"Safe But Scared"
Missing-persons expert Theresa Payton weighs in on the search for Nancy Guthrie
Morning Note: Yesterday I polled readers on Instagram to gauge preference between longer, contextual summaries of the Epstein updates and shorter, incremental posts throughout the day. Eighty percent favored shorter drops, so expect multiple posts (a mix of free & paid) in your inbox through Monday.
A new ransom note received this morning states that Nancy Guthrie is “safe but sacred.”
The disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s mother has us all on edge as family and authorities await confirmation of her safe recovery On a call yesterday, cybercrime and intelligence expert Theresa Payton outlined what we can expect over the next 48 hours. If the audio sounds a little wiry it’s because I ran into issues with the original file and had to re-record it from my phone to my laptop. Apologies for the quality.
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Transcript:
JRK: Okay, hello. We have Theresa Payton with us today. Theresa, you’re here to help walk us through the last few days of this really strange and heartbreaking case involving Savannah Guthrie’s missing mother. I’ll be honest—I haven’t been able to fully wrap my head around it yet. There’s so much happening in the news right now, and I’ve been deeply consumed with the Epstein coverage. So I’m really grateful you’re here, even just to help me understand what’s actually going on. Before we dive in, can you tell us a bit about who you are, what you do, and what drew you into this case?
Theresa Payton: First of all, thank you for having me. I’ve been looking forward to our conversation, though obviously under very sad circumstances. I remain incredibly hopeful that Nancy will be found and returned safely to her family.
A little about me: I run a company called Fortalice Solutions. In addition to protecting companies, we protect the digital footprints of individuals—executives, VIPs, athletes, and public figures. Before founding the company, I served as the first female Chief Information Officer at the White House under President George W. Bush from 2006 to 2008. I’m also a mom of three Gen Z kids.
My thoughts and prayers are with Savannah, her family, and law enforcement working around the clock on this case. I also want to stress that members of the public listening may have information they don’t realize is relevant. Sometimes a small detail can make a huge difference.
As for the case itself: Nancy Guthrie, Savannah’s mother, is 84 years old. She’s been missing since at least February 1, possibly earlier, according to law enforcement. She was taken from her home in the Catalina Foothills area north of Tucson, Arizona. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI are investigating her disappearance, which they’ve described as a suspected abduction or kidnapping against her will.
She was last seen on the evening of January 31st, around 9:30 to 9:45 p.m. Mountain Time, when she was dropped off at her home. A wellness check was requested after she failed to appear at church the next day, though there’s been some confusion about whether she attended services in person or online.
Her home has been declared a crime scene. There are signs of damage inside and outside, and law enforcement has confirmed that blood found outside the home belongs to Nancy. No suspect has been publicly identified, though that doesn’t mean there aren’t persons of interest.
We also know Nancy depends on daily, life-sustaining medication due to cardiac issues and a pacemaker. She’s a mother of three. Her husband, Charles Guthrie, has passed away. From what I’ve seen, the family remains very close and deeply committed to bringing their mother home.
Q: JRK: It’s heartbreaking—and the details just keep getting stranger. I haven’t followed closely enough to know what’s been confirmed versus what’s speculation. For example, I saw reports about a ransom note—TMZ mentioned one—but I don’t know what’s been fact-checked. There’s also talk about her pacemaker, Ring cameras… Where are we right now in terms of confirmed facts?
A: Theresa Payton: Law enforcement was initially quite open with details, but as the investigation progressed, they’ve become more guarded—which is typical. When investigators develop working theories, they don’t want to tip their hand.
Here’s what appears to be confirmed: the blood found outside the home matches Nancy’s DNA. Her pacemaker stopped connecting to its app around 2:28 a.m. on February 1. There was motion detected on a doorbell camera around 2:12 a.m., though it’s unclear whether usable video exists.
The public is still being urged to submit tips. Regarding ransom notes, at least one note that was sent has been confirmed as a hoax, and an arrest has been made in connection with that. What has not been clearly confirmed is whether that hoax note is the same one TMZ reported on, which allegedly demanded millions in cryptocurrency. TMZ stated that a wallet address was included, which would be traceable, and they did not release it publicly, which was the right call.
Another reported ransom communication allegedly included details only someone with access to the home or surveillance footage would know—things like a floodlight, what Nancy was wearing, damage inside the house, and her Apple Watch. However, details vary, including whether a deadline was set.
One thing that stands out to me is that there has been no mention of a proof-of-life offer. Typically, ransom demands include that. The absence of it is unusual.
Q: JRK: That’s exactly what struck me. We don’t see ransom cases like this anymore. And usually there’s a structure—proof of life, clear demands. Does this suggest whoever did this is unprofessional?
A: Theresa Payton: It could—but it’s also possible law enforcement is withholding information intentionally. The family may know more than the public. What’s puzzling is that no ransom note appears to have been left at the scene, which you’d typically expect in a premeditated kidnapping. If the ransom demand was sent electronically, there’s metadata that can be analyzed: phone numbers, email addresses, IP data. Even if a burner phone or VoIP was used, mistakes are often made.
Q: JRK: And this was a text, right? Not a physical note?
A: Theresa Payton: That’s my understanding. And again, if cryptocurrency addresses are involved, those are traceable. Whoever sent the message may not realize how much information they’re giving law enforcement.
Q: JRK: I want to talk about the family video. Intuitively, what did you feel when you watched it? Did this feel personal? Random? Targeted because Savannah is a public figure?
A: Theresa Payton: I watched the video first with no sound. I wanted to observe body language. I cried immediately. It became very personal—imagining my own family in that situation.
The siblings sat very close together. Savannah, who is normally so natural on camera, clearly stuck to prepared remarks and looked exhausted. When I listened with sound, I cried even harder. They humanized their mother. They called her “Mama.” They weren’t just asking—they were appealing to conscience.
One word that stood out was “manipulated.” They asked for proof of life and acknowledged that audio and images can be manipulated today. That suggested a very careful appeal, likely guided by professionals.
Q: JRK: Some people felt the message was directed at a very specific audience. Did you get that sense?
A: Theresa Payton: Yes. I strongly suspect a hostage negotiator and psychological profiler helped craft that message. These professionals analyze crime scenes and offender archetypes. The wording, the timing, the physical arrangement—it all appeared deliberate.
That video wasn’t for the public. It was for the person or people who took Nancy, designed to appeal to whatever humanity they might have left.
Q: JRK: So this isn’t just the FBI generally—it’s specialists trained specifically for these scenarios?
A: Theresa Payton: That’s my educated guess. And given reports that federal resources have been fully deployed, I assume those experts are on the ground.
Q: JRK: Who was the last confirmed person to see her?
A: Theresa Payton: Timelines vary. There was mention of an Uber ride, possibly family, possibly neighbors—but nothing definitive has been confirmed publicly.
Q: JRK: What’s the community like where she lived?
A: Theresa Payton: It’s a private, quiet area. One nearby neighbor did report an intruder on his property shortly before Nancy went missing. When a motion light came on, the person fled. It may or may not be related.
This is why public tips matter. Something that seemed insignificant at the time may now be critical.
Q: JRK: Does public attention help or hurt cases like this?
Q: JRK: Can you explain how phone pings and digital tracking work in a case like this?
A: Theresa Payton: Investigators usually work backward. They’ll analyze all digital devices Nancy used—Wi-Fi connections, Bluetooth, cell towers—especially in the 72 hours before the suspected abduction. Then they overlay data from other devices in the same areas to look for intersections.
Even if someone turns off a phone, other signals can still be detected. Tools exist to recover deleted data, metadata, and device interactions. There are also specialized tools and even trained dogs that can detect hidden digital surveillance devices.
Q: JRK: That’s incredible.
A: Theresa Payton: It is. These resources exist, and I’m hopeful they’re being used here.
Q: JRK: What do you think the next 48 hours look like?
A: Theresa Payton: My hope is that whoever took Nancy makes contact and negotiates her return. Time matters—especially given her medical needs. Whether this was planned or impulsive remains unknown.
Q: JRK: Last thing—there’s been online speculation about a son-in-law or family member. Is there any credibility to that?
A: Theresa Payton: I haven’t seen credible evidence. But in investigations like this, everyone is considered until ruled out. That’s not personal—it’s procedural. Law enforcement must be thorough.
Q: JRK: Thank you so much, Theresa. We’re all hoping for the best possible outcome, and I hope you’ll come back as this unfolds.
Theresa Payton, The first female White House Chief Information Officer, is a leading expert in locating missing persons and frequent guest on The Today Show, Good Morning America, CNBC, Fox News Channel. She previously participated in the CBS reality show Hunted.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the recovery of Nancy Guthrie.
Tip lines:
While I sympathize with Savannah and her family, and of course her sweet mother, I cannot help but feel that this is a “wag the dog“ moment with media and the outrageously overblown coverage of this sad case. This feels like an attempt to distract from other things that are happening. Just shows how controlled the narrative really is.
I wish no ill will on Nancy Guthrie or her family. I can only imagine the pain of the family. That being said, I feel like this is ALL that anyone is focusing on in our media. While it is sad, crimes happen to people every day and no normal citizen would get this much attention from the FBI, media and White House. Not digging on you Jess, as I do think this is the type of story that interests your readers, it is mainly the mainstream news that can't report on anything else.