Savannah Guthrie, the American television presenter, has offered a reward of up to $1m for information leading to the safe return of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, who has been missing since 1 February. In a video posted on Instagram, Guthrie pleaded for anyone with knowledge of her mother's whereabouts to come forward, acknowledging that she 'may be lost' or 'may already be gone'.
The family's reward comes after three weeks of investigation, during which authorities have stated they believe Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped from her home near Tucson, Arizona. The FBI has been involved in the search, and Guthrie urged tipsters to contact federal investigators anonymously.
According to reports, the family had initially considered offering a privately funded reward but were advised to wait as tips flooded in. However, with leads drying up, they decided to proceed. Journalist John Miller noted that tips had 'slowed down' after an initial surge.
Investigators have revealed limited details, but drops of blood were found on the front porch of the Guthrie home, and DNA from a glove recovered two miles away matched a suspect seen in surveillance footage. However, officials have since stated that the DNA did not yield new leads.
In addition to the reward, the Guthrie family has donated $500,000 to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a nonprofit organisation that supports families coping with missing loved ones. Guthrie expressed awareness that many other families have endured similar uncertainty.
