Nancy Guthrie was expected at friend’s home, not church on day she vanished: source
A source close to the Guthrie family is pushing back on reports about how Nancy Guthrie was discovered missing on Sunday, Feb. 1, saying key details of the timeline have been reported incorrectly.
Early reporting indicated that Nancy Guthrie had been scheduled to attend an in-person church service in Tucson that morning and was reported missing after she failed to show up. According to the family source, that account is not accurate.
The source told Fox News that for years — dating back to the COVID pandemic — Nancy and a small group of close friends had a standing Sunday routine that did not involve attending church in person. Instead, the group would gather at one another’s homes to watch a New York–based church service via livestream.
The service was broadcast live from a New York church attended by Savannah Guthrie, the longtime "TODAY" show co-anchor and Nancy Guthrie’s daughter.
On Sunday, Feb. 1, Nancy was expected to be at a friend’s home to watch the livestream, as she had done every week. When she failed to arrive, members of the friend group became concerned.
According to the source, one of the friends contacted Annie — Nancy’s daughter and Savannah Guthrie’s sister — to report that Nancy had not shown up and could not be located.
The source emphasized that Nancy was never scheduled to attend a Tucson church service that day, contrary to some reports, and said the misunderstanding has led to confusion about the circumstances surrounding when she was first reported missing.
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As the search intensified, Savannah Guthrie made an emotional public plea for help, describing the situation as an "hour of desperation" as authorities investigated an alleged ransom note tied to her mother’s disappearance.
Savannah urged anyone with information to come forward as investigators worked against a looming deadline outlined in the note, which authorities have not publicly authenticated.
The final deadline outlined in the alleged ransom note passed Monday night without any proof of life or resolution.
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At the same time, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said it was pursuing what it described as "new leads" in the case, but confirmed investigators have not identified any suspects, persons of interest or vehicles connected to Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance.
"The investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance remains active and ongoing," a spokesperson for the Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed Monday evening.
"We understand the significant public interest in this case; however, investigators need time and space to do their work. If and when relevant information becomes available, it will be shared," the spokesperson added.
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The department said there are no press briefings scheduled at this time, but noted a press conference would be called if a significant development occurs.
Sheriff’s officials also confirmed an active law enforcement presence will continue at the Guthrie residences through the night and into Tuesday as part of the ongoing investigation, including expanded search efforts and follow-up on new leads.
"To preserve the integrity of this criminal investigation, details of that process are not being released at this time," authorities said.
Officials emphasized the scale of the public response so far.
"Thousands of calls have been received across multiple tip lines, and investigators continue to review them," the spokesperson said.
Anyone who believes they have information that may assist investigators is asked to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department non-emergency line at 520-351-4900, or 88-CRIME.