Police find traces of blood Mysterious case: Mother of US presenter apparently abducted
The police suspect foul play and traces of blood have been found: The 84-year-old mother of US presenter Savannah Guthrie has disappeared without a trace. The case is keeping the USA on tenterhooks: what is known so far.
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- 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, mother of star presenter Savannah Guthrie, has disappeared from her home in Arizona.
- The senior citizen is not considered to have dementia, but her health is impaired. She is dependent on vital medication, which she has been unable to take since the disappearance.
- Investigators are looking into traces of burglary and blood as well as possible ransom demands. Donald Trump has also publicly intervened.
"From everything we've seen at the scene, we're assuming foul play," said Chris Nanos, the sheriff of Pima County near Tucson, at a press conference: the 84-year-old mother of US TV presenter Savannah Guthrie has disappeared and, according to initial police estimates, has been abducted from her own home in the state of Arizona.
Even though the Epstein Files are currently dominating the headlines in the USA, the nation is puzzling over this case. Even President Donald Trump has commented on it.
However, it is still unclear what exactly happened. Here you can find out what is known and what is not.
Who is the missing Nancy Guthrie?
Nancy Guthrie is the mother of one of the best-known television journalists in the USA: Savannah Guthrie has been one of the faces of the popular morning show "Today" on NBC since 2012. Nancy has made repeated appearances on the show. In 2022, Savannah Guthrie paid tribute to her mother's 80th birthday in one of her programs, praising her "determination" and "resilience".
What happened?
Nancy Guthrie was last seen on Saturday evening when she was taken home by family members. When the senior citizen did not show up for church on Sunday as usual, the family was informed by an acquaintance.
The family then reported Nancy Guthrie missing. According to the New York Times, the authorities responded immediately and sent out a search and rescue team with volunteers, dogs, drones and a helicopter.
Why do the police assume foul play?
Sheriff Nanos referred to the 84-year-old's limited mobility. In addition, other details indicated that she had not left the house on her own, without explaining this further. "This is not a case of dementia," he also said. "She is wide awake."
Nancy Guthrie has some physical ailments, the sheriff added. She needed medication that had to be taken within 24 hours, otherwise it could be fatal.
When asked if it was accidental that the moderator's mother was hit or if it was a targeted act, the sheriff said, "We don't know. We're investigating in every direction, but we don't know."
What is the status of the investigation?
Sheriff Nanos announced on Tuesday that investigators had recovered DNA traces from Nancy Guthrie's home. However, it will take a few more days for these to be analyzed.
The Los Angeles Times reported on Tuesday, citing police sources, that there were signs of burglary at the house and traces of blood were found.
The authorities also confirmed that they were "aware of reports of possible ransom demands" in connection with the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. The celebrity news site "TMZ" reported on Tuesday that it had received a ransom demand asking for a million-dollar payment in Bitcoin.
How is Donald Trump reacting to the kidnapping?
The US President has also spoken out on the case and apparently wants to increase the number of FBI investigators working on the case.
"I will call her (Savannah Guthrie) later. I think it's terrible," Trump told reporters during a bill signing in the Oval Office , according to Reuters. "I've always gotten along very well with Savannah. (It's a) very unusual situation, but we'll figure it out."
With agency footage.
