A man has been arrested after authorities say he repeatedly drove past Nancy Guthrie's Arizona home — nearly 100 times — while allegedly staring at a photo of the missing woman on his phone, according to a recent report.
The unidentified man was pulled over by police after reporters noticed him driving very slowly past Guthrie's Tucson home late Thursday night, according to Brian Entin of NewsNation. Entin said that the man, who was driving a blue SUV, repeatedly approached the memorial set up outside the 84-year-old's home, stopping over and over again near her home. In total, the unidentified man was seen passing the property somewhere between 50 and 100 times.
Stranger Under Scanner
A media photographer who approached the man noticed that he had a photo of Savannah Guthrie's missing mother on his phone, Entin said. Deputies with the Pima County Sheriff's Department stopped the man outside the home and questioned him for roughly 20 minutes, Entin said, adding that the officers appeared to be trying to find a translator to help communicate with the driver.
In a follow-up video, Entin said the man was eventually handcuffed and arrested on a DUI charge after failing a sobriety test.
"It is weird. There's some just like creepy people that come by," the journalist said.
Nancy was last seen on January 31, after spending the evening at her eldest daughter Annie's home, where the family had gathered for dinner and a game night.
She was reported missing the next morning when she didn't arrive for church as expected.
Authorities have been searching for Guthrie ever since, but despite following up on a handful of tips, investigators say none have led to answers so far. Her whereabouts remain unknown.
Desperate Pleas
Her "Today" show host daughter andher siblings have repeatedly taken to social media to make heartfelt appeals to whoever has their mother, pleading for them to come forward and reveal where she is.
On Tuesday, Savannah delivered her most emotional message yet. Fighting back tears on camera, she admitted for the first time that Nancy may no longer be alive. She also announced that the family is now offering a $1 million reward for information leading to her mother's return.
"We need to know where she is, we need her to come home," she said in a video posted to her Instagram account.
"We also know that she may be lost, she may already be gone. She may have already gone home to the lord that she loves," Savannah said through tears.
The journalist said that if Nancy has died, the family would come to terms with it — but they still desperately need answers and a sense of closure.
"But we need to know where she is. We need her to come home. For that reason, we are offering a family reward of up to $1 million for any information that leads us to her recovery," Savannah said.
She made a direct appeal to whoever took Nancy, as well as to anyone who may know something about where she is, urging them to speak up. "If you've been waiting and you haven't been sure, let this be your sign to please come forward.
"Tell what you know and help us bring our beloved mom home so that we can either celebrate a glorious, miraculous homecoming or celebrate the beautiful, brave, noble and courageous life that she has lived. Please be the light in the dark."
