US news anchor quits Olympic coverage after mother’s kidnapping

One of the most recognisable faces in US television news, NBC anchor Savannah Guthrie, has been thrust into the spotlight for deeply personal reasons after her mother was reported missing under what authorities describe as suspicious circumstances.

Police in the US state of Arizona said evidence found at the home of Guthrie’s 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, suggests she may have been kidnapped over the weekend.

The report came just hours before the Today show host was scheduled to travel to Milan to lead NBC’s coverage of the Winter Olympic Games, as US media reports.

Local Sheriff Chris Nanos confirmed that investigators believe the disappearance was not voluntary. “I believe she was abducted, yes. She didn’t walk from there. She didn’t go willingly,” Nanos said later in the day.

Speaking earlier at a news conference on February 3, Nanos stressed that Nancy Guthrie’s limited mobility ruled out the possibility that she simply left on her own. “She is very limited in her mobility, we know she didn't just walk out of there,” he said, adding that she could not walk 50 yards without assistance. “We don't know where she is.”

The sheriff said there are currently no suspects and emphasized that investigators have found no indication that Savannah Guthrie’s high-profile career played a role in the incident.

The case has drawn intense national media attention, with widespread coverage across major news outlets and crime-focused television programs. Some commentators have voiced frustration over what they see as a lack of detailed information released by authorities.

Callahan Walsh, co-host of the popular TV crime series America’s Most Wanted, told Fox News Digital he was disappointed by the limited updates provided to the public. He said he “was hoping at this press conference that something would be released – a break in the investigation, a direction that they're headed, some hope for the family or actionable information for the public to assist. There just wasn't any of that. It was mostly questions that were being asked by the media, and pretty vague or no answers provided.”

Walsh also suggested a different possible motive from that outlined by investigators, saying he believes it is plausible that the older woman was targeted because of her daughter’s prominence.

“It's very possible that she was targeted because of who her daughter is,” Walsh said. “Her daughter's a high-profile television personality on the ‘Today’ show, somebody that people see in their homes and on their television screens regularly. There absolutely could be somebody out there that has a grudge against Savannah and has taken it out on her mother, and let's hope that's not the case.”

Authorities say the investigation is ongoing and are urging anyone with information to come forward.

By Nazrin Sadigova