Authorities investigating the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of TODAY co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, have publicly released the complete text of two ransom notes in hopes that someone will recognize the writer’s language and help identify the person responsible.
The release comes nearly six months after Nancy disappeared from her Tucson, Arizona, home. Although one of the messages claims she died shortly after being taken, investigators stress that they have not confirmed her death and continue treating the case as an active investigation.
First Note Demanded Millions in Bitcoin
According to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, the first note was addressed directly to Savannah Guthrie and opened with the words:
“Hello Savannah, we have your mother.”
The message demanded $4 million in Bitcoin, warning that the amount would increase to $6 million if payment was not received within days. It also instructed the family not to contact law enforcement and included several details about Nancy’s home that investigators believe were not widely known publicly.
Authorities say those details are one reason they have taken the communications seriously.
Second Message Claimed Nancy Died
A second note, received several days later, presented a dramatically different account.
The writer claimed Nancy died shortly after the abduction because of an undiagnosed heart condition and insisted her death was not intentional. The message also alleged that she had been buried “in nature” and expressed what appeared to be remorse.
Despite those claims, investigators have emphasized there is no independent evidence confirming Nancy’s death, and the information contained in the note has not been verified.
Authorities Hope Public Can Identify the Writer
Rather than releasing the notes to prove what happened, investigators say the goal is to generate new leads.
The sheriff’s department believes the writing contains distinctive vocabulary, grammar, and phrasing that someone familiar with the author may recognize.
Officials noted that similar linguistic analysis has helped identify suspects in previous long-running investigations and are encouraging anyone who recognizes the writing style to contact investigators.
Investigation Remains Active
Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Catalina Foothills home after surveillance footage captured a masked individual tampering with her doorbell camera during the early morning hours.
Investigators have recovered blood matching Nancy’s DNA from the residence and continue analyzing additional forensic evidence, including DNA samples and hair recovered at the scene.
No arrests have been announced, and authorities continue offering a combined reward exceeding $1 million for information leading to Nancy’s recovery or the identification of those responsible.
Family Continues to Search for Answers
Savannah Guthrie and her family have repeatedly appealed to the public for information throughout the investigation.
Although the newly released notes contain alarming claims, investigators caution that they should not be interpreted as proof of Nancy’s fate. Instead, officials hope the publication of the complete messages will produce the breakthrough that has eluded investigators for months.
Until that happens, the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie remains one of the country’s highest-profile unsolved missing-person cases.
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