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Nancy Guthrie suspect is ‘obsessed’ with Savannah; real motive behind kidnapping revealed

Its been over three months that ‘Today’ show host Savannah Guthrie's 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, went missing

Published on: May 2, 2026, 20:37:30 IST
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Its been over three months that ‘Today’ show host Savannah Guthrie's 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, went missing after a suspected kidnapping from her Catalina Foothills home. While no suspects have been identified, an FBI profiler this week weighed in on the possible motive behind the abduction. He claims that the suspect could be ‘obsessed’ with Savannah and there might be a revenge angle to this case.

Nancy Guthrie's neighbors are tying yellow ribbons to mailboxes and tree (REUTERS)
Nancy Guthrie's neighbors are tying yellow ribbons to mailboxes and tree (REUTERS)

Investigators initially said there was no video available since Guthrie didn’t have an active doorbell camera subscription. But digital forensics experts kept working to find images in backend software that might have been lost, corrupted or inaccessible. But then a footage came up. The FBI shared a clip of at least one masked man at Nancy's doorstep on the night of her suspected abduction.

We do not have a name or a complete face of the alleged suspect yet.

Why Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped

Former FBI profiler Jim Clemente told NewsNation that revenge could be a reason behind the alleged abduction on February 1. He added that the kidnapper could be someone who was ‘obsessed’ with Savannah.

"It could also have been just a delusion in his own mind and he could have built up an anger and resentment against her," he said. "And as a result, he felt justified in taking the mother to hurt her."

The reporter immediately asked whether Clemente thinks that the man had ‘some sort of obsession with Savannah, who maybe watched her on TV every morning?’

He replied: “I think that's the highest probability. We might be able to catch him if someone eventually recognize(s) a guy who always talked about her.”

Savannah Guthrie had a similar theory

Back in an NBC interview in March, a tearful Savannah said that ‘someone needs to do the right thing’ and come forward with information to help the investigation.

"To think that I brought this to her bedside, that it's because of me. I'd just say: 'I'm so sorry, Mommy. I'm so sorry.'"

Guthrie spoke about the shock she felt on February 1.

"My sister called me. I said, 'Is everything OK?' And she said, 'No.' She said, 'Mom's missing,'" Savannah Guthrie said. "And I said, 'What? What are you talking about?' She said, 'She's gone.' And she was in a panic. I was in a panic.'"

“We are in agony,” she told NBC News colleague Hoda Kotb. “We feel the love and prayers from our neighbors, from the Tucson community and from around the country,” Guthrie wrote in a social media post earlier, ending the sentence with a heart emoji. “please don’t stop praying and hoping with us. bring her home.”

  • Yash Nitish Bajaj
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Yash Nitish Bajaj

    Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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