Authorities say evidence at the 84-year-old woman’s home suggests she did not leave on her own.
TUCSON, AZ — Deputies and search-and-rescue teams on Monday scoured the Catalina Foothills north of Tucson for Nancy Guthrie, 84, the mother of “Today” show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, after investigators said signs at her home indicated a crime and not a voluntary disappearance.
Officials said the case shifted quickly from a typical missing-person call to a major investigation because of evidence found inside the residence and because Guthrie has limited mobility and needs daily medication. Sheriff Chris Nanos said homicide detectives joined search crews, drones and K-9 units in the neighborhood, while analysts pulled video from nearby cameras and scanned license plate readers. The family reported Guthrie missing around midday Sunday after she failed to appear at church, drawing widespread attention as colleagues on national television shared the news.
Guthrie was last seen around 9:30 p.m. Saturday at her home in the Catalina Foothills, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. Family members had visited earlier that evening, investigators said. When relatives could not reach her Sunday, deputies conducted a welfare check. “There are things at the residence that concern us,” Sheriff Nanos said, declining to detail what was found. “This isn’t someone who just wandered off.” He added that search teams used drones and a helicopter to sweep desert washes and arroyos, while deputies knocked on doors throughout the cul-de-sac and adjacent streets.
Authorities emphasized that Guthrie does not have dementia and would be unlikely to leave without telling anyone. Because of her health needs, time is a factor. Investigators canvassed hospitals and care centers and asked neighbors to check home security systems for motion clips between late Saturday and early Sunday. Nanos said his office paused some ground operations Monday morning so crews could rest after an overnight effort, but aerial searches continued. “What I really need is this community to step up with any tip, big or small,” he said. He noted there was no indication of an ongoing threat to the public.
Neighbors in the foothills described a quiet, well-kept street where wildlife and occasional hikers are more common than police tape. Several residents said deputies requested access to exterior cameras and doorbell systems. One resident said he saw patrols circulating before dawn Monday. The sheriff’s department also requested data from traffic cameras along major arterials that feed into the neighborhood. Detectives were examining whether any service providers, delivery drivers or contractors were in the area around the time Guthrie was last seen. As of Monday afternoon, officials had not identified a suspect or vehicle of interest and did not disclose exactly what evidence triggered the criminal probe.
Savannah Guthrie did not appear on the “Today” broadcast Monday. In a message shared by colleagues on air, the anchor thanked viewers for their prayers and said the family’s focus is bringing her mother home. She later traveled to Arizona to be with relatives and meet with investigators, according to the sheriff. Friends in Tucson said Nancy Guthrie is active in her church community and is known for greeting neighbors during evening walks when the weather cools. “This is heartbreaking,” said Carol Davis, who lives a few houses away. “We’re all checking our cameras and talking to each other.”
Records show the foothills area has seen a mix of search-and-rescue calls and routine property crimes typical of a suburban community bordering open desert. Deputies said the terrain complicates searches, with mesquite thickets, washes and steep slopes that can hide footprints or tire tracks after weekend winds. Search commanders set up a staging area near the neighborhood and deployed teams in grids, prioritizing drainage paths and road exits. Emergency managers contacted federal partners for aerial support, and Border Patrol units briefly assisted with a helicopter sweep early Monday, officials said.
Investigators’ next steps include re-interviewing relatives and neighbors, obtaining broader search warrants for digital devices and mapping vehicle movements that night, according to the sheriff. If evidence supports it, authorities could issue a regional alert with a detailed suspect or vehicle description. As of Monday evening, no public briefing had been scheduled for Tuesday, but officials said updates would be released as milestones are reached. The department asked residents within a several-mile radius to preserve any exterior video from late Saturday through midday Sunday in case detectives seek copies.
On the street where deputies worked through the day, yellow tape fluttered against saguaros and palo verdes, and a patrol SUV idled near the driveway as technicians photographed the entryway. A deputy carried a brown paper evidence bag to a van while neighbors waited behind the tape. “They told us they’re doing everything they can,” said Miguel Ortega, who lives around the corner. “We just want her found safe.” As dusk neared, a drone lifted off again, its hum fading toward the ridgeline above the subdivision.
Authorities said the search remains active Monday night, with aerial sweeps and targeted follow-up at the home. The next update is expected after investigators review overnight tips and newly collected video on Tuesday. No arrests have been made.
Author note: Last updated February 2, 2026.