Exactly one year ago, Nancy Guthrie was featured on the "Today" show, where she and daughter Savannah Guthrie raised a toast to the same place the 84-year-old disappeared from less than three months later.
The pre-recorded segment, which was filmed on Oct. 17, 2025, captured one of the last times Savannah Guthrie saw her mom, who remains missing.
The NBC talk show followed Savannah Guthrie, 54, to her hometown of Tucson, Arizona, for its debut "Homecoming Today" segment on Nov. 5, 2025. The host said she was "always proud" of where she is from, noting, "I grew up there, went to college there, my mom still lives there and honestly, a part of me has really never left."
She rounded out the visit at one of her favorite spots – America's oldest family-owned
Mexican restaurant, El Charro – for a meal with sister Annie Guthrie and their mother Nancy Guthrie.
As Savannah Guthrie revealed her parents chose the Old Pueblo to put their roots down in the '70s after "moving all around," the matriarch explained what made her want to stay forever.
"It's so wonderful," Nancy Guthrie gushed. "Just the air, the quality of life is laid back and gentle. I like to watch the javelina eat my plants."
Holding up a glass, Savannah Guthrie added, "The best thing about Tucson is coming home and seeing you guys." In the studio, she and her "Today" cohosts shared another toast, which Jenna Bush Hager dedicated "to Nancy."
But months later, in the early hours of Feb. 1, Nancy Guthrie went missing from her Tucson home in what authorities believe to be a kidnapping for ransom.
Search continues for Savannah Guthrie's mom Nancy Guthrie
In the nine months since, Savannah Guthrie and her family have made a series of heartbreaking pleas for Nancy Guthrie's return, regardless of her condition. The investigation has included ransom notes, a $1 million reward and security footage of an armed, masked individual appearing to tamper with Nancy Guthrie's front doorbell camera the night of her disappearance.
Still, Nancy Guthrie has not been found, and no suspects have been publicly identified. Some have wondered if the look into her life on "Today" played a role in her disappearance, with former FBI Special Agent Steve Moore telling NewsNation reporter Brian Entin, "the timing is too coincidental" to assume it was "completely random."
"It fits with somebody who saw an opportunity and planned to take advantage of that opportunity and executed on their plan," Moore said in a September interview. "It was a straight [three months] until Nancy disappeared. So I think you have to give a lot of credence to the fact that that is a strong possibility."
Last month, Entin interviewed Andrew Christiansen, a local reporter who was at the "Today" shoot in October 2025. He said there were people from all over the city there to see Savannah Guthrie, who is known to the community as "that really big epitome of what Tucson can accomplish."
He also said he interacted with Nancy Guthrie throughout the day, noting her strong bond with Savannah Guthrie was evident.
"Everywhere Savannah went, [Nancy Guthrie] went," Christiansen said. "She was a really nice lady. She really spoke to Savannah's accomplishments. And one thing that really struck me when I was watching the 'Today' show being filmed is that Savannah kept saying, 'I love you, mom.'"
Nancy Guthrie made several appearances on the 'Today' show
Nancy Guthrie joined her daughter on "Today" three times before she went missing. In 2013, cameras showed her in her Tucson bedroom teaching viewers how to make a bed.
In 2019, Nancy Guthrie appeared on the fourth hour of "Today," opening up about how she raised her three kids – Savannah Guthrie and siblings Annie and Camron Guthrie – with a "laissez-faire" approach.
"Your kids won't like [hovering]," she said at the time. "All my kids are absolutely amazing."
Savannah Guthrie often praised her upbringing on the show as well. She explained in a 2022 episode that she lived at home through college in part because she wanted to "stick with my mom and not leave her alone" after the death of the news anchors father when she was 16.
When she eventually moved out for a job in Montana, Savannah Guthrie said Nancy Guthrie selflessly supported her. "She said, 'If you can't leave me, then I didn't do my job right, Savannah,'" she shared, adding, "It was really hard for me to leave her."
Savannah Guthrie, family pleas for mom updates continue
As the investigation continues, so have the Guthrie family's public calls for help. Savannah Guthrie marked the nine-month anniversary of her mom's disappearance on Nov. 1 in a touching Instagram post of a drawing by her daughter, Vale, of a blue umbrella in the rain, scrawled with the words, "I know it might not seem like it but I really need my Mommy."
"Found this old drawing from my daughter today. It says so much about how I feel. The world goes on, things appear 'normal' - as we try to keep going and be strong, especially for our young kids - but it's not and it never will be," Savannah Guthrie wrote in the caption.
"For Annie and Tommy, for Cam and Kristine, for Mike and me and for all of mom's beloved grandchildren: we ache for her, we cry out for answers, we cannot move forward," she added. "We need someone to help us, tell us what you know. Our mom was a light in this world. We want to celebrate her and give her the dignity she deserves. The reward is still available. Please. We are begging you. Please help us."
On Oct. 30, the Pima County Sheriff's Department in Arizona issued an update about the investigation on X.
"The Nancy Guthrie Task Force continued to work with our labs in hopes of furthering our DNA analysis in this investigation," a statement from Sheriff Chris Nanos reads. "Earlier this month investigators traveled to Florida to meet with lab scientists to see what more could be done to advance the case. A number of ideas were discussed, and we continue to work with all of our partners to solve this case."
The statement concluded urging anyone with information to come forward: "No tip is too small."
Contributing: Kim Willis, KiMi Robinson, James Powel, Brendan Morrow, Melina Khan and Tiffany Acosta, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nancy Guthrie appeared on 'Today' 1 year ago. Then she went missing
