Authorities in southern Arizona are pressing ahead with the search for "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie's mother, saying they believe she is still alive four days after she disappeared.
"We have nothing else to go on but the belief that she is here," Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said in an interview with NBC News' Liz Kreutz that aired Wednesday on "Today." "She's present. She's alive, and we want to save her."
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen around 9:30 p.m. Saturday at her home in the Catalina Foothills and was reported missing midday Sunday after she didn't show up to church. Detectives say they are working closely with the Guthrie family and interviewing anyone who had contact with her.
The sheriff's department said Wednesday that no suspect or person of interest has been identified. Tuesday, the sheriff’s department urged the public to submit photos, video, and tips, including through a QR code shared on social media, while warning that spreading unverified accusations or false information is irresponsible and unhelpful to the investigation.
The search carries heightened urgency because Guthrie requires daily medication and could die without it. When asked Tuesday whether authorities were searching for her alive, the sheriff responded, "We hope we are."
DNA evidence has been collected and submitted for testing. Some results have returned, but none have pointed toward any suspects, according to Nanos.
Multiple news organizations reported receiving what appeared to be ransom notes on Tuesday and turned them over to investigators. The sheriff's department acknowledged awareness of circulating reports about possible ransom communications and stated that all tips and leads are being taken seriously, they said in their post on Facebook.
"Anything that comes in, goes directly to our detectives who are coordinating with the FBI," the department said.
Guthrie lived alone in the upscale Catalina Foothills neighborhood, where homes sit far apart along winding streets with long driveways, front gates, and desert landscaping providing privacy from passersby. The area lacks streetlights, plunging into darkness after sunset—a factor that may have limited what security cameras could capture.
Searchers initially deployed drones, dogs, volunteers, and Border Patrol agents, but ground crews were pulled back from the surrounding desert by Monday morning, according to Nanos.
Jim Mason, a longtime search and rescue commander for the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office based 175 miles north of Tucson, said desert terrain has its own set of unique challenges. Dense mesquite trees, cholla cactus, and brush can obstruct visibility, making it difficult to thoroughly search certain areas. His group is not involved in the Guthrie search.
Victory Church in Albany, New York, announced a $25,000 reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie's recovery.
"Me and my wife, we watch Savannah every single morning. We've heard of her faith. We've heard of her mom's faith. And she's got such a sweet spirit," Pastor Charlie Muller said.
President Donald Trump called Savannah Guthrie on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office the day prior, Trump called the situation "terrible" and noted he "always got along very good with Savannah.”
The "Today" show opened Wednesday with coverage of Nancy Guthrie's disappearance for the third consecutive day, though Savannah Guthrie was absent from the anchor desk. NBC Sports confirmed Tuesday that Guthrie will not cover the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics "as she focuses on being with her family during this difficult time."
In a post to Facebook Monday, Savannah Guthrie asked supporters to "raise your prayers" for her mother and "believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment. Bring her home.”
The television host grew up in Tucson, the youngest of three siblings, and graduated from the University of Arizona before working as a reporter at KVOA-TV. Her parents settled in Tucson in the 1970s.
Savannah has credited her mother with holding the family together after her father died of a heart attack at 49, when Savannah was just 16.
"When my dad died, our family just hung onto each other for dear life because it was such a shock," Savannah Guthrie said on "Today" in 2017. "We were just trying to figure out how to become a family of four when we'd always been a family of five."