Authorities released two redacted ransom notes Friday in the six-month-old search for Nancy Guthrie, hoping someone recognizes the sender’s unusual language. Guthrie, 84, disappeared from her Catalina Foothills home near Tucson, Arizona, early Feb. 1 and remains missing.
The messages reached Tucson station KOLD on Feb. 2 and Feb. 6, Fox News reported. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said they share distinctive patterns of word choice, syntax and phraseology. Investigators believe the same person wrote both and the changing tone may reveal the author’s mindset. Authorities have not authenticated them.
The first message, addressed to Guthrie’s daughter, “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie, claimed Nancy was “safe but scared” and demanded $4 million in bitcoin by Feb. 5. The amount would rise to $6 million by Feb. 9, the writer said, followed by a threat to kill Guthrie if payment was not received. The note referenced a white smartwatch near her bed and a damaged backyard floodlight.
A second message claimed Guthrie “perished shortly after she was taken,” possibly from a heart problem, and was “buried in nature.” The writer apologized and said the family could not have changed the outcome. Law enforcement has not verified the death claim or said whether Guthrie remains alive.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released doorbell footage showing an armed, masked man apparently tampering with Guthrie’s camera the morning she vanished. Guthrie has difficulty walking, has a pacemaker and needs daily medication for a heart condition. The FBI is offering up to $100,000, while her family has offered $1 million for information leading to her recovery.
No suspect has been publicly identified. Anyone with information can call 1-800-CALL-FBI or anonymously contact 520-88-CRIME. Sheriff’s officials especially want tips from people who recognize the phrasing or noticed behavioral changes around the time of the abduction.
