Savannah Guthrie breaks down in tears in first interview since mom Nancy was kidnapped
Kit Roberts
Featured Image Credit: TODAY
Savannah Guthrie has tearfully urged people who know where her mom is to 'do the right thing' in her first interview since her mom was kidnapped in January.
TODAY host Guthrie sat down with Hoda Kotb for the interview, where she opened up about her mom's disappearance and the search for her.
The interview was pre-recorded and is scheduled to air in full on March 26 and March 27 on TODAY, but a small segment of it was broadcast and shared on social media before its release.
Ahead of the broadcast, Kotb has opened up about the impact of the interview and shared a message from Guthrie.
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Guthrie's mom Nancy went missing on January 31 after her family dropped her off at her home in Tucson, Arizona. It is believed that the 84-year-old was kidnapped from her home in the middle of the night.
Nancy's family are offering a reward of $1 million for Nancy's safe return, while the FBI is also offering a reward of $100,000.
Kotb said: "We're gonna have the whole thing for you tomorrow and Friday, but first, we did want to bring you one of the moments from the interview where Savannah shared a message to anybody who may have information about Nancy."
In one segment, Guthrie tearfully tells Kotb: "Someone needs to do the right thing. We are in agony. We are in agony. It is unbearable."
"It is unbearable, and to think of what she went through. I wake up every night, in the middle of the night, every night, and in the darkness, I imagine her terror, and it is unthinkable, but those thoughts demand to be thought, and I will not hide my face, but she needs to come home now."
On March 21, Guthrie and her siblings also put out an updated statement thanking people for their help in trying to bring Nancy home.
"We are deeply grateful for the outpouring from neighbors, friends and the people of Tucson," the statement said. "We are all family now.
"We continue to believe it is Tucsonans, and the greater southern Arizona community, that hold the key to finding resolution in this case. Someone knows something."
The family also urged people to examine 'camera footage, journal notes, text messages, observations or conversations' which may be significant, adding that 'no detail is too small'.
"We miss our mom with every breath and we cannot be in peace until she is home," they added. "We cannot grieve; we can only ache and wonder. Our focus is solely on finding her and bringing her home."
Nancy Guthrie took an Uber to her daughter Annie Guthrie’s house for dinner at around 5:32 pm.
She was dropped home by her family a few hours later.
Her garage door opened at approximately 9:48pm and closed at 9:50pm, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said.
“It is that time we assume that Nancy’s home and probably going to bed,” he added.
Nancy’s doorbell camera is disconnected at 1:47am and the software detected movement around 25 minutes later.
At 2:28am, the 84-year-old’s pacemaker app is disconnected from her cellphone.
After Nancy’s friend notified her family that she missed church, they checked on her home at 11:56am and discovered she was missing.
They notified 911 at 12:03pm, and police arrived at 12:15pm.
Sheriff Nanos told CBS News he believed Guthrie was ‘abducted’ in the middle of the night.
“She didn't walk from there. She didn't go willingly,” he added.
Several media outlets reported receiving ‘ransom notes’ which allegedly demanded a large sum of Bitcoin to be sent for Nancy’s release.
Nanos said they were looking into the ‘possible ransom note(s)’ and confirmed the blood found on the porch of Nancy's property was also hers.
Savannah Guthrie and her siblings, Annie and Camron, shared an emotional video on Instagram, pleading for their mother’s return.
“We are ready to talk,” Savannah said. “However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know, without a doubt, that she is alive, and that you have her.”
The FBI announced a $50,000 reward ‘for information leading to the recovery’ of Nancy.
Camron Guthrie posted another video, saying: “Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you.”
Authorities said they were ‘aware of a new message’ which was sent to CBS News' Tucson affiliate KOLD.
The sheriff's department said investigators were ‘conducting follow-up’ at Nancy’s home and ‘surrounding areas’.
Nancy’s children posted a video to social media in which Savannah appeared to address the alleged abductor.
“We received your message, and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her,” she said, before adding: “This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”
Authorities were seen leaving Annie’s home with a bag after 10:30 pm. As per PEOPLE, one official was reportedly seen wearing blue gloves.
According to FBI Director Kash Patel, they show ‘an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie’s front door the morning of her disappearance’.
Sharing the images on Instagram, Savannah wrote: “We believe she is still alive. Bring her home.”
Authorities announced that they had detained a man for questioning ‘during a traffic stop’; however, he was released the following day.
The FBI said: “The suspect is described as a male, approximately 5’9” - 5’10” tall, with an average build. In the video, he is wearing a black, 25-liter ‘Ozark Trail Hiker Pack’ backpack.”
It also increased the reward to $100,000.
A glove discovered near Nancy’s property appeared to match those worn by the suspect seen on the doorbell camera, the FBI said. It was one of ‘approximately’ 16 collected by authorities.
However, later tests found that it did not have any matches in the national DNA database.
“To be clear … the Guthrie family - to include all siblings and spouses - has been cleared as possible suspects in this case,” Nanos said. “The family has been nothing but cooperative and gracious and are victims in this case.”
In addition to the FBI’s reward, the family announced a personal reward of up to $1 million.
“Somebody knows. We are begging you to please come forward now,” Savannah said.
“Federal prosecutors traditionally work with all levels of law enforcement and have done so throughout this investigation,” said Timothy Courchaine, US Attorney for the District of Arizona.
According to the Associated Press, the Today host was seen placing flowers at the property with her family.
“We feel the love and prayers from our neighbors, from the Tucson community and from around the country,” she penned on Instagram.
"It is unbearable, and to think of what she went through. I wake up every night, in the middle of the night, every night, and in the darkness, I imagine her terror, and it is unthinkable, but those thoughts demand to be thought, and I will not hide my face, but she needs to come home now," Savannah told Today in a preview of the interview ahead of it airing in full.
"We are in agony. It is unbearable. And to think of what she went through.”