Police say they believe Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, 84, was taken from her home against her will before her family reported her missing at her Arizona residence the next day.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen the night of Jan. 31 at her home outside Tucson and was reported missing by her family at noon on Feb. 1, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said at a Feb. 2 news conference. Nancy Guthrie’s home is being considered a crime scene, he told reporters, adding that aspects of the scene “were concerning.”
Speaking to Tom Llamas on NBC Nightly News on February 2, Nanos said, “We believe she was taken from the house against her will, and that’s how this investigation is moving forward.”
“I can’t remember the last time that, in the middle of the night, in someone’s bed, an 84-year-old woman disappeared before us,” he added.
Law enforcement officials also told NBC News they believe Nancy Guthrie was injured when she was taken from her home.
Nancy Guthrie does not have cognitive problems, Nanos said at the news conference, but she has physical challenges and requires medications that can be fatal if not received within 24 hours.
“She has very limited mobility, we know she didn’t walk out of there, we know that,” Nanos said. “There were other things at the location that indicate she did not leave alone.”
Nanos later said at the press conference that Nancy Guthrie “couldn’t walk 50 yards by herself.”
Nanos did not elaborate on what makes it a crime scene, saying “it would be inappropriate at this time.”
He added that the search for Nancy Guthrie has been “closed” because her disappearance is being treated as a crime. Savannah and her family have been in contact with police, she said.
“Right now, we don’t see this as a search mission but as a crime scene,” he said.
Savannah, who Nanos said is now in Arizona, issued a statement on February 2 on behalf of her family.
“On behalf of our family, I want to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers and messages of support,” he said. “At this time, our focus remains on the safe return of our beloved mother. We thank authorities for their hard work on this case and encourage anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at (520) 351-4900.”
Her family told police they were alerted to her disappearance when they received a call from someone at their local church saying Nancy Guthrie was not there. The family then went to her house and looked for her before calling the police.
Authorities are in possession of Nancy Guthrie’s cell phone, according to Nanos. She lives alone and has staff at the home, some of whom have been in contact with authorities, according to the sheriff.
Police do not know if Nancy Guthrie was attacked because she is Savannah’s mother and is not aware of any threats made to Savannah after speaking with her, Nanos said.
Nanos added that he does not believe the public is in any danger.
Nanos said several teams responded to the scene, including homicide detectives. Foul play cannot be ruled out, he said.
“Normally you don’t bring out the sheriff at a scene like this, but what we’re learning from the house is very concerning,” he said at his first news conference on Feb. 1.
Nancy Guthrie is described as 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighing 150 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Her family last saw her at home between 9:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. on Saturday, Nanos said.
Authorities had been searching using drones, a helicopter, a plane, search and rescue dogs and volunteers, Nanos said Feb. 1.
Savannah has often described her close relationship with her mother. Her father, Charles, died when she was 16, leaving Nancy a single mother to Savannah and her two brothers.
