New video has revealed a trail of blood leading from the front door of Nancy Guthrie’s Arizona home and a missing doorbell camera in the wake of the 84-year-old’s disappearance.
Nancy, mother of Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie, was last seen Saturday night. Authorities believe she was abducted from her home in the Catalina Foothills, outside Tucson, against her will.
NewsNation released video of dried droplets of blood on stone slabs outside her front door, leading away from the house. It was also discovered that a Ring doorbell security camera had been removed from Guthrie’s front door by the time police arrived at her home, they said. The popular home security brand’s cameras often attached to doorframes and can be used to keep track of people outside of people’s houses.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said during a press conference Tuesday that investigators are examining whether the doorbell camera was intentionally removed.
Guthrie’s brick home sits at the end of a gravel driveway and her yard is covered in prickly pear and saguaro cactus, making it difficult for the front door of the house to be seen from the street.
Nancy was last seen Saturday night at around 9:30 p.m. When she failed to show up for church on Sunday morning, someone called a family member. Family searched her home and then called 911 a short time later, Nanos said.
In the hours after she disappeared, search teams used drones and dogs and were supported by volunteers and Border Patrol. The homicide team was also involved, Nanos said.
Nanos declined to say whether Nancy’s disappearance was a random or targeted abduction and gave no description of evidence found at the home.
“We’re looking at this from every angle but we need your help,” Nanos said.
The sheriff noted that Nancy needs daily medication and could die without it. When asked Tuesday whether investigators believe they are searching for someone who is still alive, Nanos replied: “We hope we are.”
Investigators say Nancy, who lived alone, has limited mobility but no cognitive issues and would not have left voluntarily. Her cellphone and car were found at her home. Law enforcement cleared the scene and released the property back to family Tuesday.
”We don't know where she is,” Nanos admitted. “We do believe that Nancy was taken from her home against her will, and that's where we're at.”
Investigators have gathered DNA samples from the home and those have been submitted for analysis, Nanos said, but he declined to provide additional details.
“I’m not saying there’s blood inside that house or outside that house,” the sheriff said Tuesday.
“What I’m saying is our team will process the scene. Like you would think of any crime scene, we go in and we process it. We look for things like that, blood, DNA, any kind of physical evidence, fingerprints, anything, and all of that is gathered and submitted to a lab.”
”We’ve gotten some back, but nothing to indicate any suspects,” Nanos added.
The motive remains a mystery. Investigators do not believe at this point that the abduction was part of a robbery, home invasion or kidnapping-for-ransom plot, the person said.
Late Tuesday, TMZ and two local networks reported receiving ransom notes demanding millions of dollars in Bitcoin for Nancy Guthrie’s return. Both outlets said they turned over the notes to investigators.
Nanos told CBS News the notes are “like any piece of evidence.” The sheriff’s department said it’s taking the possible ransom notes and other tips seriously but declined to comment further.
“We are aware of reports circulating about possible ransom notes regarding the investigation into Nancy Guthrie,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement. “We are taking all tips and leads very seriously. Anything that comes in goes directly to our detectives who are coordinating with the FBI.”
On Wednesday morning, the sheriff’s office said in a statement that investigators still do not have a suspect or person of interest.
Savannah Guthrie was absent from the Today show again Wednesday, and NBC Sports said Guthrie will not be covering the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics “as she focuses on being with her family during this difficult time.”
Guthrie thanked supporters on Instagram for their “prayers.” Describing her mother as a “woman of deep conviction,” she asked for her fans to continue to pray for her mother to be returned home.
“Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant,” she wrote. “Raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment. we need you.”
“‘He will keep in perfect peace those whose hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.’” a verse of Isaiah for all time for all of us. Bring her home,” she added.
