Who Is the Possible Suspect in the Case of Savannah Guthrie’s Missing Mother?

What began as a routine family evening in the Arizona desert has now unraveled into a disturbing criminal investigation — and newly clarified details about who last saw Nancy Guthrie are intensifying scrutiny around her final hours.

For the family of Savannah Guthrie, the shift from ordinary to unthinkable happened overnight. What was first described as a simple drop-off after dinner has become a central question in the disappearance of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie — a case that law enforcement now says clearly involves a crime.

In the earliest hours of the investigation, authorities believed Savannah’s sister, Annie Guthrie, had been the last person to see their mother. That assumption shaped the initial timeline and framed how investigators approached the case. But that detail has since changed — and the correction has raised new concerns.

According to updated information provided by Pima County officials, it was not Annie who dropped Nancy off at her home on the night of Saturday, January 31. Instead, it was Annie’s husband, Tommaso Cioni, who drove her back sometime between 9:30 and 9:45 p.m. While investigators have stressed that no suspects or persons of interest have been formally identified, the clarification has prompted renewed focus on Nancy’s final movements.

Sheriff Chris Nanos confirmed that detectives are working backward from that narrow window late Saturday night, carefully reconstructing the hours that followed. What they discovered the next morning marked a turning point.

Nancy was reported missing on Sunday, February 1, after she failed to attend her regular church service — something family members and neighbors say was entirely out of character. Concerned relatives went to her home in the Catalina Foothills community to check on her. What they found inside was alarming enough to trigger an immediate 911 call.

Authorities later confirmed that there were signs of forced entry and evidence of a violent struggle inside the residence. Blood was found within the home, and investigators quickly escalated the case, declaring it an active crime scene. The normally quiet neighborhood was sealed off as homicide detectives joined the effort.

Residents say the shift was jarring. The Catalina Foothills area is known for its calm, close-knit feel, and neighbors described Nancy as active, engaged, and sharp — someone they saw regularly driving, tending to her yard, and heading to church. Law enforcement has emphasized that she had no cognitive impairments, ruling out the possibility that she simply wandered away.

As the investigation deepened, it began drawing national attention. President Donald Trump personally called Savannah to express sympathy, a move confirmed by a White House official. While details of the conversation were not disclosed, the president publicly described the situation as “terrible” and “very unusual,” and reiterated that federal resources were available to assist.

Meanwhile, detectives continue to pursue multiple angles. Ransom messages demanding millions of dollars in Bitcoin have surfaced, some reportedly sent directly to Savannah and others to media outlets. Officials have not confirmed whether the notes are authentic, but they have acknowledged that the FBI is assisting with analyzing the communications, underscoring the seriousness of the case.

Additional unsettling details have emerged. Investigators say surveillance cameras around Nancy’s property were destroyed, depriving them of potentially critical footage from the hours surrounding her disappearance. A neighbor has also reported seeing a suspicious man trespassing in the area weeks earlier, a tip now under review by detectives.

Tensions rose briefly after a media report suggested a family member might be a suspect, prompting a swift response from the sheriff’s department. Officials stated clearly that no suspect or person of interest has been named and pushed back on claims that any vehicles had been seized, emphasizing that speculation could interfere with the investigation.

As days pass with no arrest and no confirmed sighting of Nancy, the emotional toll is evident. Neighbors have organized informal watch efforts, double-checking their own security footage and looking out for anything unusual. Prayer circles have formed, and church members continue to hope for her safe return.

“This is really shocking,” one longtime neighbor said. “She was a big part of the community. We just want her to come home.”

For investigators, the focus remains on the details that once seemed unremarkable — who was present, who left, and what happened in the quiet hours after the front door closed. For the Guthrie family, those details now carry unbearable weight.

What began as a missing-person report has become something far darker, and as authorities continue to piece together Nancy Guthrie’s final hours, the unanswered questions only deepen the sense of unease hanging over a community — and a family — desperate for answers.