Elizabeth Smart still has hope that Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, could be alive more than three months after going missing in Arizona.
“She could absolutely still be alive,” Smart, 38, told CNN on Tuesday, May 5. “There are cases that span many more years than mine does and they came back alive. And we’re talking years and years. So she could absolutely still be alive.”
The former ABC News commentator has personal experience to draw from when discussing the Guthrie case. Smart was missing for nine months after being abducted from her bedroom by Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee in June 2002. (Mitchell was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for the kidnapping while Barzee served 15 years in custody before her 2018 release.)
Smart — who was appearing on CNN to discuss her newfound bodybuilding career — acknowledged that “the alternative” to Nancy being found alive remains a significant possibility as well.
“Until we know, we have to keep looking. She deserves, either way, to be brought home,” Smart insisted.
Nancy was reported missing from her Tucson, Arizona, home on February 1, after last being seen by family members the night before. Pima County police have worked with federal investigators on the case but have yet to publicly identify any suspects.
The Guthrie family has released multiple statements appealing for their mother’ return, including revealing that Nancy would be in desperate need of her daily medications. On March 21, the tenor of the Guthries’ appeals changed with a heartwrenching statement about grief.
“We are deeply grateful for the outpouring from neighbors, friends and the people of Tucson. We are all family now,” the family told KVOA-TV News. “We continue to believe it’s Tucsonians, and the greater Southern Arizona community, that hold the key to finding resolution in this case. Someone knows something.”
Savannah and her two siblings, Annie and Camron, acknowledged that they “miss [their] mom with every breath” and would not be able to find “peace” until “she is home.”
“We cannot grieve; we can only ache and wonder,” they said. “Our focus is solely on finding her and bringing her home. We want to celebrate her beautiful and courageous life but we cannot do that until she is brought to a final place of rest.”
Savannah officially returned to work on NBC’s Today in New York City on April 6. (She made an early exit during the Wednesday, May 6, episode but was back the following day.)
The most recent development in the case has involved public squabbling between FBI director Kash Patel and Arizona police. Patel complained on Fox News Media’s “Hang Out With Sean Hannity” podcast on May 6 that the FBI had been sidelined by local investigators.
“It is a state matter,” Patel, 46, noted. “It’s a state and local law enforcement matter. What we, the FBI, do is say, ‘Hey, we’re here to help. What do you need? What can we do?’ And for four days, we were kept out of the investigation.”
The Pima County Sheriff attempted to refute those allegations in a statement to Us Weekly that same day.
“Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos is aware of FBI Director Kash Patel’s recent interview and statement,” a police spokesperson told Us. “Sheriff Nanos responded to the scene the night of the incident, providing immediate local leadership and oversight.”
The statement continued, “A member of the FBI Task Force was also notified and present at that scene working alongside our personnel. The FBI was promptly notified by both our department and the Guthrie family. While the FBI Director was not on scene, coordination with the Bureau began without delay.”
On Thursday, May 7, Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche seemingly tried to downplay hostilities between the two agencies by telling NewsNation’s Ali Bradley that “the FBI has worked closely since the day that this happened with the local law enforcement.”
“There have been reports of friction. I’ve seen those reports,” Blanche, 51, added. “We are here to help. And the FBI, President Trump, authorized and directed us to do everything we can to help in that investigation.”
