Kayla Noel Day is speculated to be a relative of Nancy Guthrie. Amid the online chatter regarding their familial ties, a new name (Penny Guthrie) surfaced.
It's been over two twe weeks since Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today Show co-anchor, Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her Tucson, Arizona, home. She was last seen at midnight on January 31, 2026 (ET). The FBI and Pima County police's relentless pursuit to locate Nancy still stands fruitless, even after acquiring video footage of a person of interest. Recently, the officials arrested a woman named Kayla Noel Day and a man named Luke Anthony Daley following the seizure of a grey Range Rover. The public speculated that the individuals were connected to Nancy Guthrie's case, with Kayla having family ties with Nancy.
Speculation surrounding Kayla Noel Day's alleged link to the Guthrie family began on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit after reports of former's detention emerged on February 12, 2026 (ET). A man, claiming to know the Guthries, told journalist, JLR that Kayla is the daughter of Nancy's sister, making her Savannah Guthrie's cousin. The source alleged that Nancy's sister and Kayla's mother is named Penny Guthrie, whose maiden surname might be Day as most of her relatives were Days. Some contradictory social media rumours indicated that Penny might actually be Savannah's aunt, not her mother, but her deceased father's side.
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Notably, the claims remain unverified, and neither law enforcement nor official reports have confirmed any familial relationship between Nancy Guthrie and Kayla Noel Day. Some online users even noted that Nancy doesn't have a sister named Penny and that the entire narrative about Nancy and Kayla was false. Another theory suggests that there is indeed a familial connection between the detained woman and Nancy, but in an indirect manner.
An X (formerly Twitter) user wrote, "For everyone saying Kayla Day is not related to Nancy Guthrie. Ann Prichard-Hanson is Savannah Guthrie's late aunt. (Her late father's sister). Ann had a daughter named Teri Stauffer. Teri had a daughter named Kayla Day. Not related to Nancy Guthrie (related by marriage)." Amid the online speculation, Hindustan Times confirmed that the individual being linked to the case as Nancy Guthrie's purported niece has no connection with her disappearance. Additionally, the claims that Nancy and Kayla are relatives are not unverified.
Kayla Noel Day was reportedly arrested in connection with her alleged boyfriend, Luke Anthony Daley. The source who told JLR about the potential connection among Kayla, Penny, and Nancy Guthrie also mentioned that Luke and Kayla were in a relationship. As of February 18, 2026, the couple is reportedly in custody, though law enforcement has not officially confirmed charges against them or a direct link to a high-profile kidnapping case of Savannah Guthrie's mother. Kayla was allegedly apprehended at her residence around 11:00 p.m. on February 12, 2026.
The arrest followed the seizure of Kayla's grey Range Rover from a Culver's restaurant parking lot on the same day. Some reports indicate she is still in the Pima County Jail. Luke Anthony Daley, on the other hand, was allegedly taken into custody by a SWAT team the following day, on February 13, 2026, at a residence in the 6200 block of North Placita de Rojelio in Tucson. Following the arrests, unverified reports and online discussions have linked Luke and Kayla to a 2025 indictment involving drug trafficking and fentanyl-related charges, though these claims remain unsubstantiated by official court records.
Recently, Pima County Sheriff, Chris Nanos, officially cleared Nancy Guthrie's family members, including the her daughter, Annie and son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, as suspects in her disappearance on February 16, 2026 (ET). The sheriff's department released a statement emphasising that they have been 100 percent cooperative in Nancy's search process and are considered victims in the case. The clearance covers Nancy's children, Savannah, Annie, and Camron Guthrie as well as their respective spouses, including Tommaso Cioni and Michael Feldman. The statement could be read as:
"To be clear…the Guthrie family – to include all siblings and spouses – has been cleared as possible suspects in this case. To suggest otherwise is not only wrong, but it is also cruel. The Guthrie family are victims plain and simple…please, I'm begging you the media to honor your profession and report with some sense of compassion and professionalism."
What are your thoughts on Kayla Noel Day's speculated family ties with Nancy Guthrie? Let us know.
Also Read: Did A Foreign Cartel Kidnap Nancy Guthrie? How Are Kayla Day And Luke Daley Related To Traffic Ring?