As the search for Savannah Guthrie‘s missing mom, Nancy Guthrie, stretches into its sixth day, Arizona authorities remain hopeful that the 84-year-old woman, who they believe was abducted from her home, is still alive.
In a brief interview that aired on Friday’s Today show, NBC News‘ Liz Kreutz asked Pima County sheriff Chris Nanos what give him hope that the elder Guthrie is still out there.
The visibly emotional sheriff indicated he was trying to stay optimistic.
“You have to have hope,” Nanos said, sounding like he was holding back tears. “You have to have hope. Come on, this is somebody’s mom. We’re gonna find her.”
In a Thursday press conference, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and FBI said they still had no suspects or persons of interest in the case, though they did reveal that the blood found on the porch of Nancy Guthrie’s home had tested positive as her own. But, as they shared a timeline of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, they announced they were expanding their search efforts with billboards and a $50,000 reward for any information on Nancy Guthrie’s whereabouts. Nanos also cautioned reporters against mistakenly identifying people as suspects.
Also Friday, Hoda Kotb, Savannah Guthrie’s longtime Today show co-host who stepped down from the program roughly a year ago, rejoined the NBC morning show to reflect on the outpouring of support for her colleague and friend.
Kotb anchored a segment about the support Savannah Guthrie is receiving from fellow media figures like CBS Mornings‘ Gayle King and ABC World News Tonight‘s David Muir, both of whom were shown expressing their sympathy for Savannah Guthrie on their respective shows on rival networks.
Kotb also highlighted the Hollywood stars who had expressed their support for Savannah Guthrie, mentioning Jennifer Garner specifically, who wrote “May God hold Nancy and her family in the palm of his hands.”
Despite a “helpless feeling,” Kotb, who joined co-hosts Carson Daly, Sheinelle Jones and Craig Melvin at the desk, said she was trying to be patient as she recalled all of the times Savannah Guthrie showed up for her colleagues.
“I mean, we’re all so close with her and we all want to help her,” she said. “I’m looking at us and thinking like, who was first in the hospital room when [my daughter] Hope was sick? Savannah. Who hopped on a plane when [Daly’s] parents [died]? Savannah. Who was sitting by [Jones’ late husband] Uche Ojeh? How about when [Melvin’s] brother passed? I mean, she was there. I was thinking this morning, you know, they say love is patient, love is kind. Like, we’ll be patient and put prayers up. And that’s all we can do.”
“Prayer and hope,” Melvin reiterated.
Nancy Guthrie was reported missing over the weekend and the Sheriff’s Department on Monday said it was being treated as a crime scene, and that the elder Guthrie was likely taken against her will in a “possible kidnapping or abduction.”
Meanwhile, Savannah Guthrie earlier this week pulled out of NBC’s Winter Olympics coverage in Milan starting Friday as she focuses on being with her family and urges prayers. (NBC later named Mary Carillo as her replacement.)
Though Nancy Guthrie is of sound mind she’s said to have mobility issues and is reportedly without her daily medications leaving her vulnerable to life-threatening issues if not taken every 24 hours.
The Guthrie family has released two videos on social media in an attempt to reach Nancy Guthrie’s alleged kidnappers and receive proof that she’s still alive.
A ransom note was obtained by TMZ and at least two local news outlets in Arizona, demanding billions in Bitcoin and setting deadlines for cooperation, the first of which passed yesterday with a second deadline set for Monday. The FBI is still investigating the legitimacy of the note.
“As with every lead, we are taking it seriously. We are in communication with the family, and while we advise and recommend, from a law enforcement perspective, any action taken on any ransom is ultimately decided by the family,” FBI agent Heith Janke said during Thursday’s press conference.
