Savannah Guthrie says her family is living through “unending trauma” as the desperate search for her missing 84-year-old mother stretches into a fifth painful month with no clear answers.
Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Arizona home in the early hours of Feb. 1, 2026, sparking a massive investigation that has involved local authorities and the FBI.
More than 150 days later, one of the few major clues remains chilling security footage showing a masked man approaching Nancy’s front door.
For Savannah and her family, the waiting has become almost unbearable.
“It is five months of agony and unending trauma for our family,” the “Today” host said in a July 1 statement to Arizona station KOLD News 13.
“There is not a moment that goes by that we aren’t actively trying to find our mom.”
Savannah also thanked the Tucson community, along with the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, for continuing to work the case.
“We thank the people of Tucson for holding her in their hearts, as well as both the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Office for their tireless work on behalf of our family,” she said. “Bring her home.”
Investigators Pursue New DNA Leads
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said the investigation remains active and that detectives are now examining new leads involving DNA and genetic genealogy.
The process can be complicated, Nanos explained, because a possible DNA match may lead investigators to a distant relative rather than directly to a suspect.
“Especially when you throw in genealogy—now, you’ve got… this may not be the bad guy, but this person might be the bad guy’s relative three times over,” Nanos told KOLD News 13.
“So that has to be broken down to see if this might be someone of interest to us.”
Fake Ransom Notes Add Cruel Twist
The FBI has also been investigating a series of ransom notes sent to media outlets, including TMZ, during the search for Nancy.
But the disturbing messages appear to have only added more pain and confusion for a family already desperate for answers.
On Thursday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced that 42-year-old Los Angeles resident Derrick Callella had pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment using a telecommunications device after sending fake ransom notes.
Callella faces up to two years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
His guilty plea came as reports surfaced claiming that none of the ransom notes sent in connection with Nancy’s disappearance were believed to be genuine.
Nancy was last seen by her family on Jan. 31. Investigators believe she may have been taken from her home during the early morning hours of Feb. 1.
Her family reported her missing after she failed to show up for church later that day.
Five months later, Savannah and her loved ones are still pleading for the one outcome they have refused to stop fighting for: bringing Nancy home.
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