FBI expands search for missing 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, offers $50K reward, ransom demands revealed
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Feb 14, 2026, 00:11 IST
In a desperate bid to locate 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, missing from her Tucson home, authorities are ramping up efforts. The FBI is making a nationwide push, offering a generous reward and deploying digital billboards to raise awareness. Alarming signs, including blood evidence at her home and subsequent ransom notes, indicate the seriousness of her disappearance.
The FBI is expanding its search for Nancy Guthrie, an 84-year-old woman who disappeared from her Tucson, Arizona home on February 1st, offering a $50,000 reward and utilizing digital billboards in Texas. A retired forensic artist, Lois Gibson, has released an unofficial sketch of a person of interest seen outside Guthrie's home around the time of her disappearance. Investigators have found drops of Guthrie's blood outside her residence and her cell phone is in police custody, with authorities believing her physical limitations and need for daily medication make a voluntary departure unlikely. Two ransom messages demanding $6 million in Bitcoin have been sent to media outlets.
Lois Gibson, a retired Houston Police Department forensic artist, shared a sketch on Wednesday that is tied to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. Gibson reviewed surveillance images of a masked person of interest seen outside Guthrie’s Tucson, Ariz. home.
“I guessed at the parts of the face covered with the ski mask,” Gibson wrote on social media. “I couldn’t resist.”
Gibson, who holds the Guinness world record for “Most Successful Forensic Artist,” relied on visible features like eyes and partial facial structure to create the image because the individual in the footage was wearing a ski mask. She retired from the Houston Police Department in 2021.
Gibson’s passion for catching criminals stems from her near-death experience as the victim of a serial rapist/killer, according to her website. Her sketches have reportedly helped identify more than 751 criminals. Recently, Gibson recreated images of historical figures from the Battle of the Alamo based on photos of their descendants.
Investigators previously released still images and video showing a masked individual outside Guthrie’s home between 9:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. on February 1st, around the time she was last seen. Officials state the person appears to tamper with security equipment near the residence. Due to the individual's face being largely covered, authorities have asked the public to review the footage for identifying details such as clothing, build, and movement. Gibson’s sketch is based on these released images.
The FBI has posted digital billboards in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and El Paso featuring Nancy Guthrie’s photo, identifying details, and an FBI tip line. A $50,000 reward is being offered for information leading to her recovery. Investigators emphasize that “time is very critical” as they broaden their outreach beyond Arizona and examine ransom demands and physical evidence.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported missing from her Tucson home on February 1st. Authorities confirmed that drops of her blood were found outside the residence, and her cell phone is currently in police custody. Investigators also noted that her physical limitations and requirement for daily medication make it improbable that she left voluntarily. Two ransom messages, each demanding $6 million in Bitcoin, were sent to media outlets, according to authorities. Nancy Guthrie is described as being 5 feet, 5 inches tall, weighing approximately 150 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the FBI tip line or the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at (520) 351-4900.
Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have shared multiple videos on social media since their mother went missing. Their messages have evolved from direct appeals to those who may have taken her to heartfelt requests for public assistance. Earlier in the search, Savannah acknowledged media reports concerning ransom notes and urged communication, stating the family’s desire for confirmation that Nancy was alive. At one point, she and her siblings stated, “We will pay,” in an appeal related to messages purportedly received about their mother’s safe return. In more recent posts, Savannah has shared childhood videos and photographs of her mother. In a post on Thursday, she wrote, “we will never give up on her. thank you for your prayers and hope,” alongside a home video showing Nancy with young Savannah and her siblings. The FBI has indicated it is unaware of any direct communication between the Guthrie family and suspected abductors.
Savannah Guthrie is an American journalist and former attorney. She is widely recognized as a primary co-anchor of NBC News’ TODAY show, a role she has held since 2012. Prior to becoming a co-anchor, Guthrie served as a White House correspondent for NBC News from 2008 to 2011. She is also a New York Times bestselling author and was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in 2022.
Lois Gibson, a retired Houston Police Department forensic artist, shared a sketch on Wednesday that is tied to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. Gibson reviewed surveillance images of a masked person of interest seen outside Guthrie’s Tucson, Ariz. home.
“I guessed at the parts of the face covered with the ski mask,” Gibson wrote on social media. “I couldn’t resist.”
Gibson, who holds the Guinness world record for “Most Successful Forensic Artist,” relied on visible features like eyes and partial facial structure to create the image because the individual in the footage was wearing a ski mask. She retired from the Houston Police Department in 2021.
Gibson’s passion for catching criminals stems from her near-death experience as the victim of a serial rapist/killer, according to her website. Her sketches have reportedly helped identify more than 751 criminals. Recently, Gibson recreated images of historical figures from the Battle of the Alamo based on photos of their descendants.
Investigators previously released still images and video showing a masked individual outside Guthrie’s home between 9:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. on February 1st, around the time she was last seen. Officials state the person appears to tamper with security equipment near the residence. Due to the individual's face being largely covered, authorities have asked the public to review the footage for identifying details such as clothing, build, and movement. Gibson’s sketch is based on these released images.
The FBI has posted digital billboards in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and El Paso featuring Nancy Guthrie’s photo, identifying details, and an FBI tip line. A $50,000 reward is being offered for information leading to her recovery. Investigators emphasize that “time is very critical” as they broaden their outreach beyond Arizona and examine ransom demands and physical evidence.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was reported missing from her Tucson home on February 1st. Authorities confirmed that drops of her blood were found outside the residence, and her cell phone is currently in police custody. Investigators also noted that her physical limitations and requirement for daily medication make it improbable that she left voluntarily. Two ransom messages, each demanding $6 million in Bitcoin, were sent to media outlets, according to authorities. Nancy Guthrie is described as being 5 feet, 5 inches tall, weighing approximately 150 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the FBI tip line or the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at (520) 351-4900.
Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have shared multiple videos on social media since their mother went missing. Their messages have evolved from direct appeals to those who may have taken her to heartfelt requests for public assistance. Earlier in the search, Savannah acknowledged media reports concerning ransom notes and urged communication, stating the family’s desire for confirmation that Nancy was alive. At one point, she and her siblings stated, “We will pay,” in an appeal related to messages purportedly received about their mother’s safe return. In more recent posts, Savannah has shared childhood videos and photographs of her mother. In a post on Thursday, she wrote, “we will never give up on her. thank you for your prayers and hope,” alongside a home video showing Nancy with young Savannah and her siblings. The FBI has indicated it is unaware of any direct communication between the Guthrie family and suspected abductors.
Savannah Guthrie is an American journalist and former attorney. She is widely recognized as a primary co-anchor of NBC News’ TODAY show, a role she has held since 2012. Prior to becoming a co-anchor, Guthrie served as a White House correspondent for NBC News from 2008 to 2011. She is also a New York Times bestselling author and was inducted into the Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Fame in 2022.