Podcast Summary: Finding Nancy Guthrie - Ep. 18: "Bring in the Psychic"

Podcast: Finding Nancy Guthrie (The Daily Wire)
Host: Lynden Blake
Date: March 10, 2026
Episode Theme:
This episode explores new developments—and the lack thereof—in the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie. Episode 18 addresses the emotional state of the family, updates from the neighborhood, the role of a psychic, and the investigative challenges unique to the Tucson, Arizona terrain. The episode emphasizes the importance of keeping attention on the case and resisting the urge to declare it cold prematurely.

Main Topics and Key Insights

1. Status of the Investigation

• Day 38 of the search; the case is currently experiencing a lull with no major new updates or breakthroughs.

  • Lynden Blake: "We're going to say it, the case is in a lull right now, but that does not mean the case is cold... It is only day 38. And I say only because a lot of times these cases, they just take time to get solved." (01:28)

• Drawing parallels with other solved cases which often broke open around this timeframe, e.g., the Bryan Kohberger case ("...it got into the 40 day area and that case was solved").

2. Family Dynamics and Emotional Updates

• Savannah Guthrie has returned to New York after spending time in Arizona, and was seen visiting the Today Show set, although not on air.
  • She has emotionally thanked crew members for their support and "said her faith is the only thing getting her through this difficult time." (01:51)
  • Savannah and her siblings, Annie and Tommaso, participated in a floral memorial for Nancy at her Tucson home.
  • Lynden speculates Savannah may be making peace with the uncertain fate of her mother: "To me, this just says at some point, Savannah ... made peace with the fact that her mom may not be with us anymore." (02:06)
  • Emphasizes that while Savannah won't give up hope, "at some point she can't just sit in Arizona and wait" (03:10).

3. Neighborhood Observations and Terrain Challenges

• Neighbor’s Testimony & Suspicious Activity:

  • A neighbor spotted a suspicious man with a "baseball hat really low" and "street clothes, not shoes that you'd walk in" in the neighborhood around January 11th, a crucial date for investigators.
    • Neighbor: "He was in kind of street clothes...he just didn't fit." (00:42)
  • FBI has specifically asked residents for any camera footage or information from that date.

• Terrain Complications:

  • The neighborhood (Catalina Foothills) is described as high-value homes with significant land, difficult to surveil, and with many natural features (cacti, 'washers', tunnels, and open spaces) that would assist someone intent on stealthy movement.
  • "These run in that neighborhood parallel to the roads...there's just a lot of ways to maneuver...it's not a grid road system." (05:21)

4. Comparisons to Other Cases

• The case of Nancy Woodrum (2018) is cited due to its similarities:
  • Woodrum, 62, was taken from her bed at night, and her killer turned out to be someone who'd worked at her home.
  • Break in that case occurred by linking DNA from a discarded Coke can.
  • The timing of a podcast about Woodrum's case airing just before Nancy Guthrie disappeared is highlighted as potentially more than coincidental, raising the specter of copycat crimes.

5. The Role of Psychics and Unconventional Tips

• Psychic Involvement:
  • A renowned psychic, claiming past successes, camped outside Nancy's home, believing she received a visitation from Nancy in a dream and that "the answer's right under her nose." (07:28)
  • The psychic’s claims were aired during a YouTube livestream (JLR).
  • Host Lynden Blake is skeptical yet pragmatic about psychic involvement; he notes that Pima County Sheriff’s Dept. must "even take the psychic tip seriously" because tips may be disguised by real witnesses unwilling to directly implicate themselves.
    • Lynden Blake: "You're not saying that you...or believing this science...but that someone could be calling in and being like, hey, I'm a psychic... investigators have to follow that lead..." (09:05)
  • Calls out the tension between hope and skepticism regarding such unconventional evidence.

6. Current Focus and Call for Public Attention

• Media Pullout and Community’s Plea:

  • The larger media presence has diminished, but the case is still active.
  • Residents and the family urge the public and press not to let the case drop from attention, as the responsible individual is still at large.
    • Lynden Blake: "They want this case to be solved. This person that was capable of doing this, Nancy Guthrie, is still on the loose. So they don't want the coverage to stop." (11:34)

• Law Enforcement Perspective:

  • Former FBI agent Maureen O’Connell is quoted as preferring cases that "get quiet like this because she thinks that's when the real work is being done." (12:20)

• Reward and Tipline:

  • There’s still $1 million reward for information leading to Nancy’s recovery.
  • Relevant contacts: 1-800-CALL-FBI and Tucson’s 88 CRIME.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Neighborhood Sighting:

  • "He was in kind of street clothes, not shoes that you'd walk in. And he had a baseball hat really low...he just didn't fit."
    — Unnamed Neighbor (00:42)

• On Family’s State of Mind:

  • "She visited the set of the Today show last week and was clearly emotional, talking to the crew members, thanking them for their prayers and support and saying that her faith is the only thing getting her through this difficult time."
    — Lynden Blake (01:51)

• Skeptical View of Psychic Tips:

  • "You're not saying that you...or believing this science...but that someone could be calling in and being like, hey, I'm a psychic, and the person's behind this McDonald's off 7th Street... investigators have to follow that lead because someone could be acting like they're a psychic."
    — Lynden Blake (09:05)

• On Keeping the Case in the Spotlight:

  • "The people in this area want everyone to keep this case in the forefront. They want this case to be solved. This person...is still on the loose. So they don't want the coverage to stop."
    — Lynden Blake (11:34)

Important Timestamps

• 00:32: Recap of the disappearance & neighbor’s report of suspicious man
• 01:51: Savannah Guthrie’s emotional update and family memorial at Nancy’s home
• 05:21: Detailed neighborhood terrain, complications for search
• 07:28: Psychic’s arrival, testimonial about dream and investigation
• 09:05: Law enforcement’s approach to psychic tips
• 12:20: Former FBI agent Maureen O’Connell’s perspective on “quiet” periods in a case
• 12:40: Reward for information reemphasized

Conclusion

Episode 18 of "Finding Nancy Guthrie" balances the necessity of patience in unsolved cases with a sense of urgency to maintain public attention. The family’s struggle, local suspicions, a possible copycat angle, and even psychic claims converge as the case remains a mystery on day 38. Host Lynden Blake advocates continued vigilance, closing with actionable steps for listeners to help keep hope—and the search for answers—alive.