Guthrie spoke out on air after “Today” reported that a ransom note “indicated Nancy had died.”

Savannah Guthrie breaks down on Today amid report that mother Nancy Guthrie is dead: ‘We are in agony’

Guthrie spoke out on air after "Today" reported that a ransom note "indicated Nancy had died."

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June 23, 2026 10:14 a.m. ET

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Savannah Guthrie cries on 'Today' show. Credit:

- Savannah Guthrie broke down in tears on the *Today* show over the show's coverage of a reported ransom note that indicated her mother, Nancy Guthrie, had died.

- "We are in agony," Guthrie said from the *Today* desk, "and we can not be at peace."

- Guthrie was comforted on the air by *Today* anchor Craig Melvin, who held her hand in the moment.

Savannah Guthrie broke down in tears on the *Today* show during coverage of a reported ransom note discovered amid the search for the on-air personality's missing mother, Nancy Guthrie, indicated the 84-year-old had died.

On Tuesday morning, *Today* aired a segment about developments in the case surrounding around $6 million in ransom demands from suspects that investigators believe to be credible, the program reported. The show also played footage of Savannah speaking out about the ransom notes in a prior interview with *Today* personality Hoda Kotb, in which she said, "I believe the two notes that we received, that we responded to, I tend to believe those are real."

The show also played footage of a video message Savannah released with her family, in which she pleaded, "We received your message, and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay."

Back in the NBC studio on Tuesday, anchor Craig Melvin held Guthrie's hand at the *Today* desk while he praised her. "The bravery and courage with which you have done this job every day that happened, nothing short of remarkable," he said, while Savannah cried as she turned toward her colleagues and also the camera to speak out.

"I love you guys and I love this place. This is unusual and unprecedented, to say the least, to be sitting here, but I don't have any comment on the story and I'm not involved in our coverage," she said through tears. "But, I can't pretend I'm not here. Since I am, I wanted to take the opportunity to ask people, to really beg people to come forward. Somebody knows something. This is a news story today that's on your radar, but this is the life that my sister lives, that I live, that my brother lives, that our extended families lives, that our children live every day."

She stressed, "We are in agony, and we can not be at peace. No matter how much I try to come out here every day and smile and find that joy, and I will — I promise I will — this is a moment to tell you that we need your help. We're begging for help, and I'm not going to miss that opportunity."

Savannah Guthrie cries on 'Today' as she admits 'it's really hard' to work amid mom Nancy's disappearance

Savannah Guthrie posts emotional message as search for mom Nancy continues

Savannah made an additional plea to viewers, advising them that "the reward is there" for information, "no matter how small" it might be.

"You can tell us, it can be anonymous," she said, wiping away tears throughout her statement. "Please, do the right thing for us, for our family, for our children. We love our mom, and we'll never stop looking for her."

Nancy was initially reported missing from her Tucson, Ariz. home nearly five months ago on Feb. 1, with Guthrie taking a leave of absence from *Today* amid the search for her mother.

Nancy Guthrie and Savannah Guthrie on 'Today'.

Nathan Congleton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

Local outlets KOLD and KGUN, as well as TMZ, reported that the alleged kidnapper's demands ballooned from $4 million (demanded to be paid in bitcoin by Feb. 5) to $6 million if the the deadline passed, which it eventually did.

This week, *Air Mail** *published a new report* *claiming that investigators in the case believed the alleged kidnappers were legitimate, and that the individuals reportedly involved initially said Nancy was "safe but scared" ahead of the Feb. 5 deadline. After that date, they offered what was described as an "apology" for the 84-year-old's alleged death, and reportedly noted that her body could be delivered if the family paid the initially requested $4 million ransom.

Savannah Guthrie cries on air over Nancy Guthrie case.

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The FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department have repeatedly asked for tips at the 1-800-CALL-FBI line. The FBI set a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to Nancy's recovery or the apprehension of those involved.

Watch Savannah discuss the latest update on Nancy in the *Today* video above.

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