Nancy Guthrie disappearance in Arizona prompts ransom note and public appeals

Nancy Guthrie, 84, vanished from her Catalina Foothills home near Tucson, Arizona, on the night of Jan. 31, 2024. Surveillance captured a masked figure tampering with her doorbell camera before she disappeared. Investigators from the Pima County Sheriff's Department and the FBI have been searching for her, but no suspect or body has been found.

A ransom note allegedly addressed to Savannah Guthrie, the daughter and Today co‑anchor, claimed Nancy was being held safely but threatened to kill her unless a Bitcoin payment of $4 million was made by Feb. 5, later raising the demand to $6 million with a deadline of Feb. 9. The note warned against contacting law enforcement and promised release within 12 hours of payment.

Advocacy survivor Elizabeth Smart, herself a former kidnapping victim, urged the public not to give up hope, noting the absence of a body means the case remains open. She called for compassion for the Guthrie family while emphasizing that investigators have released few updates. The case has drawn national attention and extensive online speculation, including references to an unidentified “Porch Guy” seen near the property.