Authorities have publicly released the full text of two ransom notes connected to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, in hopes that someone may recognize the writing style or other clues that could help solve the case.
The first note, sent shortly after Nancy’s February 1 disappearance from her Tucson, Arizona, home, demanded $4 million in Bitcoin in exchange for her safe return. The message warned that the ransom would increase if the deadline was missed and threatened that she would be killed if the demands were not met. Investigators said the note included highly specific details from inside Nancy’s home, leading authorities to believe it may have been written by someone involved in the kidnapping.
A second note, delivered several days later, made a chilling claim that Nancy had died shortly after being abducted due to an undiagnosed heart condition. The anonymous writer insisted her death was accidental and claimed they “never intended to hurt her,” while alleging she had been buried “in nature.” Despite the message, investigators have not confirmed that Nancy is deceased, and her body has not been found.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department released the notes six months into the investigation, saying the documents contain distinctive language patterns that someone familiar with the writer may recognize. Officials are asking the public to closely examine the wording and contact investigators with any information.
The investigation remains active. Surveillance footage captured a masked individual near Nancy’s home on the night she vanished, while forensic testing continues on DNA and other evidence recovered from the scene. Authorities are also reviewing hair samples and other physical evidence as they work to identify those responsible.
Savannah Guthrie and her family have continued to publicly plead for information, offering a reward totaling more than $1 million with assistance from the FBI. While the second ransom note claims Nancy died after the abduction, law enforcement emphasizes that her fate has not been officially determined and urges anyone with information to come forward.
