Security camera footage from the night Savannah Guthrie’s mom, Nancy, went missing can’t be recovered because she didn’t pay for the subscription service.
During Thursday’s press conference, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos revealed Guthrie’s doorbell camera disconnected around 1:47 a.m. on Sunday.
“At 2:12 a.m. [local time], software detects a person on a camera, but there’s no video available; they had no subscription and therefore it would rewrite itself,” he said.
“It just kind of loops and covers up. That’s what our analysis teams have told us,” Nanos added. “Could [the movement] be an animal? I imagine that’s possible. We don’t know that. We just have no video.”
According to the sheriff, investigators have “run out of [any] way to recover any video” from Guthrie’s home.
Nancy’s pacemaker device disconnected from her phone app around 2:28 a.m.
The 84-year-old matriarch failed to attend church on Sunday morning, leading her family to check on her around 11:56 a.m.
Police were called to her Arizona home at 12:03 p.m. and arrived at 12:15 p.m. Blood was located outside of Nancy’s home, and police confirmed Thursday it was hers.
Investigators are currently looking into ransom notes demanding something unspecified by 5 p.m. local time, Heith Janke, FBI Phoenix’s special agent, said at the presser.
“And if a transfer wasn’t made, the second demand was for next Monday,” he shared. “I’m not going to go beyond that.”
Janke, however, noted that there was mention of an “Apple Watch” and a “flood light” in the notes, explaining that “any action taken on any ransom is ultimately decided by the family.”
Two news stations, including TMZ, received ransom notes with a threatening message that read, “Or else.”
According to TMZ, their note asked for millions in Bitcoin.
The FBI has also offered a $50,000 reward for information to find Nancy, “or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.”
Officers are “actively looking at everyone” as a suspect, though no one has been named.
Authorities say an arrest has been made in connection to an “imposter ransom demand” in the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie.
An FBI official announced the arrest during a news conference on Feb. 5.
The backstory:
Nancy was last seen on the night of Jan. 31 after being dropped off at her Catalina Foothills home near East Skyline Drive and North Campbell Avenue. She was reported missing the next day after her family was notified that she hadn’t shown up for church.
Authorities say Guthrie is without her necessary medication. She’s described as being 5 feet 5 inches tall and 150 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. It’s unknown what she was wearing when she disappeared.
Nancy Guthrie
Alleged ransom notes
Dig deeper:
Authorities believe Nancy was taken from her home against her will. TMZ and KOLD 13 News in Tucson reported that they received ransom notes.
An email sent to KOLD reportedly included a ᴅᴇᴀᴅline and a demand for a specific amount of money for Guthrie’s safe return. The station turned the email over to the PCSD, which is working with the FBI to determine the note’s credibility.
“We are aware of reports circulating about possible ransom note(s) related to the investigation into Nancy Guthrie. All tips and leads are being taken seriously and are forwarded directly to our detectives, who are coordinating with the FBI. We encourage anyone with information or tips to submit them,” the sheriff’s office said.
The suspect has been identified in court documents as Derrick Callella.
What they’re saying:
Along with her siblings, Savannah released an emotional video plea on Wednesday night, calling for the safe return of their mother.
“We too have heard the reports about a ransom letter in the media,” Savannah said. “As a family, we are doing everything that we can. We are ready to talk. 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.”
Savannah Guthrie and mother Nancy Guthrie on Thursday, June 15, 2023. (PH๏τo by: Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images)
What you can do:
A tipline was created for the community to submit information regarding this case – including pH๏τos and videos.
Map of area where Guthrie was last seen
The Source: Information for this story was gathered from a Pima County Sheriff’s Department news conference on Feb. 5, 2026.
