Six months after the disappearance of Today show anchor Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department in Arizona has released a pair of ransom notes to the public. In the first, the alleged kidnappers demand millions, while the second note claims that the 84-year-old Guthrie has “perished.” Nancy was last seen alive on Jan. 31.
The sheriff’s department has not confirmed the authenticity of the notes, stating that the messages “purport to have been written by kidnappers.” Investigators are now appealing to the public, hoping that someone will recognize the writer’s “patterns of word choice, syntax and phraseology.” They believe these distinctive linguistic characteristics may be recognizable to someone who knows or has interacted with the author.
Details of the Ransom Demands
Both notes were sent to KOLD-TV 13 News, a local CBS affiliate in Tucson. The first, received on Feb. 2, was addressed to Savannah and demanded $4 million in Bitcoin for the release of her mother by Feb. 5. The note warned that the ransom would increase to $6 million if the deadline passed, requiring payment by Feb. 9.
“If payment is not received by the last deadline on Monday the 9th at 5 p.m., she will be killed,” the note stated. “Your mother is aware of this and her life is in your hands.” To establish potential authenticity, the author mentioned specific details, including that Guthrie’s white smartwatch had been left on the floor at the foot of her bed and that the backyard’s white floodlight had been destroyed.
The second note, sent on Feb. 6, was addressed to the Guthrie family. “We did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition. We never intended to hurt her, that was not our intention,” the note read. “She perished shortly after she was taken. We believe it was heart-related.”
The message continued: “She is buried in nature now. Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome. We want your family to know this and hope you can all find peace. We are truly sorry.”
Ongoing Investigation and Legal Challenges
Authorities previously noted that Nancy Guthrie required daily medication and that missing doses could be life-threatening. In a previous video plea, Savannah Guthrie emphasized that her mother’s heart is “fragile” and that she relies on her medicine to survive. Nancy is believed to have been taken from her home against her will, with the FBI previously releasing footage of a masked assailant approaching her front door.
The investigation has faced significant hurdles. Earlier this year, a man from Hawthorne, California, pleaded guilty to sending a fake ransom note to the family. Furthermore, Carlos Palazuelos, a man previously detained in connection with the disappearance and later released without charge, has filed a notice of claim against the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. Palazuelos alleges he was held at gunpoint and plans to seek $2.5 million for assault, false arrest, negligence, defamation, and false imprisonment.