A 41-minute gap in the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie is now drawing serious attention from a former homicide detective—and for good reason. Investigators are focusing on the narrow window between when Guthrie’s doorbell camera went offline and when her pacemaker app stopped communicating with her phone. According to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, the doorbell camera disconnected at 1:47 a.m., motion was detected at 2:12 a.m., and the pacemaker connection ended at 2:28 a.m. That’s a solid 41 minutes of mystery.
Officials clarified that the surveillance system only detected motion and did not record video, leaving open the possibility that an animal outside the home triggered the alert. Sure, maybe a late-night raccoon was out sightseeing—but former D.C. homicide detective Ted Williams isn’t buying the harmless explanation. He says the real issue isn’t just what happened, but how long it took.
“If you are a crook and you want to burglarize a place, you’re going to get in there and get the hell out,” Williams said. Instead, he pointed out, “They stayed in 41 minutes.” That kind of time inside a home is not typical of a simple burglary. According to Williams, it suggests the suspects may have been familiar with the home and its security system.
“That leads me to believe they were well aware of the cameras and that those cameras were inoperable in that home,” Williams added. He also said the length of time inside the house indicates the individuals involved likely knew they didn’t have to worry about an immediate police response. In other words, they felt comfortable—never a good sign in a case like this.
Nancy Guthrie, the mother of NBC News “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, has been missing from her Tucson, Arizona, home since Jan. 31. Law enforcement has not named any suspects or identified a motive but has confirmed that a crime occurred.
The FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said they are reviewing messages related to Guthrie’s disappearance. Investigators also confirmed that multiple alleged ransom notes have surfaced, including one sent to local news outlets and TMZ earlier this week.
In a video posted Wednesday night, the Guthrie family urged anyone with information about Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance to come forward. They directly addressed reports of ransom notes and said they are “ready to talk.”
While the timeline raises troubling questions, the focus now remains on gathering information and encouraging witnesses to step forward. With investigators actively reviewing evidence and the family calling for help, there is still hope that the truth behind this case will come to light and that justice will ultimately be served.
