Today show stars are continuing to rally around their colleague, Savannah Guthrie, as authorities investigating the disappearance of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, grow more desperate.
On Tuesday, footage taken from Nancy's Tucson home was released, showing an individual in a mask and gloves appearing to tamper with her doorbell on the morning of her disappearance. "We believe she is still alive. Bring her home," Savannah wrote on Instagram, alongside several photos of the individual.
Her Today and NBC colleagues took to social media to respond to the chilling images, with Craig Melvin and Dylan Dreyer resharing the images and the contact number for both the FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department.
© FBIJenna Bush Hager reshared the post, before adding: "Please help bring Nancy home!" while Sunday Today anchor Willie Geist reposted the image and wrote: "Someone recognizes him. His eyes, his clothes, his gait…bring Nancy home." NBC News reporter Kristen Welker also shared her prayers with the family, and added: "It's time to bring her home."
Nancy Guthrie was first reported missing on February 1, after she failed to appear at her local church service. She had spent the previous night with her daughter, Annie, and Annie's husband, Tomasso Cioni, who last saw her between 9:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.
Annie and Tommaso's neighbor, John Grove, shared with the Daily Mail that authorities were investigating the river bed between his and Annie's homes. "The cops wanted to know if they could go through that wash next to my house – I said they could. I asked if it was related to that kidnapping and they said 'We can't tell you that,'" he recalled.
© Getty Images"They're playing their cards close to their chest. I just hope she didn't get into any difficulties around here – it's very harsh terrain. We had a guy the other day who just moved here and got lost and died. For someone like her, well it wouldn't end well."
See the chilling footage below...
Savannah, who was set to fly to Italy for NBC's coverage of the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, rushed home to be with her family in Tucson, Arizona. She was replaced by Mary Carillo, who is co-hosting alongside Terry Gannon. "We're certainly without a very important and beloved member of our team tonight," Terry said during the broadcast. "She is dearly missed by everybody."
"Right now, of course, Savannah and her family are in unspeakable, unfathomable pain," Mary added. "We know that in the US, her extended family is legion. Savannah, my friend, it's the same way here."
© GC Images"We send our love and prayers and all of our positive energy to Savannah tonight," Terry finished. Savannah's former co-anchor, Hoda Kotb, stepped into her role on Today in her absence, a year after she left the show to spend more time with her daughters.
© NBC"Hoda is joining us while Savannah remains with her family in Arizona. We are grateful to have you here," Craig said on Monday's episode of the show. "You know what, Craig, we talk about our show like it's a family, we are a family," Hoda added. "I'm part of the family, I am happy to be with you because we show up for each other."
An alleged ransom note was sent to various news outlets demanding that the Guthrie family pay $4 million in bitcoin by Thursday, February 5, or $6 million if the demand was not met by Monday, February 9, yet it remains unclear whether a payment was made.
"The FBI is not aware of any continued communication between the Guthrie family and suspected kidnappers," said FBI Phoenix spokesperson Connor Hagan in a statement.
