TUCSON, AZ — The desperate, week-long search for the mother of NBC Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie has entered a haunting new phase of negotiation.
In a raw video statement released on Saturday, Savannah Guthrie, flanked by her siblings Annie and Camron, addressed the unidentified captors of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie with a direct, unprecedented offer: the family is ready to pay.
“We received your message, and we understand,” a visibly shaken Savannah said into the camera. “We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”
The plea marks a dramatic shift in the investigation, signaling that the Guthrie family has moved beyond public appeals for information and into the high-stakes reality of a ransom negotiation.
The ‘New Message’ and the Bitcoin Deadline
The family’s sudden willingness to meet financial demands follows reports from the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department of a “new, authenticated message” received late Friday.
While authorities have been tight-lipped about the specific contents of the email—which was first reported by Tucson station KOLD-TV—the FBI had previously disclosed the existence of a ransom note that included:
- The Demands: A “substantial sum” requested in Bitcoin.
- The Deadlines: An initial deadline of Thursday at 5:00 p.m., followed by a secondary “final” warning for this coming Monday.
- The Specifics: Details only a captor would know, including the state of a disconnected floodlight at the home and the location of Nancy’s Apple Watch.
A Race Against Biology
For investigators and the Guthrie family, the financial cost is secondary to the biological clock. Nancy Guthrie, described by neighbors as “sharp as a tack” but physically frail, suffers from chronic cardiac issues and requires a daily regimen of vital medication.
“It is now day seven,” Sheriff Chris Nanos stated in a brief update. “We are past the point of caution. Every hour she is without her medicine increases the risk of a fatal event. Our objective is no longer just an arrest; it is a recovery.”
The investigation has transformed the quiet, upscale Catalina Foothills neighborhood into a fortress of federal activity. FBI agents have reportedly removed a rooftop camera from Nancy’s home for forensic analysis, while technical teams continue to attempt to “bypass” the lack of a cloud subscription on her doorbell camera, which was manually disconnected minutes before she was taken.
The National Spotlight
The case has become a national obsession, briefly eclipsing even the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics—which Savannah Guthrie was scheduled to co-host before the abduction.
The political weight of the case has also intensified. President Donald Trump, who spoke with Savannah earlier this week, reiterated on Saturday that he has placed “all federal assets” at the family’s disposal. The White House has characterized the kidnapping not just as a criminal act, but as an “assault on a prominent American family.”
Timeline of a Crisis
- Jan 31 (9:50 p.m.): Nancy is dropped off at her home after dinner.
- Feb 1 (1:47 a.m.): Doorbell camera is disconnected.
- Feb 1 (2:28 a.m.): Nancy’s pacemaker app loses connection, signaling her removal from the house.
- Feb 5 (5:00 p.m.): First ransom deadline passes without contact.
- Feb 7: Savannah Guthrie goes public with the “we will pay” pledge.
As the second deadline of Monday morning looms, the Tucson desert remains a landscape of anxious silence. For Savannah Guthrie, the transition from journalist to negotiator is complete. The message to the captors is clear: the family is no longer looking for justice—they are looking for their mother.