Gayle King has spoken out about the "very, very scary" abduction case involving Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today show anchor Savannah Guthrie.
"I just want this story to have a good outcome, that’s all," Gayle told TMZ, visibly emotional as she addressed the unfolding situation.
"And every day you wake up hoping there’s news, you go to bed hoping there’s news, and my heart breaks when you see what Savannah and her family are going through," she continued.
Gayle added that there are still "so many questions" surrounding the case, saying it "hits home on many different levels".
"She’s respected, admired and adored, and we all want Savannah to be okay," Gayle said. "And we want Nancy Guthrie back home."
© Getty ImagesThe CBS journalist also revealed that she had reached out privately to Savannah, though she made it clear she did not expect a response during such a traumatic time.
"I reached out, but I told her, 'No response necessary,'"Gayle explained. "Believe me, Savannah’s not checking her texts."
© Dimitrios KambourisNancy Guthrie has now been missing for seven days, with authorities sharing new details during a press conference held last Friday by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI.
Speaking to the media on February 5, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos confirmed that a significant financial reward of $50,000 is now being offered for information leading to Nancy’s whereabouts.
The FBI also revealed that an arrest has been made in connection with a fake ransom note related to the case. At this stage, however, authorities have not identified a suspect or person of interest in Nancy’s disappearance, and all leads are continuing to be actively investigated.
Savannah’s brother, Cameron Guthrie, took to social media to issue a desperate plea to whoever may be holding their mother.
"Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you," he said. "We haven’t heard anything directly. We need you to reach out, and we need a way to communicate with you so we can move forward."
"But first, we have to know that you have our mom," he added. "We want to talk to you, and we are waiting for contact."
FBI agent Heith Janke confirmed that the arrest made was related to what authorities described as an "imposter ransom demand".
"We have made one arrest related to an imposter ransom demand, and a complaint will be presented to a magistrate judge later today," he said.
© Getty Images"My next message is to those imposters who are trying to take advantage of and profit from this situation," he continued. "We will investigate and ensure you are held accountable for your actions."
When asked whether there was any proof that Nancy was still alive, Sheriff Nanos responded cautiously but firmly.
"We are still looking for Nancy Guthrie," he said. "We operate from a position of, until we know, she’s alive."
Authorities also revealed that the first deadline mentioned in the ransom note sent to the media was set for 5pm on February 5, though the time zone was not specified. A second deadline was reportedly set for Monday, February 9. No communication has been received from the alleged kidnappers since the initial ransom notes were sent.
Nancy was last seen near her home in Tucson, Arizona, on Saturday, January 31. Investigators believe the 84-year-old was taken from her home "against her will”"
