Savannah Guthrie Reflects on Childhood Tradition Amid Mother’s Disappearance
In her upcoming book, Savannah Guthrie shares memories of an unusual game from her childhood. She recalls how her cousin and mother, Nancy Guthrie, would play a yearly “kidnapping” game when they were children.
In “The Lord Does God,” set to be released in February 2024, Savannah describes a playful tradition where her cousin would “kidnap” her and her sister from their home in Tucson, Arizona. One year, her cousin took them to Phoenix, making a call to their mother along the way.
“Each summer, my cousin Terry would plan this ‘kidnapping’ of my sister and me,” Savannah writes. “The story was that the cousins would visit us, and on the day they left, Terry would wake us up early, stealthily lock us in, and escape into the morning.” She recalls the ride north in Terry’s old station wagon as the sun cast vivid colors over the desert.
“Somewhere on the journey, Teri stopped so we could call home on a payphone. ‘Mom! Cousin Teri kidnapped us!’ Our mom acted shocked and said she would miss us, promising to come pick us up in a few days,” Savannah added.
Ongoing Investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s Disappearance
While Savannah’s memories of her childhood are fond, the timing is significant amid the serious situation involving her mother. Nancy Guthrie has been missing for over two weeks, and the Pima County Sheriff has stated that Nancy’s family and spouse are no longer considered suspects in her case. Reports suggest she was forcibly taken from her home early on February 1, rather than leaving voluntarily.
Investigators are still searching for Nancy, and Sheriff Chris Nanos mentioned that DNA retrieved from her residence, as well as a glove found nearby, do not match any records in the FBI’s CODIS database.
The FBI is currently pursuing genetic genealogy methods to identify potential suspects. A former FBI Special Agent explained that this technique combines DNA analysis from the crime scene with searches of public genealogy databases and conventional family tree research.
Recent developments have seen the FBI reaching out to Mexican authorities regarding potential leads tied to Nancy’s case. Despite this, officials indicate they do not suspect she was abducted and taken across the U.S.-Mexico border.
