'She Could Absolutely Be Alive': Elizabeth Smart Speaks Out on Nancy Guthrie Mystery

Elizabeth Smart has urged the public not to give up hope that Nancy Guthrie, the missing mother of Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, could still be alive nearly six months after disappearing from her Catalina Foothills home in Arizona. Speaking to an interview published on 24 July, Smart stressed that the absence of a body means the search must remain active.

Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen at her home on the evening of 31 January, before she was reported missing the following day. The Pima County Sheriff's Department and FBI have investigated her disappearance since then, but no suspect has been publicly identified.

Elizabeth Smart on the Nancy Guthrie Mystery

Smart knows better than most why a missing-person case should not be reduced to a grim assumption. She was kidnapped at 14 in 2002 and held captive for nine months before being found alive, an experience that has made her a prominent advocate for victims and their families.

'I would remind people that we don't know all the details,' Smart said of the Nancy Guthrie case. 'I certainly hope that the investigators have more details than we do, and I certainly hope that they're making more progress.'

Smart emphasised that she was commenting only on the information available publicly and did not suggest she had any knowledge of the investigation beyond that. She noted that Nancy Guthrie has not been found and said that, in her view, this means hope should remain.

'I want to remind people that there isn't a body,' Smart said. 'So there is still reason to have hope that she is alive and that we shouldn't give up until we find her.'

Investigators have released few public updates in recent months.

Smart also appealed for compassion towards Savannah Guthrie and her wider family, who have spent months navigating a disappearance that has become a national story. 'Have all the compassion and grace for the entire Guthrie family,' she said.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department has not publicly indicated whether investigators believe Nancy Guthrie is alive or dead.

What the Nancy Guthrie Mystery Still Leaves Unanswered

The known timeline remains deeply unsettling. Authorities said Nancy's doorbell camera recorded a final door closure at 9.30pm on 31 January, then lost connection at 1.47am on 1 February. A figure was detected outside the property shortly afterwards, although footage of that moment was unavailable.

The individual has become known online as "Porch Guy", although investigators have not identified the person publicly or described them as a suspect.

Sheriff Chris Nanos said in February that blood found on Nancy's front porch belonged to her, while mixed DNA evidence had complicated the forensic work. He said laboratory analysis could take 'weeks, months or maybe a year,' a reminder that high-profile cases rarely move at the pace of public attention.

The family has offered a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to Nancy's whereabouts, while law enforcement has continued to ask the public for assistance. The FBI's earlier reward notice sought information that could lead to her recovery and to those responsible for her disappearance.

Smart made a similar appeal during a 5 May interview with CNN's Erin Burnett. Asked whether Nancy could still be alive, she replied, 'Absolutely. Absolutely. She could absolutely still be alive.'

'There are cases that span many more years than mine does, and they came back alive,' Smart added. 'We're talking years and years, so she could absolutely still be alive.'

Smart said her own experience informed her belief that missing people can sometimes be found alive after long periods. Smart has also acknowledged that there is another possible outcome, but argued that uncertainty is exactly why the search cannot simply be mentally closed by outsiders.

Her message this week was directed at anyone who may have dismissed a detail as too small to matter. 'If anyone knows anything or has seen anything, or the smallest detail that might seem insignificant can make all the difference, and to just report it,' she said.

The investigation remains active. No suspect has been publicly identified, and authorities continue to seek information about Nancy Guthrie's disappearance.