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Nancy Guthrie kidnapping: Savannah Guthrie's friend positive after video message; ‘I think it’s going to…’
Retired journalist Lupita Murillo suggested Savannah Guthrie's video appeal for her missing mother could lead to breakthroughs in the investigation.
A close friend of Savannah Guthrie believes the Today show anchor’s emotional public appeal could prompt a shift in the search for her missing mother, Nancy Guthrie, who was abducted from her Tucson home over the weekend.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, retired local television journalist Lupita Murillo described Guthrie’s nearly four-minute Instagram video as “heartbreaking”, suggesting it could trigger memories or tips that investigators have so far been missing.
“I think it’s going to produce something,” Murillo said, speaking about the decision to go public. “That must have been the hardest thing she’s ever had to do. And it was… it was very impactful.”
‘This is how cases break’
Murillo, a long-time Tucson TV figure who retired in 2024, first worked with Guthrie in the 1990s when the anchor was at NBC affiliate KVOA. She also knew Nancy Guthrie, who served as a public information officer at the station in the 1980s.
Drawing on decades of reporting experience, Murillo told the Daily Mail that public appeals from family members often mark a turning point in serious criminal investigations.
“As a reporter, every time a family member went on the air, people felt their pain and wanted to help,” she said. “That’s when, usually, somebody says, ‘I know who did this.’”
'Faith will pull her through'
Murillo said the emotional weight of Guthrie’s appeal stood out. She also pointed to the role of faith in helping the family endure the uncertainty.
“I believe Savannah’s faith will pull her through,” Murillo said. “Nancy would do everything and helped everybody. She would go over and beyond for you.”
Also Read: Who is Derrick Callella, suspect arrested in Nancy Guthrie ransom note case?
Nancy Guthrie, 84, is believed to have been abducted from her $1 million home in Tucson’s Catalina Hills neighborhood sometime between late Saturday night and early Sunday morning. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has told the Daily Mail that she did not leave voluntarily and was likely forced from the residence.
Murillo attended a candlelight vigil for Nancy held at St Philip’s in the Hills church in Tucson, where more than 300 people gathered in prayer. She described the atmosphere as heavy with sadness but united by hope.
“People just wanted to support the family and let them know that we care,” she said.
