The disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, mother of NBC’s Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has taken a dramatic and unsettling turn after a neighbor came forward with a critical eyewitness account: a suspicious, slow-moving vehicle was seen lingering outside Nancy’s home less than 40 minutes before she was reported missing.

Nancy Guthrie vanished from her bedroom sometime between 11:15 p.m. on January 10 and early the next morning on January 11. She had been staying with her daughter Savannah and son-in-law Michael Feldman at their family home in a quiet Westchester suburb while recovering from a recent fall. When Savannah checked on her mother around 11:15 p.m., Nancy was asleep. By morning, the bedroom window was cracked open, the flyscreen removed and placed neatly on the bed, and Nancy was gone — no signs of struggle, no forced entry, no note.

The new witness, a longtime neighbor who lives directly across the street, contacted police yesterday after seeing renewed media coverage. The neighbor told investigators that around 10:35 p.m. on January 10, a dark-colored SUV — possibly a black or navy GMC Yukon or Chevrolet Suburban — slowly drove past the Guthrie home twice before stopping at the curb for approximately three to four minutes with its engine running and headlights off. “It just sat there,” the neighbor said. “No one got out. No lights inside the vehicle. It felt wrong. I watched from my window for a bit, then it pulled away very slowly, no hurry, like it was waiting or watching something.”

The description matches partial security footage captured by a nearby Ring doorbell camera, which shows a similar vehicle idling in the shadows of the street approximately 38 minutes before Savannah discovered the empty bedroom. Police have enhanced the footage and confirmed a single male figure briefly exiting the driver’s side, walking toward the Guthrie property line, then returning to the vehicle before it drove off. The man’s face is obscured by darkness and a hooded jacket, but investigators say the clothing and build are consistent across both accounts.

Detective Lieutenant Maria Rossi of the Westchester County Police Department called the sighting “a critical piece of the puzzle.” “We are treating this as a possible abduction or targeted removal,” Rossi said in a press briefing. “The timing is too precise to be coincidence. The vehicle was positioned perfectly to observe the home, and the individual’s brief approach toward the property line suggests surveillance or preparation. We are now urgently seeking additional dashcam, doorbell, or traffic camera footage from that street between 10:15 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. on January 10.”

The neighbor’s account has ignited wildfire theories online. Social media speculation ranges from a coordinated kidnapping linked to Savannah’s high-profile media status, to a possible medical emergency involving a private caregiver or acquaintance who panicked and fled, to darker conspiracy narratives involving organized crime or political motives. Police have urged the public to avoid speculation and report any credible information directly to investigators.

Savannah Guthrie has been absent from the Today show since January 11, with co-hosts Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin offering emotional support on air. Feldman, who spoke briefly to NBC News, said the family is “trapped in agonizing uncertainty” and clinging to hope that Nancy wandered away in confusion due to mild cognitive impairment. “She’s strong. She’s tough. If anyone can survive out there, it’s my mother-in-law,” he said, fighting back tears. “We just need to find her.”

The case has gripped the nation, with #FindNancyGuthrie trending and thousands sharing childhood memories of watching Savannah on television. The Guthrie family has asked for privacy while the search continues, but they have expressed profound gratitude for the overwhelming public support.

As winter weather closes in and leads grow colder, the image of that slow-moving vehicle idling in the shadows has become the central piece of the investigation. Was it waiting for Nancy? Watching the house? Or simply passing through? The answer could hold the key to everything.