The brother of US television presenter Savannah Guthrie has renewed his family’s appeal for proof that their missing mother is still alive, days after her disappearance in Arizona.
Camron Guthrie shared a video on Instagram after the first deadline mentioned in an alleged ransom letter passed without any contact. He said the family had still not heard directly from anyone claiming to have their mother, Nancy Guthrie.
The 84-year-old is believed to have been abducted from her home in Tucson during the night last weekend. Police have launched a large-scale search, offering a $50,000 (£36,000) reward for information leading to an arrest.
“We have to know that you have our mum,” Camron said in the video. “We want to talk to you.”
Speaking just after 17:00 local time on Thursday, he added: “We haven’t heard anything directly. We need you to reach out, and we need a way to communicate with you so we can move forward.”
His comments came as the first supposed deadline for a ransom payment expired. At a briefing, FBI Special Agent Heith Janke confirmed the agency was reviewing an alleged ransom note that set a deadline of 17:00 on Thursday, without specifying a time zone, and included a second deadline for Monday.
Officials declined to share details of what the note threatened if the deadline was missed. “We’re not going to go into specifics,” Janke said.
Authorities also announced that an arrest had been made in connection with a fake ransom note earlier in the investigation.
Earlier this week, Savannah Guthrie appeared in an emotional video alongside her siblings, directly addressing whoever may be holding their mother. “We are ready to talk,” she said. “We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and you have her. Please, reach out to us.”
The disappearance has drawn national attention, with media crews gathering in the normally quiet Arizona neighborhood where Nancy Guthrie lives.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators were still working on the assumption that she is alive, despite having no clear suspect. “Right now, we believe Nancy is still out there. We want her home,” he said. “Everybody’s still a suspect in our eyes.”
Authorities have urged anyone with information to contact the sheriff’s office, stressing that all tips will be investigated and warning against the spread of unverified claims.
