Nancy Guthrie Case: Son-in-Law’s Bandmate Breaks Silence on Rumors

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The search for Nancy Guthrie continues.

Since February 1st, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department has been searching for the missing 84-year-old mother of Today show anchor Savannah Guthrie. Investigators have followed up on many tips, and earlier this month, they determined that none of her siblings or spouses were involved.

Online users are focusing on Dominic Evans as a possible suspect. He plays music with Tommaso Cioni, who is married to Nancy’s daughter, Annie Guthrie. Some believe Evans matches the description of the person seen in doorbell camera footage released earlier this month – a person wearing a ski mask and carrying a backpack.

The elementary school teacher is now publicly sharing details about the harassment he’s faced since the accusations came to light.

Evans told The New York Times that it feels like someone is impersonating him. He’s unsure why people are making accusations, suggesting it could be for money, attention, or simply to generate clicks, but he emphasized that innocent people are getting caught in the crossfire.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said he understands the attention Evans and his family are getting after people showed up at their home. Evans and his wife have stated they were with their children the night Nancy disappeared.

The sheriff told the Times that the man is suffering immensely, and it’s truly awful. He advised the man to consider talking to lawyers and potentially suing those who have defamed him.

Nanos stated he didn’t want to eliminate anyone outside the Guthrie family as a suspect, but he also expressed frustration, saying he wished he could immediately clear the names of those who’d been wrongly accused.

Savannah and her siblings offered a $1 million reward for the safe return of their mother, whether she is found alive or not.

In a video posted on February 24th, Savannah urged anyone with information to come forward. She said, “If you’ve been hesitant, please share what you know and help us find our mom. We want to either welcome her home safely or honor her wonderful life.”

Read on for a full timeline of the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. 

I’m really worried about Nancy Guthrie, Savannah Guthrie’s mom, and a mother to Annie and Camron as well. Her family last saw her at her home in Tucson, Arizona, around 9:30 PM on January 31st, according to the police.

Police confirmed to Today that Nancy, 84, was reported missing by her family on February 1st. A friend had noticed she didn’t attend church that morning and alerted her loved ones. After searching her property for about an hour, her children contacted authorities and reported her missing around noon.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos later explained the first steps of the investigation, which involved detectives specializing in homicides, at the victim’s home.

We usually don’t need to involve the sheriff in situations like this, but the details emerging from the house are deeply troubling,” he explained to reporters on February 2nd. “This case was particularly unusual because of what officers described finding at the scene and what we observed ourselves.

It was really unusual, honestly. Detective Nanos explained that normally, the homicide team only gets called when there’s a body – a clear case of someone being killed. But this time, they came out simply because of what the land surveyors had reported. It wasn’t a typical situation at all, and I found it fascinating that they acted on the surveyors’ information alone.

After looking into the situation, authorities said they think a crime happened at Nancy’s house.

During a press conference on February 2nd, Nanos stated that investigators have confirmed a crime scene after processing the location. He asked for the public’s assistance, noting the community has consistently helped solve difficult cases and he hopes they will do so again.

The sheriff pointed out that Nancy had trouble getting around – she couldn’t walk even a short distance on her own – which led him to suspect something wasn’t right with her disappearance.

He stated, “We’re certain she didn’t simply leave by herself. Evidence at the location suggests she didn’t leave on her own.”

The search for Nancy is still ongoing, and officials are stressing that she requires daily medication to stay healthy, but she probably doesn’t have it with her.

During a press conference on February 2nd, Nanos explained that an 84-year-old woman under their care is facing health problems and urgently needs medication. Without it within 24 hours, her condition could become life-threatening.

We’re asking anyone with information about this – if you’ve seen or heard anything – to please get in touch. Call 911. We want to avoid another tragedy and need the public’s help.

Although Nancy has had some health challenges, Dr. Nanos highlighted that her mental sharpness remains excellent.

According to Dr. Nanos, Nancy Guthrie is mentally alert and this isn’t a case of dementia. She’s very sharp and the family wants to emphasize she didn’t simply wander off; her limited mobility is simply due to her age.

With the search for Nancy still ongoing, Nanos expressed his wish for her to come home safely.

“I hope we find her safe and sound,” he emphasized, “but we cannot ignore what’s in front of us.”

The day after Nancy was reported missing, the anchor of the Today show shared how deeply her family is affected by the situation.

Speaking for my family, I want to express our gratitude for all the kind thoughts, prayers, and messages we’ve received,” she said on February 2nd during an interview on NBC’s morning show. “Our main priority right now is bringing Nancy home safely.”

She expressed gratitude to law enforcement for their efforts in the investigation and asked anyone with relevant information to reach out to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.

Once Savannah learned her mother, Nancy, had been reported missing, her colleagues on the Today show publicly expressed their support.

You know, as someone who keeps up with what’s trending in lifestyle and pop culture, I was really touched by something Jenna Bush Hager shared on ‘Today with Jenna & Sheinelle’ recently. She was talking about Nancy, and she genuinely expressed how much she cares for her, adding that they’re actually personal friends. It was a really sweet moment!

She continued, saying they were keeping Savannah and her family in their thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

Meanwhile, Sheinelle Jones emphasized the importance of community during this difficult time. 

She said the show’s request for viewers to help with the investigation really highlighted the strength of their community. They asked anyone with information – even if it seemed insignificant – to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s department.

She added, “So we’re sending our prayers but we’re also sending our collective action.”

Before concluding the segment, both hosts continued, “We love you, Savannah.”

And Sunday Today anchor Willie Geist also urged fans to keep an eye out for Nancy.

On February 2nd, he posted on Instagram asking anyone with information about the whereabouts of Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy, to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department in Arizona. He also included the department’s phone number, stating that she was missing.

Savannah’s former colleague, Hoda Kotb, responded to the surprising news by sharing a heartwarming photo of Savannah and Nancy together on the Today show set. In a simple Instagram post on February 2nd, Hoda included only a red heart and praying hands emoji.

Police have marked Nancy’s home in Arizona as a crime scene, but they say there’s no reason for the public to be worried.

Pima County Sheriff Nanos stated in a press conference on February 2nd that he doesn’t believe there is a current danger, but acknowledged that the investigation is ongoing and much work remains.

Savannah hasn’t been on Today since February 1st, when her mother was reported missing. However, local authorities have been checking in with her to ensure her well-being.

The sheriff confirmed they had spoken with her. Her security team has been communicating with them all night, but they aren’t ruling anything out at this point.

On Feb. 2, Pima County police shared a series of updates on the timeline of Nancy’s disappearance.

Investigators now think the woman was likely taken from her home against her will, perhaps while she was sleeping, according to a Pima County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson on February 2nd. Detectives are investigating the possibility that she was kidnapped.

After news broke that Nancy might have been taken from her home in Arizona while she was sleeping, Savannah made a heartfelt plea.

In a recent Instagram post on February 2nd, she shared her faith, writing, ‘We believe in the power of prayer, in people coming together with love and hope, in goodness, and in the best of humanity. Most importantly, we believe in God.’

Savannah continued, thanking everyone for keeping her mother, Nancy, in their thoughts and prayers. She described Nancy as a woman of strong beliefs and a devoted person, and asked for continued prayers, believing they would provide comfort and strength right now.

She added, “we need you.”

To conclude her plea, Savannah shared a Bible verse from Isaiah.

She shared a timeless verse from Isaiah: “He will keep those with steadfast hearts and unwavering trust in the Lord in perfect peace.” She believed it held a message for everyone.

Savannah continued, “Bring her home.”

Pima County Sheriff Nanos stated that DNA evidence was discovered at Nancy’s house, which is now being treated as a crime scene.

We collected samples and are hoping they contain enough DNA to help us identify what we’re looking for, he told NBC News in a report on Today on February 3rd.

Two days after Nancy went missing, Nanos explained what happened leading up to her disappearance at a press conference.

According to Nanos, the doorbell camera stopped working at 1:47 a.m., about four hours after she got back from a family visit, as she explained in a press conference on February 5th.

The software identified someone at the door, but the video was automatically deleted because Nancy didn’t have a paid subscription. However, the representative assured her they were still working to recover the recording.

The sheriff explained that Nancy’s pacemaker app lost connection with her phone at 2:28 a.m. The family found her missing at 11:56 a.m., and 911 was called to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department just three minutes later, at 12:03 p.m.

About ten minutes after that, he explained that when their patrol teams reach the location, they begin responding with both search-and-rescue and detective units.

On February 4th, Savannah, Camron, and Annie read letters they had written, hoping to reach their mother and anyone who might be holding her, asking for her safe return.

In a video posted to Instagram, the family spokesperson said they are doing everything possible and are willing to communicate. However, they expressed concern about the potential for misinformation, stating they need undeniable proof that their loved one is still alive and in the possession of those who have her.

She explained, ‘My mom is the center of our world, our safe place. Her health is very delicate, and she’s constantly in pain. Right now, she doesn’t have the medication she desperately needs to stay alive and ease her suffering.’

The next day, Camron confirmed in a separate video that the family was still “waiting for contact.”

As one of the people desperately waiting for news about our mother, I want to say this: if anyone has her, please, please get in touch. We haven’t had any direct communication at all, and it’s killing us. We just need a way to talk, to understand what’s happening, so we can start figuring out how to bring her home.

During a press conference on February 5th, FBI special agent Heith Janke announced the arrest of Derrick Callella from California. Callella is accused of sending fake texts as part of an attempt to profit from the situation—authorities described him as an imposter. They are also investigating a detailed ransom letter shared with TMZ and are taking the threat very seriously. Callella has not yet entered a plea and was released on a $20,000 bond.

However, he noted, the Guthrie family was “still waiting for communication.”

On February 7th, the day officials told Today they had searched Annie’s Arizona home as a routine part of the investigation, Savannah posted another Instagram video suggesting her earlier wish had come true.

Holding hands with Camron and Annie, she said in the video, “We understand your message, and we’re asking you to please bring our mother back so we can celebrate with her. That’s the only thing that will bring us peace.”

And if her intentions weren’t clear, Savannah added, “This is very valuable to us and we will pay.”

Investigators shared surveillance photos of a person of interest in the case on February 10th.

Footage from a camera on Nancy’s property shows a person wearing a ski mask and carrying a backpack walking up to the house. The individual then appears to punch the camera, damaging it. Police had previously noted the camera was broken when they arrived at the scene.

For the past eight days, the FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department have been collaborating with private companies to find any lost, damaged, or hidden images and videos from Nancy Guthrie’s home. This effort included searching for data after recording devices were removed. They successfully recovered the video from data stored in the systems behind those devices, according to a statement shared with TopMob News.

“Working with our partners,” the note continued, “law enforcement has uncovered these previously inaccessible new images showing an armed individual appearing to have tampered with the camera at Nancy Guthrie’s front door the morning of her disappearance.”

Two days after the FBI shared video of the person who went near Nancy’s house, investigators provided a description of the suspect.

According to the FBI’s Phoenix office, the suspect is a man between 5’9” and 5’10” tall with an average build. He was seen in a video wearing a black ‘Ozark Trail Hiker Pack’ backpack that holds about 25 liters.

The FBI is now offering up to $100,000 – an increase from $50,000 – for information that helps find Nancy Guthrie or leads to the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.

After Savannah Guthrie’s mother had been missing for over two weeks, Pima County Sheriff Nanos released a statement to explain who investigators are looking at in connection with the 84-year-old’s disappearance.

In a statement on February 16th, authorities confirmed that the entire Guthrie family – including all siblings and their spouses – have been ruled out as suspects. They noted the family has been fully cooperative and are themselves considered victims in this matter.

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2026-02-26 05:19