Lead
US television host Savannah Guthrie has made a new public plea to the kidnappers believed to have taken her mother, asking them to "tell us where to look for her" after nearly six months of silence.
In a video released on Monday, Guthrie, the co-host of NBC's Today show, delivered an emotional appeal that ABC Australia and The Guardian — World described as a desperate plea to "do the right thing." She said her family was living through "a nightmare that will not end," and that they would "never stop looking" for her mother, Nancy Guthrie.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, disappeared from her home just outside Tucson, Arizona, on 1 February. Authorities believe she was taken against her will, and surveillance footage that night showed a masked man on the porch.
Coverage of the plea
All four outlets that covered the story — ABC Australia, Al Jazeera, The Guardian — World, and the South China Morning Post — relayed the substance of Guthrie's message. In her statement, posted to Instagram with the caption "Bring her home," she directly addressed the abductor: "The world can be a cruel and unforgiving place, and I know that you have tried to do the right thing. So I'm asking you, begging you, to do the right thing now."
Al Jazeera presented the appeal as a concise factual update, highlighting that this was a renewed plea after the family's prolonged ordeal. The Guardian — World expanded on the emotional context, quoting Guthrie's insistence that her family will "never stop looking." The South China Morning Post focused on the physical evidence – the blood on the doorstep and the release of surveillance video – as part of its coverage of the plea.
Key claims
- Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her home on 1 February. She was 84 years old at the time. Authorities say she was kidnapped or abducted, and her fate remains unknown.
- The South China Morning Post reported that blood was found near the front doorstep of her home, and the FBI later released surveillance videos showing a masked man on the porch that night.
- The Guardian — World reported that the family is offering a $1 million reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie's recovery.
- The Guardian — World also stated that a glove found 2 miles from the house, initially examined as a possible clue, was later discredited after it was discovered to belong to a restaurant worker.
- ABC Australia reported that a volunteer group recently searched for Nancy Guthrie's body near the Arizona–Mexico border.
Perspectives
Family's plea
Savannah Guthrie says her family has done "our part" and urgently asks the captor to help them find Nancy. Her statement implores: "I truly believe it is never too late to do the right thing. Please make the right choice." She insists that "there is always a way home" and expresses hope that the person responsible will listen.
FBI's assessment
The FBI has discounted some ransom notes as extortion attempts, according to ABC Australia and The Guardian — World. Al Jazeera reported that investigators said kidnapping notes linked to the case were fake. The agency has not specified which notes, if any, it considers genuine, leaving families and the public with an unresolved and ambiguous picture of events.