NBC Sports said Tuesday that Savannah Guthrie will not be part of its Winter Olympics coverage later this week, as authorities investigate last weekend’s disappearance of her mother, Nancy Guthrie.
The Today co-host was to co-anchor coverage of the Opening Ceremony in Milan on Friday.
“Savannah will not be joining us at the Olympics as she focuses on being with her family during this difficult time,” an NBC Sports spokesperson said. “Our hearts are with her and the entire Guthrie family as the search continues for their mother. We will share additional information about our Opening Ceremony coverage plans soon.”
Possible DNA evidence found at what is now being considered a crime scene — the Tucson area home of Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today anchor Savannah Guthrie — will be tested for clues in the likely abduction of the 84-year-old woman.
In an interview with Today, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said, “We took some samples that we hope will have a DNA profile that gives us some identification as to what we’re looking at.” Testing could take up to a few days, Today reported.
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that, according to law enforcement sources, blood was found at the scene, though it is not yet known whose blood.
Law enforcement has all but confirmed that Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance is an abduction or kidnapping. “I believe she was abducted,” Nanos has said. “She didn’t walk from there. She didn’t go willingly. This is an 84-year-old lady who in the middle of the night, while she’s asleep, is taken from her home.”
Savannah Guthrie has been absent from Today, with Sheinelle Jones co-anchoring along with Craig Melvin. The show provided an update on the investigation on Tuesday, reporting that Nanos did not mean that Nancy Guthrie “was literally taken from her bed,” but was “Taken from the home against her will,” which could include possible kidnapping or abduction.
Savannah Guthrie posted on Instagram, “we believe in prayer. we believe in voices raised in unison, in love, in hope. we believe in goodness. we believe in humanity. above all, we believe in Him.