The search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC “Today” show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has reached its 38th day with authorities continuing to chase multiple leads in what they describe as an active abduction investigation. No arrests have been made, and no confirmed suspect has been publicly identified, but recent developments—including examination of a damaged utility box, neighbor sightings of a suspicious individual, and ongoing analysis of physical evidence—have kept hope alive for the family and investigators.

Nancy Guthrie was last seen on the evening of Jan. 31, 2026, when her son-in-law dropped her off at her home in a quiet Tucson-area suburb around 9:30 p.m. She was reported missing the following day, Feb. 1, after failing to appear for planned activities, including joining friends for an online church service. Authorities quickly determined she had been taken against her will, citing signs of forced entry, drops of blood on the front porch and evidence suggesting she was removed from her bed in the middle of the night.

The case has drawn national attention due to Savannah Guthrie’s prominence as a co-host on the long-running morning program. Savannah has made emotional appeals on air, describing her mother’s deep faith and close family ties. “Someone out there knows something,” she said in a February statement announcing a $1 million family reward for information leading to her mother’s safe return. The reward remains active.

Pima County Sheriff’s Department officials, assisted by the FBI, have pursued thousands of tips from the public. Key developments in recent days include:

– A neighbor’s account of seeing a “suspicious man” walking toward Nancy Guthrie’s home on Jan. 11—three weeks before the disappearance. The witness described the individual taking a “long look” at the street, appearing to scope the area. The FBI has sought additional Ring camera footage from that date and surrounding weeks to corroborate the sighting.

– Investigation into a damaged utility box located around the corner from Guthrie’s residence. Confirmed by the sheriff’s department on March 8 and discussed on the “Today” show March 9, the box is being reviewed for potential connections to a reported internet outage in the area around the time of the abduction. Some analysts speculate it could explain disruptions to home security systems or doorbell cameras.

– Ongoing forensic work on DNA evidence collected from gloves found near the scene and other items, including a backpack associated with a person seen tampering with Guthrie’s doorbell camera on the night of her disappearance. Earlier reports indicated one image of a man at the home may date to before Jan. 31, complicating timelines.

– Examination of new evidence at the home, with investigators stating they are “definitely closer” to answers. The property, previously sealed as a crime scene, is no longer restricted, allowing family members to return, according to federal law enforcement sources.

Multiple ransom notes have surfaced, some demanding Bitcoin payments, but authorities have not confirmed their authenticity or links to the perpetrator. A woman’s body discovered near a Phoenix-area canal sparked brief speculation, but police ruled it unrelated after identification.

The investigation has not gone cold, officials emphasize. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told NBC News the case remains dynamic, with federal resources aiding in technical analysis and evidence review. An ex-FBI agent recently floated a possible connection to an unrelated Arizona teen case, though no official link has been established.

Savannah Guthrie returned to the “Today” studio for the first time since the abduction in early March, marking an emotional milestone. Co-anchor Craig Melvin and others have covered updates on air, including the utility box lead. The family pastor has shared messages of hope, faith and prayer, underscoring Nancy Guthrie’s religious devotion—she was scheduled to watch a church service the morning she vanished.

Nancy Guthrie, a resident of the Tucson area for decades, is described by loved ones as vibrant, kind and deeply involved in her community and church. She is the mother of three, including Savannah, and grandmother to several. Her disappearance has highlighted vulnerabilities for elderly residents in suburban neighborhoods and prompted discussions about home security and rapid response to missing persons cases involving seniors.

As Day 38 dawned on March 11, search efforts continued with ground teams, aerial support and digital forensics. Investigators urge anyone with information—particularly from Jan. 11 onward or related to suspicious activity near Guthrie’s home—to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s tip line or the FBI.

The case has captivated the nation, blending elements of a true-crime mystery with the personal anguish of a public figure’s family. With no resolution yet, the focus remains on bringing Nancy Guthrie home safely. Family, friends and authorities hold out hope that persistent leads will yield a breakthrough in the coming days.

A Scientist Focused on What Helps Patients

Dr. Flavia Pichiorri has spent much of her career asking one core question: how can discoveries in the lab help patients faster?

Based in Los Angeles, she works at the intersection of translational science and clinical research, focusing on blood cancers such as multiple myeloma and acute leukemia. Her work explores therapeutic targets like CD38 and CD84, as well as radiation-based treatment strategies designed to improve patient outcomes.

But her path into cancer research did not start in a hospital or a lab. It began in the Roman countryside.

“I grew up riding horses every morning before school,” she recalls. “That environment taught me discipline and focus very early in life.”

Those lessons would later shape the way she approaches science.

Growing Up in Rome: Discipline and Curiosity

Pichiorri was born in Rome in 1974 and grew up in a family deeply connected to analytical fields. Her mother worked in statistics and organizational science. Her father was a mechanical engineer who worked on large industrial projects across Europe and the Middle East.

The home environment valued structure and problem solving. But her childhood also included long hours outdoors.

She spent years living near the historic Appia Antica, an ancient Roman road lined with archaeological ruins. Before school, she often rode horses through the surrounding countryside. She also competed in show jumping for nearly twenty years.

“That experience taught me resilience,” she says. “In science, just like in riding, you have to stay focused and keep moving forward even when things don’t go as planned.”

From Classical Studies to Molecular Biology

Pichiorri’s academic path began with classical literature. In high school she studied Latin and Greek, which sharpened her analytical thinking.

Later, she shifted toward science at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, where she studied molecular biology and biochemistry. She earned a master’s degree in Biochemistry and Enzymology in 1999, graduating with top honors.

Her early research focused on enzyme polymorphisms and protein interactions. She trained on advanced biochemical techniques such as circular dichroism spectroscopy, FPLC, and HPLC.

Soon after graduating, she joined the Italian National Research Council, where she began studying growth factors that influence the growth of multiple myeloma cells.

That work introduced her to the disease that would define much of her scientific career.

“At the time, patients with multiple myeloma often survived only a short period after diagnosis,” she explains. “There was a huge need to understand the biology of the disease.”

Moving to the United States for Cancer Research

In the early 2000s, Pichiorri joined research teams in the United States. She worked at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia and later at The Ohio State University, where she completed doctoral research on tumor suppressor genes and cancer biology.

Her studies explored fragile site genes and the molecular mechanisms involved in tumor development.

During this period she helped develop a diagnostic assay based on Clusterin, a circulating biomarker for colon cancer detection.

The project led to a patented screening method and early clinical applications.

But the turning point in her career came during her postdoctoral research.

A Breakthrough in Multiple Myeloma Research

After finishing her PhD, Pichiorri focused on understanding how multiple myeloma cells evolve and survive.

Her research revealed that the disease is influenced not only by genetic mutations but also by epigenetic changes driven by oncogenic pathways such as c-Myc.

The findings were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The paper quickly became one of the most cited publications in its field.

“It showed that plasma cell degeneration is not just about genetic mutations,” she says. “Epigenetic regulation also plays a major role.”

The discovery helped open new paths for therapeutic research.

Building Translational Research Programs

In 2011, Pichiorri launched her independent research career as an assistant professor in internal medicine. She received several major grants and began leading translational programs focused on new therapies for blood cancers.

Her work helped advance clinical development of AR-42 (REC-2282), an HDAC inhibitor studied for hematologic malignancies.

She also contributed to research on oncolytic viral therapy, including Pelareorep, designed to target cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.

“In translational research, the goal is always the same,” she says. “You move ideas from the laboratory to the clinic, and then back again to refine them.”

Advancing CD38 and CD84 Targeted Therapies

In 2016, Pichiorri joined City of Hope, where she expanded her research programs and secured multiple federal grants.

Her team developed new antibody-based therapies targeting CD38, a protein widely expressed on myeloma cells. Some of these therapies combine antibodies with radioactive isotopes to deliver targeted treatment directly to cancer cells.

The work has already led to clinical trials in multiple myeloma and acute leukemia.

Her group also identified CD84 as a therapeutic target in acute myeloid leukemia, leading to the development of an antibody later licensed to a biotechnology company.

Another project involves a single-chain CD38-directed T-cell engager, a therapeutic approach designed to help immune cells recognize and destroy leukemia stem cells.

A Philosophy Centered on Scientific Rigor

Despite a long list of grants, publications, and clinical programs, Pichiorri measures success in a different way.

“I rarely dwell on success,” she says. “In science it can be fleeting.”

Instead, she focuses on the durability of scientific findings.

“True scientific value comes when results stand the test of time,” she explains. “It takes patience and careful validation.”

She believes meaningful progress often requires challenging established thinking.

“Scientific progress relies on questioning assumptions,” she says. “That is how new knowledge is created.”

Looking Ahead

Today, Pichiorri continues working on translational therapies targeting CD38, CD84, and radiation-based treatments for blood cancers.

Her research spans laboratory experiments, animal models, and early-phase clinical trials. The goal remains the same: bring new treatments to patients who need them.

Outside the lab, she finds balance in hiking, gardening, horseback riding, and writing about science.

During demanding periods, she keeps her priorities simple.

“During times of change, I focus on what I value most,” she says. “Writing science and being present with my family.”

For Pichiorri, curiosity remains the driving force.

“Each day brings new questions,” she says. “Staying engaged with those questions is what keeps science moving forward.”

The eco-friendly pet brand Piddle Patch, which rose to national prominence following an appearance on Dragons’ Den, has won a significant trademark infringement case in the UK courts after a judge ruled that a rival company deliberately attempted to profit from its brand recognition.

District Judge Obodai ruled in favour of Makeality Ltd, the company behind the Piddle Patch brand, in a dispute with City Doggo Ltd and its founder Laurencia Walker-Fooks. The case was heard on the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC) small claims track at the High Court.

The judge concluded that the defendants had deliberately attempted to benefit from the Piddle Patch trademark and associated goodwill, stating that their actions were part of a coordinated attempt to exploit the brand’s market presence.

In the written judgement, Judge Obodai said the defendants’ conduct was not accidental but formed part of a “deliberate policy to promote the sign in the relevant market”. He added that “passing off is exactly what she intended when she began her campaign of infringement”.

Piddle Patch was created by entrepreneur Rebecca Sloan, who launched the product as a sustainable alternative to disposable puppy training pads. The product uses real grass to provide an eco-friendly indoor toilet solution for dogs, particularly popular with urban pet owners.

Makeality Ltd registered the Piddle Patch trademark in 2016, establishing legal protection over the brand name and product identity.

Over the following years the business built strong brand recognition through a growing subscriber base, endorsements from celebrity veterinarians and dog trainers, and media coverage across national press outlets.

The company’s profile rose significantly in 2022 after appearing on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, where Sloan received an investment offer from entrepreneur and investor Steven Bartlett. The appearance helped propel the brand into the national spotlight and strengthened its commercial position in the pet care market.

Court documents revealed that Laurencia Walker-Fooks, the founder of City Doggo Ltd, had previously been a long-term customer of Piddle Patch.

During the Covid-19 pandemic she reportedly approached Sloan with an offer to acquire the company. Negotiations did not proceed after Sloan ultimately declined the proposal.

Shortly afterwards, City Doggo Ltd was incorporated and began trading in November 2020, entering the same market for dog toilet products.

The court heard evidence that the rival company subsequently used the Piddle Patch name extensively across its digital marketing channels, including website content, search engine optimisation tags and social media posts.

Evidence presented in court showed that the Piddle Patch trademark appeared in numerous areas of the City Doggo website.

These included product titles such as “SHOP: Piddle Patch”, as well as keyword metadata, alt tags and landing page descriptions designed to attract search engine traffic.

The trademark also appeared in hidden text on the website, including phrases such as “Piddle Patch Dragons Den”, which the court heard were intended to capture search traffic generated by the brand’s television exposure.

Additionally, City Doggo registered the domains piddlepatch.info and piddlepatch.shop, both of which directed users to its own website.

The trademark was also used as a hashtag across social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, further increasing the likelihood that consumers searching for Piddle Patch would encounter City Doggo’s products.

The judge concluded that these actions were a calculated attempt to benefit commercially from the existing brand reputation built by Makeality Ltd.

Makeality Ltd argued that City Doggo’s activities caused a measurable decline in traffic to the Piddle Patch website.

The court accepted that the rival company’s online marketing strategy had successfully positioned its website alongside the genuine brand in search engine results.

Judge Obodai noted that this outcome was intentional, commenting that the activity “had the desired effect” because City Doggo’s website appeared alongside the claimant’s when consumers searched for the Piddle Patch name.

The defendants had argued that the alleged infringements were too small or insignificant to be legally actionable, describing them as “de minimis”.

However, the court rejected this defence, ruling that the actions were deliberate and commercially motivated.

During the proceedings Walker-Fooks described City Doggo as a “sideline” business and suggested she lacked experience in intellectual property matters.

The judge rejected this characterisation, stating he did not believe her portrayal of limited business knowledge.

Judge Obodai noted that Walker-Fooks had a background in financial services and held senior roles in the investment sector, including serving as Vice President of Macro at Lighthouse Investment Partners between 2022 and 2025 before becoming Chief Operating Officer at hedge fund Anahata Capital Management LLC in October 2025.

The court found that she had sufficient commercial understanding to recognise the implications of using the Piddle Patch trademark in her marketing.

While the court ruled in favour of Makeality Ltd on trademark infringement and passing-off claims, the amount of financial compensation has not yet been determined.

The case will now proceed to a separate quantum trial, which will establish the level of damages owed to the Piddle Patch brand.

The court also considered requests for an injunction preventing further use of the trademark.

Following the ruling, Piddle Patch founder Rebecca Sloan welcomed the outcome and said the judgement vindicated the company’s efforts to protect its intellectual property.

“We are very happy with the result,” Sloan said.

She added that the case had required extensive preparation and thanked her legal team for their work during the proceedings.

“I’d like to thank our direct access barrister Christy Rogers, who worked tirelessly to help us make our case to the Court. This was by no means a straightforward process.”

The ruling is likely to attract attention among UK entrepreneurs and intellectual property specialists because it highlights how trademarks can be exploited through digital marketing techniques.

The case illustrates how search engine optimisation, domain registration and social media tagging can be used to redirect online traffic and potentially mislead consumers.

Legal experts say the judgement reinforces the principle that digital marketing tactics designed to exploit a rival’s brand reputation can constitute trademark infringement and passing off.

For small businesses and start-ups, particularly those building strong online brands, the case underscores the importance of securing and defending intellectual property rights as businesses scale.

With the Piddle Patch brand continuing to expand following its national exposure on Dragons’ Den, the ruling represents a significant legal victory for the company and a warning to competitors seeking to capitalise on established brand names.

Jamie Young

Jamie is Senior Reporter at Business Matters, bringing over a decade of experience in UK SME business reporting.
Jamie holds a degree in Business Administration and regularly participates in industry conferences and workshops.

When not reporting on the latest business developments, Jamie is passionate about mentoring up-and-coming journalists and entrepreneurs to inspire the next generation of business leaders.

SimpsonHaugh has designed landmark that is set to be one of ten towers at Kings development

Designs for Liverpool’s tallest ever building standing at 70-storeys tall have been revealed. Davos Property Developments Limited in conjunction with Beetham Davos Ltd have given the first look at its tower proposed to form the centrepiece of its £1bn Kings project on the city’s waterfront.

The tower, designed by SimpsonHaugh, would comprise a 5-star hotel and luxury residences managed by the hotel operator. The designs, revealed at the MIPIM international property trade fair at a private event for investors and end-users, comes after the scheme’s first tower of 28 storeys, named No. 1 Kings, received consent from Liverpool Council.

The hotel would occupy the first 23 floors of the building, offering 212 high-specification rooms, with the balance taken up by 563 luxury residences. Guest and resident amenities would include bars, restaurants, gymnasiums, banqueting and meeting facilities and a rooftop terrace.

The tower is one of 10 buildings anticipated in the emerging masterplan for the site, which will go out to public consultation later this spring, before an expected planning submission in late summer. The hybrid application will seek detailed consent for layout and site services and outline consent for each building plot and will include residential towers, two hotels, Grade A offices, a new arts venue, shared workspace for start-ups and tech businesses and a range of food and beverage outlets.

Hugh Frost, chairman of Beetham Davos, said: “This will be the scheme’s signature building and is the ultimate expression of our confidence in Liverpool and the council’s backing for our ambition.” He said talks are “well underway” with a global hotel brand to take the whole of the building.

Mr Frost added: “They share our view of Liverpool as outward-looking and international and therefore a good fit for their brand.” In all, the building would provide 924,000 square feet of space, making it the second largest building by floor space in Liverpool, after its famous Tobacco Warehouse.

Ian Simpson of SimpsonHaugh said: “This is a landmark intervention for Britain’s most dramatic waterfront skyline. It is rooted in the city’s architectural vernacular and its maritime history but offers a very contemporary expression of both.

“The tower’s setting optimises the high-quality public realm around it, whilst the soft corners maximise the panoramic views in every direction. I wanted to deliver a building that not only sat well with its neighbours, but also reflects the ambition of the city.”

Last month, Liverpool Council planners gave consent for a 28-storey tower to be built on a plot within the city centre. Beetham joined forces with KEIE – part of the TJ Morris group which owns Home Bargains – to buy the former King Edward industrial estate on Gibraltar Row on the edge of Liverpool city centre.

Cllr Liam Robinson, leader of Liverpool Council, said it represented “one of the most significant and ambitious projects I believe our city will see this century.”

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Oil prices briefly spiked to more than $100 a barrel on Monday amid the ongoing war in Iran, before falling sharply, underscoring how initial fears of supply disruptions eased as contingency plans emerged.

Before the outbreak of war with Iran, oil was trading in the range of $60 to $70 a barrel, but prices soared after the conflict began, with crude oil futures reaching upward of $115 a barrel on Monday – the highest level since 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine.

Early headlines suggested global benchmark Brent crude could hit $150 a barrel due to the supply shock, though trading data showed the spike was short-lived. Crude prices were down 8%, while West Texas Intermediate fell nearly 9% on Tuesday afternoon.

HOW THE IRAN WAR COULD HIT AMERICANS’ GROCERY BILLS

Phil Flynn, senior market analyst at the Price Futures Group and a FOX Business contributor, said in an interview that panic buying ensued after reports of tankers and refineries being hit.

“But I think as the day went on into the overnight, the market realized that maybe things aren’t that bad – the U.S. is having incredible military victories, President Trump is saying, ‘hey, you know what, the war is probably not going to be going on that long.’ And even some signals that the world doesn’t have to just sit and stand and take it,” he said.

Oil prices surged amid uncertainty caused by the Iran war, though prices have since eased. (Giuseppe Cacace/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Leaders from the G7 nations and the International Energy Association (IEA) discussed potential releases from strategic oil reserves to respond to a potential price shock or shortage in the market on Monday and Tuesday, concluding that they weren’t immediately planning to do so while stating they’re prepared to take “necessary measures” to support the oil market if needed.

WILL TAPPING OIL RESERVES CURB SOARING GAS PRICES?

Oil production could increase in the next two years due to the price shock caused by the Iran war, the EIA said. (Reuters/Todd Korol)

“We have the possibility of a coordinated release from the G7 and the IEA of oil reserves that could cool prices,” Flynn noted. “There’s many things happening that usually happen when prices go up that can cool prices off very quickly.”

He added that Saudi Arabia built its east-to-west pipeline to avoid threats in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz and also increased its capacity to 7 million barrels a day, with expectations it will operate at full capacity in days.

FED OFFICIALS CLOSELY MONITOR IRAN CONFLICT FOR POTENTIAL INFLATION IMPACT

U.S. Navy vessels in the region have also participated in the strikes on Iran. (DVIDS/U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Devin M. Langer)

Flynn added that the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a short-term outlook on Tuesday that indicated the higher oil prices are likely to prompt U.S. producers to increase their output of crude oil in 2027. 

The EIA said that while “changes in oil prices take time to affect production – moving from investment decisions to rig deployment to well completion and first oil,” which is why it sees the current price rise having a bigger impact on production in 2027 and 2028.

AMID IRAN WAR, PRESIDENT TRUMP SUGGESTS SHORT-TERM OIL PRICE SPIKE IS ‘SMALL PRICE TO PAY’ FOR PEACE

The U.S. military has conducted airstrikes on targets in Iran. (U.S. Air Force/Senior Airman Trevor Gordnier/51st Fighter Wing/DVIDS)

As the war in Iran continues, Flynn noted that if the conflict is able to remove the longstanding threat of Iran’s regime closing the Strait of Hormuz and fomenting conflict throughout the Middle East via proxies like the Houthis in Yemen, it could result in lower long-term oil prices with that risk mitigated.

“We’ve had an Iranian risk premium in oil since Jimmy Carter… it’s never quite gone away,” Flynn said, noting that insurance costs and the perceived risk have remained embedded in oil prices despite the market’s fluctuations over the years.

The latest price spike bears some similarities to what occurred during the early stages of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022, though oil prices had gradually risen above $90 a barrel before the invasion itself prompted a spike above $115 a barrel. They remained around $100 a barrel into the summer before they gradually eased closer to $80 by the end of that year.

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Flynn said that conflict presented a different challenge than the latest oil spike amid the ongoing Iran war, explaining that the “situation there was different because it wasn’t a lack of supply that drove up prices – it was the desire to stop buying Russian oil that the market wasn’t prepared to replace, and a lot of that was bad energy policy, you know the green energy policies of Europe and Joe Biden.”

Jennifer Karkula
Head of Communications

Hello, and welcome to the Realbotix Financial Update Call. My name is Jennifer, and today, we are joined by CEO, Andrew Kiguel; and CFO, Scott Meyers. [Operator Instructions] I will now turn the call over to Andrew.

Andrew Kiguel
Co-Founder, CEO & Director

Thanks, Jennifer. Welcome, everybody, to our call, I guess, for year-end and Q1. As you will know, I don’t do sort of the traditional thing, but I sort of want to just chat about the business and some various things. I want to talk first about some of the areas in the business, our business that need work and then talk somewhat about the positives and then outlook. So not in any particular order, but our reporting and finance structure certainly proved — last year certainly proved to be a weakness for the company.

Our previous CFO was a contractor, not an employee and in retrospect, not well equipped to handle the business as it was growing and we were pivoting out of crypto. He also had a bunch of personal issues to deal with, and this had a negative impact in a few ways, primarily in us not having the adequate controls to ensure a smooth and efficient audit within the reporting timeline, which is why we need to request those extensions. What we’ve done since then, we really had to start our audit on the back foot, just being late. You saw from the numbers, there were no issues.

There’s no money missing or anything like that. It was just really a function of starting late with our new CFO and a new