Residents in Arizona’s Catalina Foothills, a neighborhood known for its safety, struggle to comprehend the recent disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today” host Savannah Guthrie. They describe the area as peaceful, citing a lack of serious crime. Tom Pugh, president of the Catalina Foothills Association, expressed disbelief, stating, “I’ve lived here 50 years and I’ve never heard of a crime like this.”
Pugh characterized the community, noting that it’s a friendly place where people walk their dogs and greet one another daily. “By and large, there is no crime. The occasional minor incidents, maybe like someone leaving their car unlocked, but nothing like this has ever occurred here,” he said, reflecting on the unsettling nature of the current situation.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos mentioned that incidents of this nature are rare in the neighborhood. He expressed uncertainty whether the apparent kidnapping was targeted or random, emphasizing that “we don’t see such monsters here.”
The Catalina Foothills, with about 50,000 residents, boasts a crime rate significantly lower than both the national and Tucson averages. According to the FBI, there were 194 violent crime incidents per 100,000 residents in the area in 2024, while the national average was 359, and Tucson’s figure stood at 589.
Property crime rates also highlight the neighborhood’s safety: the area reported 824 incidents per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 1,760 and Tucson’s 3,313. Overall, Catalina Foothills is considered safer than about 60% of U.S. cities, with violent crime levels 46% lower than the national norm, and property crime levels 53% lower.
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Pugh was not surprised when informed that many homes in the area don’t have Ring doorbell cameras, making it harder for law enforcement to gather surveillance footage from the night of Nancy’s disappearance. “This isn’t really a high-security area,” he said. He also noted the absence of street lights, explaining, “People appreciate the dark skies here; it’s one of the reasons people choose to live in this beautiful area.” This, he argued, reflects a general sense of safety among residents.
