NBC journalist Savannah Guthrie appeared on air Tuesday, visibly distressed, as new details emerged in the January disappearance of her mother, Nancy Guthrie. The "Today" co-anchor briefly joined a segment revealing the contents of a ransom note sent to media outlets following her mother's disappearance.
"This is unusual and unprecedented, to say the least, to be sitting here. I don’t have any comment on this story, and I’m not involved in our coverage, but I can’t pretend I’m not here," Guthrie said, wiping away tears. "So since I am, I wanted to just take the opportunity to ask people ― really, to beg people ― to come forward. Somebody knows something."
Guthrie added, "We are in agony. We cannot be at peace ... this is a moment to tell you that we need your help. We’re begging for your help, and I’m not going to miss that opportunity."
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported missing on Feb. 1, having last been seen the previous night around 9:50 p.m. after being dropped off at her Tucson-area home following dinner with relatives.
In the days after her disappearance, investigators deemed several ransom notes sent to the media and Guthrie family members to be credible. One note reportedly demanded $6 million in cryptocurrency for Nancy Guthrie’s return. On Monday, ABC News and other outlets reported on the contents of a second note, citing sources who indicated Nancy Guthrie had died not long after being kidnapped. The writer of the note suggested her death was unintentional and stated she is "buried with nature now."
Savannah Guthrie and her family are offering a $1 million reward for information leading to their mother’s recovery. However, no suspects have been identified to date. The primary lead remains surveillance images and video capturing a masked individual carrying what appears to be a gun on the front steps of Nancy Guthrie’s home on the night of her alleged abduction.
During her "Today" appearance, Savannah Guthrie urged individuals with even minimal information to "do the right thing for us, for our family, for our children" by coming forward. "You can tell us. It can be anonymous," she stated. "We love our mom, and we’ll never stop looking for her, never."