President Donald Trump said Tuesday he hopes federal investigators locate Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old Arizona woman who has been missing for nearly five months. Simultaneously, her daughter—"Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie—delivered a tearful, live on-air plea asking the public to help bring her mother home.
"I don't have any comment on this story, and I'm not involved in our coverage," Savannah said. "But I can't pretend I'm not here. And so, since I am, I want to just take the opportunity to ask people, to really beg people to come forward."
Fighting back tears, she described the toll the prolonged disappearance has taken on her family, including her sister Annie and brother Camron. "This is a news story today that is on your radar, but this is the life that my sister lives, that I live, that my brother lives, that our extended families live, that our children live every day," she said. "And we are in agony. And we cannot be at peace."
Savannah acknowledged the difficulty of returning to work each day while the investigation remains unresolved. "So no matter how much I try to come out here every day and to smile and find that joy — and I will, I promise I will — this is a moment to tell you that we need your help. We're begging for your help. And I'm not gonna miss that opportunity," she said.
She also reminded viewers of the reward money still on the table. "The reward is there," she said. "You can tell us. It can be anonymous. Please do the right thing for us, for our family, for our children. We love our mom, and we'll never stop looking for her ever."
Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her Tucson residence on Jan. 31 and was reported missing the following day, Feb. 1. The Pima County Sheriff's Office and the FBI have determined she was likely kidnapped or taken against her will after blood was discovered near the front doorstep of her home. The FBI released images of a suspect tampering with the home's front door surveillance camera, though authorities have not received strong leads. Volunteer search crews combed surrounding desert areas for weeks following her disappearance, and a separate volunteer group more recently searched for remains near the Arizona-Mexico border—also without results.
The Guthrie family has offered a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to Nancy's whereabouts, while the FBI has separately offered up to $100,000 for information resulting in an arrest and conviction of those responsible.
Anyone with information is urged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI. Tips may be submitted anonymously.