Who Is Nancy Guthrie? What to Know About Savannah Guthrie's Mother

Although "TODAY Show" Anchor Savannah Guthrie's used to talking about headlines in her line of work, her mother, Nancy, became a trending topic in the United States on February 1, 2026 ... when she suddenly disappeared from her home near Tucson, Arizona.

Here's a look into Nancy's background and how her disappearance has resulted in an extensive search effort from local authorities.

Nancy was originally from the Cincinnati, Ohio area. She grew up around Fort Wright, Kentucky, about five miles south of Cincinnati, according to WLWT-TV.

Nancy eventually moved her family to Tucson in the 1970s, and she described the "laid back and gentle" quality of the Tucson area as one of the main reasons she chose Arizona, ABC News reports.

Her family was dealt a tragedy in 1988 when Nancy's husband, Charles, unexpectedly died from a heart attack.

Savannah spoke about the aftermath of his death during a 2017 episode of 'Today' ... "We were just trying to figure out how to become a family of four when we’d always been a family of five."

Nancy was last seen on the night of Saturday, January 31, 2026, at her home in Catalina Foothills, located six miles northeast of Tucson.

A family member reported her missing the next day after she missed church service. A search was immediately launched, which included using drones and dogs.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos later said authorities believed Nancy's home was a crime scene ... and he told us she'd been in her bed at some point during the night before disappearing.

A distressing trail of dried blood was found outside Nancy's front door ... but Nanos has stated authorities have to believe she's still alive.

While TMZ was reporting on the case, we ended up being involved in a way we never expected ... because we received an alleged ransom note demanding payment for Nancy's release. The note was forwarded to the Pima County Sheriff's Dept., who said they were aware of "note(s)" sent to other outlets as well.

President Donald Trump said he intended to contact Savannah Tuesday, and said he'd be willing to provide further assistance in the search effort.