Sheriff says he believes Nancy Guthrie kidnapper could strike again
Sheriff says he believes Nancy Guthrie kidnapper could strike again
Anna Kaufman, USA TODAYFri, March 13, 2026 at 1:07 PM UTC
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Over a month after Savannah Guthrie's 84-year-old mother was abducted from her Arizona home, the sheriff in the case is providing details on a possible motive.
On Thursday, March 12, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told "NBC Nightly News" that he believed Nancy Guthrie's kidnapper could strike again. The case of the "Today" show host's missing mother has captured national attention, after she was reportedly taken against her will in the early morning hours of Feb. 1. An exhaustive search for both her and her abductor has since swept across Arizona, while the Guthrie family has released direct pleas to the suspect.
"We believe we know why he did this, and we believe that it was targeted," Nanos told NBC correspondent Liz Kreutz. "We're not 100% sure of that, so it would be silly to tell people, 'Yeah, don't worry about it, you're not a target.'"
1 / 0Search for Nancy Guthrie and person suspected of taking her continues
“Today” show host Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, was seemingly abducted from her home outside Tucson, Arizona, in the early hours of Feb. 1, 2026. Authorities released photos and videos on Feb. 10, of a potential suspect who was caught tampering with a camera on her front door on the morning of her disappearance.
Savannah Guthrie visits 'Today' show, plans full return
"Don't think for a minute that because it happened to the Guthrie family, you're safe. No, keep your wits about you," he continued. "From day one, we had some strong beliefs about what happened, and those beliefs haven't diminished."
The investigation into Guthrie's disappearance has looped in old-school DNA leads and newer technology to surface images of the alleged suspect from a doorbell camera in front of the elderly woman's home. Private companies, working with local police and the FBI, were able to retrieve footage of a masked and armed man approaching Guthrie's home the night of the kidnapping.
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Nanos also told NBC that they're looking into a potential Wi-Fi jammer being used to interrupt Guthrie's internet service the night of the crime.
1 / 0Search for Nancy Guthrie and person suspected of taking her continues
New images released by authorities on Feb. 10, 2026, from a Nest camera outside Nancy Guthrie's home show an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at the front door on the morning of her disappearance on Feb. 1.
When was Savannah Guthrie's mom Nancy, last seen?
Nancy Guthrie has not been seen since Jan. 31, and her family reported her missing the following morning.
After she failed to show up at a friend's house to watch a church service online on Feb. 1, as she routinely did, they called her daughter, Annie, who lives nearby, a source close to the family told NBC News.
Nancy Guthrie abduction timeline
In a press conference on Feb. 5, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told reporters that doorbell camera video had helped authorities piece together a timeline of Guthrie's kidnapping.
Jan. 31 at 5:32 p.m. Guthrie traveled to her family's house for a game night.
Jan. 31 at 9:48 p.m. Her family dropped her back at home, and the garage door opened.
Jan. 31 at 9:50 p.m. The garage door closed.
Feb. 1 at 1:47 a.m. Doorbell camera in front of Guthrie's home disconnected.
Feb. 1 at 2:12 a.m. Software for the smart home detected a person on the camera.
Feb. 1 at 2:28 a.m. Guthrie's pacemaker app shows it was disconnected from her phone.
Feb. 1 at 11:56 a.m. The family checks on her.
Feb. 1 at 12:03 p.m. Family calls 911 to report her missing.
Feb. 1 at 12:15 p.m. Patrol cars arrive.
Contributing: Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY; Richard Ruelas and Sarah Lapidus, Arizona Republic
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nancy Guthrie was 'targeted,' sheriff says he believes he knows why
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