An Arizona sheriff says \u201cWe do in fact have a crime scene\u201d as authorities search for the 84-year-old mother of \u201cToday\u201d show host Savannah Guthrie, who was reported missing over the weekend.<\/b>
\nAn Arizona sheriff said Monday that \u201cwe do in fact have a crime scene\u201d as authorities search for the 84-year-old mother of \u201cToday\u201d show host Savannah Guthrie, who was reported missing over the weekend.
Speaking during a news conference, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said there are signs at the home indicating Nancy Guthrie did not leave on her own.
\u201cI need this community to step up and start giving us some calls,\u201d Nanos said.
Asked to explain why investigators believe it\u2019s a crime scene, Nanos said Nancy Guthrie has limited mobility and said there were other things indicated she did not leave on her own, but declined to further elaborate.
The sheriff said Nancy Guthrie, who lived alone, was of sound mind. \u201cThis is not dementia related. She\u2019s as sharp as a tack. The family wants everyone to know that this isn\u2019t someone who just wandered off,\u201d Nanos said. He said she needs her daily medication.
Nanos said at a news conference Sunday night that Nancy Guthrie was last seen around 9:30 p.m. Saturday at her home in the Tucson area. Her family reported her missing around noon Sunday.
Nanos said a family member received a call from someone at church saying Nancy Guthrie wasn\u2019t there, leading family to search for her at her home and then calling 911.
Searchers were using drones and search dogs to look for Nancy Guthrie, Nanos said. Search and rescue teams were supported by volunteers and Border Patrol and the homicide team was also involved, he said. It is not standard for the homicide team to get involved in such cases, Nanos said.
\u201cThis one stood out because of what was described to us at the scene and what we located just looking at the scene,\u201d Nanos said Sunday. He was not ruling out foul play.
On Monday morning, Nanos said search crews worked hard but have since been pulled back. \u201cWe don\u2019t see this as a search mission so much as it is a crime scene,\u201d the sheriff said. Savannah Guthrie issued a statement on Monday, NBC\u2019s \u201cToday\u201d show reported.
\u201cOn behalf of our family, I want to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers and messages of support,\u201d she said. \u201cRight now, our focus remains on the safe return of our dear Nancy.\u201d
\u201cToday\u201d opened Monday\u2019s show with the disappearance of the co-anchor\u2019s mother, but Savannah Guthrie was not at the anchor\u2019s desk. Nanos said during the Monday news conference that Savannah Guthrie is in Arizona.<\/p>\n