Nancy Guthrie, an 84-year-old woman from Catalina Foothills, Arizona, vanished from her home on the night of January 31, 2026. A masked man caught on her doorbell camera is now believed to have visited her house at least once before that night, marking a key development in the Guthrie suspect case. She was last seen when her son-in-law dropped her off around 9:50 p.m. after dinner with family. The next day, she didn't show up for a virtual church service. Her family called 911 around noon. Deputies arrived soon after and found signs she was taken against her will. Blood near the door tested as hers. Her phone and other items stayed behind. The doorbell camera had been tampered with. Branches blocked the lens. This points to planning. The case shifted fast to a criminal probe. Federal agents joined in. It's grabbed attention worldwide because she's the mother of NBC's Savannah Guthrie.
Key Takeaways
- Masked man seen on doorbell footage visited Nancy Guthrie's home before January 31 abduction.
- He's about 5-foot-9, medium build, wore ski mask, jacket, pants, gloves, carried a backpack from Walmart and a gun in a holster.
- Gloves matching his found two miles away; DNA didn't match national database but more tests underway.
- Family ruled out; ransom notes under review, no proof of life yet.
Background
Nancy Guthrie lived quietly in Catalina Foothills, just outside Tucson. At 84, she had trouble walking more than 50 yards on her own. She needed daily meds. A pacemaker kept her heart going. It has Bluetooth that reaches 218 yards. Search teams use helicopters and crews to ping it. No signal yet. She was a widow. Her husband Charles died in 1988. She has kids, including Savannah, the Today show anchor. Savannah stepped away from work, even Olympics coverage, to help search. Her siblings made videos begging for her return. They offered to pay ransom if needed.
The night she went missing started normal. Son-in-law Tommaso Cioni, married to daughter Annie, drove her home from family dinner. He left around 9:50 p.m. That's the last anyone saw her safe. Morning came. No Nancy at church watch party. Worry set in quick. Family dialed 911 at 12:03 p.m. Deputies hit the door by 12:15. Inside, everything looked wrong. Her stuff untouched. No sign she walked out. Blood trail by the front entrance. Doorbell cam yanked or blocked. Forensics confirmed the blood was hers. They won't say how much or injury details. But it screamed abduction.
Sheriff Chris Nanos called it straight. Evidence showed a crime inside. Not voluntary. She couldn't have gone far alone. Homicide team stepped up. FBI brought resources. Searches kicked off with dogs, drones, border patrol help. Ground teams swept areas. Nothing. Tips poured in. Tens of thousands. They're sifting them still. Online sleuths formed groups. Moms trading Ring footage timelines. But pros lead the way.
And now this twist. The Guthrie suspect didn't show up out of nowhere. Footage places him at her door earlier. Sources close to the probe say it was before February 1. FBI images show him backpack-less first. Then with it on disappearance morning. Theory goes he spotted the camera, got spooked, came back bolder. Tampered with it. Added branches. Neighbors asked to check cams back to January 1. Vehicles too. Wider net.
"You have no proof, nobody does, that she’s not (alive). I’m going to have that faith. Sometimes that hope is all we have." – Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos
Key Details
The man stands 5-foot-9. Medium build. Ski mask hid his face. Long pants. Jacket. Gloves. Backpack screams Walmart exclusive. Gun in holster. All clues. FBI wants him ID'd. Public tips key.
Gloves found two miles off. Looked like his. DNA tested. No hit in CODIS, the big crime database. But they're not stopping. Genetic genealogy next. Other databases too. Matches possible soon.
Evidence from the Home
Blood at entry. Hers. Phone inside. Essentials left. Camera messed with. Branches over lens. Signs of struggle or force. Processed as crime scene. Forensics ongoing. Pacemaker hunt continues. No ping.
Ransom notes hit news outlets. Details on kidnapping. Demands cash. No verification public. But cops take them serious. Forwarded to FBI. One fake abductor busted in California. Posed as kidnapper. Charged federal.
Family cleared. Cooperative. Victims too, says Nanos. Online chatter wrong. No spouse suspects. Son-in-law last drop-off. All checked.
Searches wide. Drones. Dogs. Choppers. Border aid. Areas near home circled. No body. No trace. Leads stack up. Tips worldwide. Like the war in Ukraine affecting births, this story pulls global eyes. Vulnerable elder gone. High profile kin.
Key Details Continued
Backpack pins Walmart. Clothing narrowing. Gun and holster models eyed. Closer every day, says Nanos. Genealogy on gloves DNA. Pacemaker Bluetooth hunt. All angles.
What This Means
Early visit changes things. Suspect scouted. Knew the setup. Camera aware. Returned prepared. Not random. Planned hit. Wider timeline helps. Neighbors' old footage gold. Vehicles from January. More eyes back then.
Hope hangs thin. No proof she's gone. But time ticks. Meds needed. Pacemaker vital. Sheriff holds faith. Public tips fuel it. Ransom angle live. Family pleads. Savannah off air. World watches.
Vulnerable adult tag ups stakes. Age. Mobility. Health. Abduction clear. International buzz. Tips flood. Mom detectives online swap notes. But feds lead. Fake notes muddy. Real ones possible.
Search no end. Leads thousands. DNA pending. Genealogy brewing. If ping that pacemaker. Game changer. Early scout means he might slip again. Or get caught. Neighbors alert now. Like after that armed breach at Mar-a-Lago, security tightens.
This drags on. Three weeks plus. No break yet. But clues build. Backpack. Gloves. Visits. Gun. All point somewhere. Faith all they've got some days.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Nancy Guthrie go missing?
She was last seen at home on January 31, 2026, around 9:50 p.m. Reported missing February 1 at noon.
Who is the suspect and what do we know?
Masked man, 5-foot-9, medium build. Seen on doorbell cam before and on abduction morning. Walmart backpack. Gloves found nearby. DNA testing ongoing.
Is there any sign she's alive?
No proof of life. Ransom notes unverified. Sheriff hopes. Family begs for contact.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Nancy Guthrie go missing?
She was last seen at home on January 31, 2026, around 9:50 p.m. Reported missing February 1 at noon.
Who is the suspect and what do we know?
Masked man, 5-foot-9, medium build. Seen on doorbell cam before and on abduction morning. Walmart backpack. Gloves found nearby. DNA testing ongoing.
Is there any sign she’s alive?
No proof of life. Ransom notes unverified. Sheriff hopes. Family begs for contact.
