morning, the sheriff’s department reiterated that investigators have not identified a suspect or person of interest in the case. “Detectives continue to speak with anyone who may have had contact with Mrs. Guthrie,” the department said, adding that officials were also working closely with her family.
Authorities said they have received “hundreds of leads” and have no credible information that this was a targeted incident. Nanos said Tuesday they are still searching for Guthrie and pinning down a timeline on when she was taken from her home.
There are some technological challenges that occurred with the cameras at Guthrie’s house, making it more difficult for authorities to find any video from those overnight hours when it’s believed that she was taken, according to two senior officials briefed on the investigation.
Nanos said Tuesday that authorities are also trying to find any usable footage from neighbors’ homes, though the landscaping and lack of streetlights in the area make it even harder to capture anything.
Guthrie has limited mobility and is without her necessary daily medication. Nanos said that she has no cognitive issues and her disappearance was not linked to dementia, describing her as “sharp as a tack.”
“We have nothing else to go on but the belief that she is here, she’s present, she’s alive, and we want to save her,” Nanos said.
Reports indicate that ransom notes have been sent to two news outlets referencing Guthrie. NBC News has not seen copies of them. No law enforcement agency has substantiated the reports, but law enforcement officials have said they are investigating them.
In a statement, the Pima County Sheriff’s Office said that it was “aware of reports circulating about possible ransom note(s) regarding the investigation into Nancy Guthrie,” and added that it is “taking all tips and leads very seriously.” It added that anything it receives is shared with its detectives and the FBI.
At a news conference Tuesday, Nanos declined to answer specific questions about the investigation, including which evidence was found at the scene. He previously confirmed that law enforcement officials have Guthrie’s cellphone and car found at her home, where she lives alone and employs part-time staff members.
The sheriff’s office previously said that DNA samples confirmed to be those of Guthrie were collected from the home, but it said it has not confirmed that they were blood. The DNA samples, some of which were still being tested Tuesday, have not pointed to any person of interest, it said. Detectives are also working through any pacemaker information that may be available, the sheriff’s office said.
As the search continues, Savannah Guthrie is set to remain in Arizona and will not be in Italy as planned for coverage of the Olympics, NBC Sports announced Tuesday.
“Savannah will not be joining us at the Olympics as she focuses on being with her family during this difficult time,” NBC Sports said. “Our hearts are with her and the entire Guthrie family as the search continues for their mother.”
