The “Today” host has asked for prayers to help bring back her missing 84-year-old mother, who was last seen Saturday night.
WASHINGTON — “Today” host Savannah Guthrie will not be covering the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics after the disappearance of her 84-year-old mother.
NBC Sports confirmed that Guthrie will not fulfill her hosting duties as she “focuses on being with her family during this difficult time.” The Winter Olympics will kick off later this week, and Guthrie was scheduled to cover.
Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, was last seen Saturday night at her home near Tucson, where she lived alone. She was reported missing on Sunday, and investigators found signs of forced entry in the Arizona home.
The Pima County sheriff and the Tucson FBI chief held a news conference Tuesday and urged the public to offer tips, but they revealed few new details about the investigation. Sheriff Chris Nanos declined to say whether the disappearance was thought to be random or targeted or to describe the evidence found at Guthrie’s home.
The sheriff has said Nancy Guthrie needs daily medication and could die without it. Asked whether officials were looking for her alive, he said, “We hope we are.”
DNA samples have been gathered and submitted for analysis as part of the investigation. “We’ve gotten some back, but nothing to indicate any suspects,” Nanos said.
Savannah Guthrie asks for prayers amid mother’s disappearance
In a social media post on Monday, the “Today” host asked for prayers to help bring back her 84-year-old mother.
“We believe in prayer. we believe in voices raised in unison, in love, in hope. we believe in goodness. we believe in humanity. above all, we believe in Him,” she said on Facebook. “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. raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment.
“We need you,” she added. “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,” the “Today” show host said.
Motive still a mystery
The person who spoke to The Associated Press said investigators found specific evidence in the home showing there was a nighttime kidnapping. Several of Guthrie’s personal items, including her cellphone, wallet and car, were still there after she disappeared.
Investigators are reviewing surveillance video from nearby homes and analyzing data from cellphone towers. Police are also reviewing information from license plate cameras in the area, according to the person, who was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the case and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.
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. TMZ reported Tuesday that it received a purported ransom note demanding payment in cryptocurrency for Guthrie’s release. Separately, a journalist with Tucson television station KOLD said in an X post that the station received what appears to be a ransom note. Both outlets said they turned over the notes to investigators.
The sheriff’s department said it’s taking the possible ransom notes and other tips seriously but declined to comment further.
President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday afternoon, said he planned to call Savannah Guthrie “later on” and called the situation “terrible.”
Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.