Nancy Guthrie Update: Trump Threatens Death Penalty for Kidnappers, Demands She Be Released Unharmed

US President Donald Trump has issued a warning to those who may have kidnapped Nancy Guthrie, the mother of 'Today' host Savannah Guthrie, threatening that her kidnappers may face the death penalty should she not be released unharmed. Speaking to the New York Post on Monday, Trump addressed the ongoing search for Guthrie, who has been missing since 1 February.

Trump warned that those who may have abducted Guthrie from her Tucson, Arizona, home may face serious consequences, especially if she is found dead. When asked if that meant the Justice Department would be ordered to request the death penalty, Trump said yes, adding: 'The most, yeah – that's true.'

Arizona's Death Penalty Status

Arizona, where Guthrie is based, has the death penalty. However, many of the 109 inmates on its death row have been there for years. The state has only carried out two executions since 2022 due to a two-year moratorium imposed by the Democratic-led state government, which was lifted in late 2024.

It is common for federal charges to be included in high-profile cases, especially if there is an interstate component or a breach of federal statute. Former President Joe Biden, during his term, commuted the death sentences of 37 out of the 40 men on federal death row. Trump officials are expected to move them to supermax prison to serve out the remainder of their sentences under harsh conditions.

Burglary Gone Wrong?

Trump's comments follow a theory touted by investigators into Guthrie's disappearance that she may not have been kidnapped but rather the victim of a botched burglary. According to a source in the ongoing investigation, there is a possibility that the 84-year-old Guthrie may still be alive. This aligns with an early belief by Arizona police that Guthrie was kidnapped after she was allegedly abducted from her bed on the morning of 1 February.

Despite the reported theory, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, who is leading the search for Guthrie, said that did not come from the authorities. 'It did not come from us. No idea and even though that is one of many possibilities, we would never speculate such a thing,' Nanos told Fox News Sunday. 'We will let the evidence take us to motive.'

Another law enforcement source also dismissed the suggestion. 'This is not the working theory inside the unit,' the source told Fox News. 'Night-time residential burglaries are so ridiculously rare, crazy rare. We don't have any indication that [Guthrie] really kept anything valuable there and if this was a burglary gone wrong, they don't take the victim with them usually.'

Savannah Guthrie Pleads for Her Mom's Release

Savannah Guthrie took to Instagram to once again plead for her mother's release. In a video posted on the platform on Sunday, Savannah called on the alleged abductors to 'do the right thing'.

'I wanted to come on...it's been two weeks since our mom was taken and...I just wanted to come and say that we still have hope and we still believe,' said the 'Today' host. 'And I wanted to say that to whoever has her or knows where she is, that it's never too late.'

'And you're not lost or alone, and it is never too late to do the right thing,' she continued. 'And we are here, and we believe in the essential goodness of every human being, and it's never too late.'

Authorities searching the area near Guthrie's home found 16 gloves. DNA was also found on one glove, which they claimed came from the armed suspect on the night Guthrie was taken. The previous week, surveillance footage showed a masked person tampering with a doorbell camera.