Nancy Guthrie update: Does Savannah Guthrie believe kidnapped mother is dead? ‘Heartbreaking’ admission sparks worries

Savannah Guthrie's reference to missing mother, Nancy Guthrie, on the Thursday episode of the TODAY show sparked worries online. Many felt the TODAY show host was expressing her belief that the 84-year-old was dead.

Savannah Guthrie mentioned her mother Nancy on the TODAY show in the past tense. (Savannah Guthrie/Facebook)Nancy Guthrie was reported missing from her Catalina Foothills home near Tucson, Arizona, on February 1. Authorities believe she was kidnapped the night before. It has been over seven months and no suspect has been announced to the public in the Nancy Guthrie case. Authorities have also not zeroed in on her possible whereabouts, as far as public information is concerned.

Savannah Guthrie spoke about Nancy Guthrie in the past tense when referring to her missing mother.

“My mother’s family w-, my mother was Irish, her grandmother,” the NBC personality said, adding “They were from Galway.” The comment came as Savannah was seated between Al Roker and Craig Melvin.

She reportedly maintained a smiling demeanor and quickly turned the conversation around, asking Carson Daly “You have some Irish, right?”. Notably, Savannah Guthrie reportedly lamented earlier that Nancy Guthrie might be dead after the February incident.

However, a source denied to New York Post that the TODAY show host's use of past tense for Nancy was an acknowledgement of her demise. The Pima County Sheriff's Department, who are lead investigators, are also treating the case as a kidnapping. They have made no mention about Nancy Guthrie possibly being dead.

The department described the case as ‘active and ongoing’ and noted “DNA and video analyses remain ongoing, supported by laboratories nationwide. Advances in technology are aiding investigative efforts, and tips continue to be received and reviewed.”

Despite the denial, Savannah's admission sparked worries online. Outlets reporting on it noted that it was a ‘sad admission’ and a ‘heartbreaking’ one.

Self-styled investigator Jonathan Lee Riches, or JLR, also asked “Savannah Guthrie just referred her mother in past tense. My mother WAS Irish! Where is Nancy Guthrie?”.

Defenses have reportedly been reinforced on the TODAY show amid the ongoing search for Nancy Guthrie. It also comes after a crazed intruder breached security and got into the TODAY studios in July.

Staffers have reportedly expressed relief, with one telling Page Six “It was much-needed and took longer than people would have liked, but it does feel a lot better now.”

Shuvrajit has over seven years of experience covering US, India, and world news. An English Literature postgraduate from Jadavpur University, Shuvrajit started off covering entertainment, gaming and all things pop culture. There were brief periods away from the media industry, with short stints in content marketing, ed-tech and academic editing. However, the newsroom beckoned and over the last few jobs, Shuvrajit has exceedingly focused on team functioning as well, including tracking news and assigning tasks, working on everyday breaking news, framing detailed coverage plans, and creating immersive and data-driven stories. In his time as a digital journalist, he has covered a Lok Sabha election, multiple state elections, Union Budgets and award ceremonies. He has also helped in planning content for company event panels in the past. For work, Shuvrajit enjoys dabbling with data visualization, editing tools, and AI chatbots and attempts to incorporate AI workflows in everyday tasks. He is deeply interested in geopolitics, sports, films and music. Prompting is a new fascination for Shuvrajit now. Apart from that, he can be found doom-scrolling, sharing memes, or cheering on his favorite football team.Read More