Good morning. For the past two weeks, the nation’s eyes and hearts have been drawn to Tucson, Ariz. Demand for news about the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie has on many days outpaced interest in the Olympics or the Epstein files. Our coverage of the case has drawn millions of readers. Today’s newsletter explores why.
Her mom, and oursMy mom is 89, and her daily life is rough: She can’t travel, she can’t cook, she needs help in the bathroom. Still, her mind is still there, as is her thirst for the world outside. Her television is almost constantly on, invariably tuned to cable news. For the past two weeks, that means a lot of coverage of the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, a nonstop wash of on-the-scene reports, experts (and amateurs) who spin theories and parse tips, and beaming photos of the victim playing mahjong in happier times. True crime stories have long galvanized the public and dominated tabloids and podcasts, and the search for Guthrie since she was apparently abducted on Feb. 1 has firmly grabbed the attention of the American public. For me and many others in Gen X, this one resonates especially because we are caring for our own aging parents. Nancy, who is five years younger than my mother, has trouble walking, depends on medication, but is said to be “sharp as a tack.” Same and same and same. Of course, interest is also heightened because Guthrie’s youngest daughter, Savannah, has one of the best-known (and best-loved) faces in the media as a co-host of “Today,” the NBC morning show. Still, that frisson and fusion of celebrity and anxiety does not fully explain the way this story has broken through. So I spent the last few days talking to experts, colleagues, friends and, yes, Mom, trying to unpack the other elements. The facts in the case are spare: Guthrie disappeared just hours after a dinner out with her other daughter, Annie, and son-in law, who dropped her off at home outside Tucson, Ariz. The authorities found blood at the scene. There are purported ransom notes, one demanding $6 million. A video showed a masked man lurking near her front door. This weekend, law enforcement shut down a street and swarmed a parking lot about two miles from Guthrie’s house to search a Range Rover and a residence. But no suspects have been named. What might be fueling the fascination is the simple power of an unsolved mystery. Historians, after all, are still looking at cases like the lost colony of Roanoke and the Lindbergh baby. And now there are legions of internet sleuths jumping in, combing over maps of local terrain, possible escape routes and other recent calls to Tucson-area police agencies. Maybe this crime feels especially terrifying because it shatters our intrinsic sense of the safety of home. It taps into our innate sympathy for vulnerable victims, like children and older people. The fact that many of us feel a profound parasocial bond to famous people like Savannah has been intensified by the raw, wrenching videos she and her siblings have made pleading for help and mercy. “We received your message, and we understand,” Savannah said in one, seated between her brother and sister and speaking directly to the unknown kidnappers. “We beg you now to return our mother to us.”
Savannah Guthrie has spent her adult life in front of a camera, often exuding happiness. Yet here she spoke sans television makeup, flattering lighting or teleprompter, and with pure emotion. These videos brimmed with the authenticity our online age craves. They traveled instantly and everywhere, driving the narrative, along with the chilling images released on Day 10 of the saga that showed a sinister figure in a ski mask creeping around the victim’s door. After my story was published, some readers complained about the amount of attention Guthrie was getting in a moment of national upset over the Epstein scandal, the ICE crackdown and a flood of other daily news that seems more important, with a capital I. Others suggested we were suffering from “missing white woman syndrome,” noting that missing people of color are often forgotten by law enforcement officials and the public. Valid concerns, all. Certainly good to remember that every person who disappears leaves behind someone like Savannah and her siblings, and that they are suffering in more anonymous anguish. And so we wait along with them, in uneasy suspense: Will the victim be returned, broken but safe — or will the story end with the heartbreak of a funeral? I asked my mother the other night what she thought of the Nancy Guthrie case. She said she felt sad for the family, and deeply worried for the victim. When I asked if it made her scared about her own safety, though, she said no. “Who,” she wondered, “would want to kidnap me?” That question might well have been asked by Nancy, too. More on the case
Europe and the U.S.
Russia and Ukraine
Other Big Stories
Some athletes have spoken out about politics at the Winter Olympics: After the skier Hunter Hess said he had mixed feelings representing the U.S., President Trump called him “a real loser.” Should Olympic athletes talk politics? Yes. Athletes aren’t immune to society’s changes, and many protests are personal. “Embracing athlete activism could also enhance the Olympic movement’s credibility and moral authority, demonstrating a commitment to the principles of freedom of expression and social responsibility,” Emma Sherry wrote for Tatler Asia. No. Everyone understands that athletes don’t necessarily reflect the views of their country’s leaders. “If you don’t want to represent your country, stay home from the Olympics,” the editorial board of The California Post wrote.
It matters more how the war in Ukraine ends than when it ends, writes Nataliya Gumenyuk, a Ukrainian journalist. Junk food companies have created generations of picky eaters, writes Helen Zoe Veit. Here is a column by Lydia Polgreen on Jeff Bezos. Morning readers: Save on the complete Times experience. Experience all of The Times, all in one subscription — all with this introductory offer. You’ll gain unlimited access to news and analysis, plus games, recipes, product reviews and more.
Istanbul on the small screen: Orhan Pamuk wanted to see his celebrated novel “The Museum of Innocence” brought to life — but on his terms. After years of negotiations, it’s now on Netflix. Looksmaxxer: Clavicular, a 20-year-old hero for narcissistic young men, has injected and ingested dozens of controlled substances to become more handsome at any cost. Buying love: Floral arrangements crafted from carefully folded cash had become a popular symbol of love in Kenya, but then they were banned. Love in translation: He speaks English. She speaks Mandarin. The secret to their happy marriage: Microsoft Translator. Your pick: The most-clicked link in The Morning yesterday was about a couple’s search for a new home in Mississippi. A criminologist: Alfred Blumstein used systems theory and quantitative analysis to examine criminal behavior, transforming the study of crime. He died at 95.
Men’s speedskating: Jordan Stolz won his second gold medal and set his second Olympic record. He is the first man to win the 500 meters and 1,000 meters at the same Olympics since 1980. Men’s skiing: Lucas Pinheiro Braathen of Brazil won South America’s first medal in a Winter Olympics with his victory in the giant slalom. Women’s hockey: With a goal in the third period of Canada’s 5-1 quarterfinal win over Germany, Marie-Philip Poulin tied the record for the most career Olympic goals in women’s hockey.
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