By
Alex Sundby
Senior Editor
Updated on: February 3, 2026 / 8:00 PM EST / CBS News
A small amount of blood was found inside the Arizona home of “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, a law enforcement source familiar with the case told CBS News. It is not yet known whose blood it is; samples are being tested.
Investigators and analysts searched the 84-year-old’s Tucson home for clues in what authorities are treating as a criminal disappearance. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said the house was turned back over to the family on Monday. When asked about the blood, Nanos said evidence collected at the home was still being processed and that none of it had yet pointed to a suspect.
“I’m not saying there’s blood inside that house or outside that house,” Nanos told reporters, declining to provide details about what items were collected. What appeared to be a small amount of dried blood was seen next to a doormat outside the front door on Tuesday.
Officials believe Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her home in the middle of the night over the weekend, Nanos told CBS News, and the search for her remains active. “We don’t know where she is,” he said. He added it was unclear how many people may have taken her: “It could be one, it could’ve been more, I don’t know.” Investigators are also examining whether a front-door security camera was removed.
Asked if a ransom demand had been made, Nanos said detectives were “following all leads” and that he could not elaborate. He later confirmed a ransom note had been sent to a local Arizona news station, which agreed not to publish it. The sheriff said the note included specific details about the home and what Nancy Guthrie was wearing that night, though he would not confirm the accuracy or legitimacy of the note.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said on social media it was aware of “reports circulating about possible ransom note(s)” and that all tips and leads were being taken seriously. “Anything that comes in, goes directly to our detectives who are coordinating with the FBI,” the department said. Nanos said authorities had hoped to keep the information about the note confidential, but TMZ obtained it and reported on it before the sheriff’s office was contacted.
Investigators have not determined whether Nancy Guthrie was specifically targeted or if the abduction was random. “We’re going to assume both sides of that,” Nanos said.
The FBI is assisting the sheriff’s department. Jon Edwards, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s Tucson office, said the bureau is providing support including getting information from cell towers, and urged anyone who saw anything in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood Saturday night or Sunday morning to contact authorities. “We are looking at this from every angle, but we need your help,” Edwards said.
Nanos dismissed the possibility that Guthrie, who lives alone, wandered off, saying she has no cognitive issues and limited mobility. Authorities say she was last seen at home Saturday night and was discovered missing the next morning when she did not attend church. Because she takes daily medication, investigators say time is critical. Asked if they were searching for someone who might still be alive, Nanos said, “We hope we are.”
Savannah Guthrie asked people on social media Monday to pray for her mother. “Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant,” she wrote on Instagram. “Raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment. we need you.”
An Arizona-based nonprofit, 88-Crime, is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons involved. Nancy Guthrie’s family has asked neighbors to review security footage from the weekend, especially between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Sunday. Nanos said investigators are starting with a narrow window and will expand the timeframe as needed.
“Keep looking. You never know what you’ll see,” Nanos told CBS News. “Maybe it’s just a pair of headlights. But if you see something that just doesn’t seem right in that neighborhood, please let us know. We can come and download all your digital evidence and take a look at it ourselves.”
Andres Gutierrez, Anna Schecter and Patrick Torphy contributed to this report.