Commentator and journalist Nancy Grace has weighed in on the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, saying she does not believe the victim’s family is responsible for the case. Speaking at the Variety True Crime Summit during the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, Grace explained that her opnion is based largely on her personal impression of Nancy Guthrie’s daughter, Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie.
Guthrie family not responsible
“For one reason, and one reason only, I do not believe the Guthrie family is responsible, because although it was many years ago that I first met Savannah Guthrie, she is, I’d like to assure you, not a fake TV person,” Grace said.
Grace elaborated further while addressing early speculation that had focused on family members during the first days of the investigation.
“She’s [Savannah] real. She is real, just like she is on TV. She’s super-smart. She’s a trained lawyer.”
“She walked up to that flower memorial with her arm around her brother-in-law and I just do not believe, I find it impossible to believe that Savannah would do that if she suspected he was involved,” adding, that was the “reason alone.”
She also acknowledged that investigators often begin by examining those closest to a victim but said she does not believe that applies in this case.
“You are all true crime, legal aficionados, you would say you look at the family first. Of course you do, because statistically, that’s who did it. But I don’t think that’s who did it in this case,” Grace said.
Nancy Guthrie update
Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Savannah Guthrie, has been missing for nearly six weeks. The 84-year-old was last seen at her home in Tucson, Arizona, on January 31 and was reported missing the following day.
Investigators believe she may have been abducted, noting that drops of her blood were discovered on the front porch of her residence. Authorities have also expressed concern about her health because she requires daily medication.
Officials have since said that members of her family have been cleared as suspects.
Investigation
Last month, the FBI released doorbell camera footage showing a man on Guthrie’s porch the night she disappeared. The individual was wearing a ski mask, gloves, long pants and a jacket, and appeared to have a handgun holster.
Authorities described the suspect as a man approximately 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-10 with an average build who was carrying a 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack. His identity has not been publicly confirmed.
Several news organizations have also reported receiving alleged ransom notes demanding cryptocurrency payments for Guthrie’s release, though investigators have not confirmed whether the messages are authentic.
Initial speculation centered on family members because Annie Guthrie and her husband, Tommaso Cioni, were reportedly the last people to see Nancy. Investigators also seized Annie’s vehicle as part of the early stages of the inquiry.
Despite those developments, authorities have stated that the family is no longer considered part of the investigation.
Savannah Guthrie has publicly appealed for continued support as the search continues.
“We feel the love and prayers from our neighbors, from the Tucson community and from around the country. … Please don’t stop praying and hoping with us. bring her home,” she said in an Instagram message last week.
Meanwhile, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators believe the suspect may have had a specific motive but cautioned that the threat cannot be fully ruled out for others.
“We believe we know why he did this, and we believe that it was targeted. But we can’t—we’re not 100 percent sure of that, so it would be silly to tell people: ‘Yeah, don’t worry about it. You’re not his target,'” Nanos told NBC News.