Today host Savannah Guthrie has spoken out after her 84-year-old mother went missing on Saturday.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen outside her home near Tucson, Arizona. Sheriff Chris Nanos told NBC News that he has “grave concern” given what officers saw at the house.
“This one stood out because of what was described to us at the scene and what we found and located just in looking at the scene,” he said.
And now, Savannah has issued a statement on behalf of her family. “I want to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers and messages of support,” she said on Monday morning. “Right now, our focus remains on the safe return of our dear mom.
“We thank law enforcement for their hard work on this case and encourage anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at (520) 351-4900.”
Guthrie was absent from Monday’s Today show. Sheinelle Jones filled in for her, alongside Craig Melvin.
“We want to get right to what is a deeply personal story for us, Nancy Guthrie, Savannah’s beloved mother, has been reported missing in Arizona,” Melvin shared, before reading out Guthrie’s statement.
Police said Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her home in Catalina Foothills, north of Tucson, at around 9:30 p.m. Saturday and was reported missing the next day.
The story was reported on all of the network’s morning newscasts.
Nanos said in a press conference on Sunday night that Nancy, who has appeared on the show alongside her daughter several times, has “no cognitive issues at all. She’s very alert, she’s of good, sound mind.”
However, her physical health is “not good,” he added. Nanos said that authorities are using airplanes, drones, helicopters and search-and-rescue dogs loaned from Border Patrol in the operation to find the elderly woman.
“I hope we find her safe and sound, but we can’t ignore what’s in front of us,” Nanos said. Homicide has not been ruled out.
Nancy Guthrie became a single mother when her husband Charles died of a heart attack when Savannah was 16 years old. She has two other children, Annie and Camron, who are both older than Savannah.
It comes after Savannah, 54, returned to work just two weeks ago following surgery on her vocal cords last month. The procedure was designed to remove growths that had been affecting her voice.
