New “Message” Emerges in Nancy Guthrie Case as Investigators Warn of Hoaxes and Race to Find Savannah Guthrie’s Missing Mother

A week after Nancy Guthrie vanished from her home outside Tucson, Arizona, investigators say they are now examining a newly received “message” tied to the case—an update that underscores both the urgency of the search and the growing challenge of sorting real leads from opportunistic noise.

Nancy Guthrie, 84, the mother of “Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, is believed to have been taken against her will. Officials have not identified a suspect or person of interest and say the investigation remains active and wide-ranging as public tips surge and false communications complicate the effort.

A fresh communication, and why investigators are being cautious

Authorities confirmed they are “aware” of a new message and are working to determine its authenticity. They have not described the medium, sender, or contents publicly, and that restraint is intentional: investigators typically withhold details to avoid encouraging copycats and to preserve the ability to test whether a communicator truly has insider knowledge.

This development follows earlier communications that circulated online as “ransom notes.” Officials have made clear that not every message is credible, and the latest update suggests they are treating the new contact as potential evidence—but not proof of anything on its own.

The evidence that shaped the case into a suspected abduction

Investigators have described multiple indicators that Nancy Guthrie did not simply wander away or leave voluntarily:

• Blood discovered near the front entry area has been confirmed through testing as Nancy Guthrie’s.

• Her heart-monitoring situation has raised alarms; officials have said her pacemaker disconnected from its monitoring system during the overnight window when she disappeared.

• A key setback emerged around home surveillance: the doorbell camera was found disconnected, and there was no retrievable footage available from the relevant time period.

Taken together, those points are why law enforcement has repeatedly emphasized urgency and why federal resources have joined the search.

A surveillance gap that may have widened the mystery

Investigators have publicly expressed frustration that there is no usable doorbell-camera video from the critical window. Beyond the immediate loss of a visual timeline, the absence of footage changes the investigation’s posture: instead of confirming a vehicle, a direction of travel, or the number of people involved, detectives are forced to rely more heavily on neighborhood canvassing, other cameras nearby, and device-location data.

That’s also why officials keep returning to the same ask: anyone who saw an unusual vehicle, a person moving quickly, or late-night activity in the area should come forward, even if it seemed minor at the time.

Hoaxes enter the picture, and one suspect heads to court

As the case drew national attention, investigators also confronted a predictable second front: people attempting to exploit the family’s panic and the public’s appetite for updates. Authorities have said at least one individual accused of sending a fake ransom demand has made an initial court appearance, highlighting how quickly high-profile missing-person cases attract scammers.

This matters operationally. Every false message burns time, muddies tip lines, and creates pressure for public statements that can inadvertently tip off a real offender—or embolden more hoaxes.

Who Nancy Guthrie is, and the family connection now under the microscope

Nancy Guthrie is Savannah Guthrie’s mother and is considered a vulnerable adult due to age and health needs. Family members have made repeated public pleas for her safe return and for “proof of life,” stressing that she needs medication and that time is critical.

The last confirmed person to see Nancy alive has been described by authorities as a family member who brought her home the evening she disappeared. That detail has fueled online speculation, but law enforcement has not publicly named a suspect or said the family is under investigative suspicion. In cases like this, investigators routinely establish the last-known-contact timeline as a baseline—without implying wrongdoing.

Who Savannah Guthrie is, and why her finances became a side story

Savannah Guthrie is a longtime broadcast journalist and “Today” co-anchor, and she is married to communications consultant Michael Feldman. She has two children. Her visibility is a major reason the case exploded nationally—and it’s also why unrelated curiosity spikes, including searches about her net worth.

Public net-worth figures are estimates and vary widely. The most commonly cited range places her in the tens of millions, with annual compensation estimates often quoted in the high seven figures. None of those figures are confirmed in official filings, and they have no bearing on whether any “ransom” communication is real.

What happens next: realistic scenarios and the triggers to watch

• Investigators publicly narrow the timeline if they identify a specific vehicle or route from third-party cameras.

• The “new message” becomes a turning point if it contains verifiable details only the abductor would know.

• Authorities increase enforcement actions against hoaxers to protect tip lines and deter copycats.

• The search strategy shifts from broad canvassing to targeted locations if phone, vehicle, or digital evidence converges.

• A public briefing adds new facts if officials believe disclosure will generate a decisive witness tip.

For now, the central facts remain unchanged: Nancy Guthrie is still missing, law enforcement believes she was abducted, and investigators are chasing a mix of physical evidence, digital trails, and public tips—while trying to prevent false messages from drowning out the one lead that could bring her home.