Savannah Guthrie returns to ‘Today’ after Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance
Savannah Guthrie returned as host of the NBC morning show for the first time in more than two months.
Has the search for Nancy Guthrie yielded new leads?
Despite reports that the FBI has obtained significant new DNA information, there is no new evidence in the disappearance of Today host Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mother, USA TODAY has learned.
ABC News reported on April 16, citing people familiar with the investigation, that the FBI is using new technology to perform advanced analysis of DNA samples in hopes of providing clues in the investigation, which began on February 1. Fox News, citing people familiar with the investigation, reported that FBI agents collected DNA from Nancy Guthrie’s home.
The FBI declined to comment. Angelica Carrillo, public information officer for the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, said local authorities continue to share information with the FBI lab regarding the Guthrie investigation.
“This is not new information,” the Sheriff’s Office wrote on Thursday, April 16. “The private laboratory in Florida that we utilize continues to share information with the FBI laboratory and other partner laboratories across the country. DNA analysis remains ongoing.”
USA TODAY has reached out to the “Today” show and Guthrie’s representatives for comment.
The television journalist’s elderly mother was last seen on January 31 in an apparent kidnapping in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood of Tucson, Arizona. Despite a recent drop in information, law enforcement officials emphasize that the investigation remains active.
Law enforcement previously confirmed that blood found on the home’s porch belonged to Nancy Guthrie, and that authorities also found DNA evidence in the home that did not belong to her or those close to her.
On February 10, the FBI released doorbell video of the suspect, described as a “male, approximately 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall, of average build,” at Guthrie’s front door the night she went missing.
The sheriff’s office said black gloves similar to those worn by the suspect in the video did not match anything in the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). No DNA was found on the premises.
Savannah Guthrie returns to ‘Today’ show in April
Savannah Guthrie returned to work on the Today show on April 6th after taking time off to focus on her mother’s disappearance.
She reportedly left the Today show on the April 15 episode after presenting an interview with Anne Hathaway. When the show returned from a commercial break, anchor Hoda Kotb replaced Guthrie and continued interviewing the “The Devil Wears Prada 2” actress.
But this moment is normal for the “Today” show, as it is routine for one host to tease an interview before throwing it to another, USA TODAY has learned.
Savannah Guthrie and her family continue to urge anyone with relevant information to alert authorities.
In a statement posted March 21, the Guthrie family said Tucson residents and the southern Arizona community are key to solving this case. “Someone knows something. Members of this community may have information they don’t even realize is important.”
During her absence from the talk show, Savannah Guthrie posted several videos, including responses to the ransom note.
Law enforcement is asking anyone with information to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Pima County Sheriff’s Office tips.fbi.gov. (520-351-4900) or 88-CRIME.
Contributor: Taijuan Moorman, Edward Segarra and Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY
