The father of Gabby Petito said that Today co-host Savannah Guthrie and her family should trust their instincts as the search for her mother, 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, continues.
“Our hearts are with the Guthrie family. Continue to trust your instincts to do what is best. Stay focused and maintain hope. We’re praying for your family’s reunion and your mother’s safe return,” Joseph Petito said in a statement to Newsweek.
Why It Matters
Nancy Guthrie has been missing for over a week, and her disappearance continues to receive national attention. She was last seen at her home in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood of Tucson, Arizona, on January 31.
Alleged ransom notes were sent to multiple news outlets after her disappearance.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said at a press conference last week that evidence at the crime scene indicated Guthrie “did not leave on her own.” The sheriff has also said Guthrie needs daily medication, and it could be fatal if she did not have the medication every 24 hours.
Gabby Petito’s disappearance in 2021 received significant public attention. Petito went missing during a cross-country van trip with her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie. Her body was found the next month on the edge of Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Laundrie admitted killing her in a notebook discovered near his body in a Florida swamp, where he died by suicide, authorities have said.
What To Know
Brian C. Stewart, a trial attorney at Parker & McConkie who represents the Petito family, told Newsweek that the two missing-persons cases share some “identical” circumstances.
“Family members disappear without warning, and their families must beg for assistance in public. In both situations, media attention amplified awareness and urgency,” Stewart said.
He said that the circumstances also differ in some ways: Petito disappeared while traveling with someone she knew, while Guthrie’s disappearance seemed to originate in her home area.
“The two paths show different information, yet families who experience fear and uncertainty will still need to deal with the same distressing situations,” Stewart said.
A large amount of media and public attention can have two opposing effects on a missing persons investigation, Stewart said.
“Public attention proves to be very beneficial because it produces investigative leads while it forces officials to respond quickly, and it brings additional support to the investigation. The situation creates two opposing effects because it generates both useful investigative information and unnecessary speculation which produces false data that investigators need to verify,” he said.
Stewart said that not all families navigating a missing persons case receive the same level of visibility.
“Every missing person case needs urgent attention because their situation requires the same level of investigation regardless of their social background or media presence,” he said.
Stewart said law enforcement needs to create standardized alert systems that deliver precise information to the public, and that the public should only share information from official sources.
The Petito family established the Gabby Petito Foundation after her death to advocate for improved data sharing in missing persons cases, clearer alert systems and greater equity in media coverage, particularly for communities that have historically received less attention.
What People Are Saying
Savannah Guthrie, on Instagram: “We believe she is still out there. Bring her home.”
Brian C. Stewart, a trial attorney who represents Gabby Petito’s family, told Newsweek: “The situation demands urgent response because an elderly person disappeared from their residence while the circumstances surrounding their disappearance remain unclear. The first response to these incidents requires using search-and-rescue tools together with investigative techniques for criminal cases.”
What Happens Next
Stewart said investigators need to focus on forensic analysis, digital evidence collection and public tip evaluation from trusted sources.
“Investigations proceed through systematic work behind the scenes. The public may not see every development, but that disciplined work is what ultimately brings answers,” Stewart said.
Anyone with information in Guthrie’s case is asked to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI, 520-351-4900, 88-CRIME or visit tips.fbi.gov. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the recovery of Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance.
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