Federal investigators on Thursday (February 5) revealed new details about a purported ransom note tied to the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, as authorities confirmed the letter set a specific deadline and contained insider knowledge about her home.
At a press conference in Tucson, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said the note demanded millions of dollars in cryptocurrency and warned of consequences if those demands were not met.
Highlights
- The ransom note included insider details about Nancy’s home and demanded payment in cryptocurrency.
- The FBI said the case is being treated as a possible kidnapping, but haven’t ruled out the note being a hoax.
- The first deadline was set for February 5, a second one for February 9.
The deadline was set for today at 5 pm Mountain Time.
“The clock is ticking,” Nanos told reporters.
Investigators revealed details of a ransom note tied to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie
Image credits: Don Arnold/Getty Images
The letter has led investigators to treat the case as a possible kidnapping, with authorities now considering the possibility that Nancy Guthrie is being held against her will.
According to the sheriff, the document was sent to TMZ and a local Arizona news outlet roughly 120 hours after Nancy was last seen.
What alarmed investigators most was the level of detail it contained. The writers referenced Nancy’s Apple Watch and a flood light at her $1 million Tucson home, details Nanos said would not be known to a casual observer.
Image credits: Nancy Guthrie/Facebook
“It included insider information,” he said, adding that such specifics are being taken seriously by law enforcement.
The note did not include any proof of life, nor did it provide a way for investigators or the family to contact the sender.
Authorities said the writers have not reached out again since the message was sent, a deviation from what is typically seen in kidnapping cases.
Image credits: Nancy Guthrie/Facebook
“There would normally be contact by now,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke, who appeared alongside local officials. “In a normal kidnapping case there would be contact trying to discuss that.”
Despite those red flags, Janke stressed that investigators are proceeding as if it were “a normal kidnapping case,” even as uncertainty remains about the note’s authenticity.
A second deadline was set for next Monday, February 9
Police also revealed that the letter included a second deadline set for next Monday, though officials declined to say whether the demands or terms would change if that date passes.
While authorities emphasized they are taking the ransom note seriously, Sheriff Nanos also acknowledged there is “an absolute possibility” that Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance is unrelated to the letter and that it could be a hoax exploiting the family’s public profile.
“We have not concluded whether this note is real or fraudulent,” Nanos said.
Image credits: 12 News
What investigators have confirmed is that the bitcoin demand pointed to a real address where funds could be deposited, another factor that has kept the note under active scrutiny.
Nancy Guthrie has not been seen since Saturday night at around 9:45 pm, when she was dropped off at her Tucson home by her son-in-law following a church event.
Image credits: Nathan Congleton/Getty Images
When she failed to appear at church the next morning, she was reported missing. By Monday, authorities escalated the case after finding what Nanos described as “alarming evidence” at the residence.
Investigators later confirmed that blood found outside the home belongs to Nancy, based on DNA analysis.
Nancy Guthrie was not known to suffer from cognitive decline, which was seen as the first sign something was wrong
As Bored Panda previously reported, the discovery led homicide detectives to join the investigation, alongside Customs and Border Protection officials, because of the home’s proximity to the Mexican border.
Advanced search tactics, including drones, were deployed across the area.
Image credits: Nancy Guthrie/Facebook
Family members quickly ruled out the idea that Nancy left voluntarily. Her purse, phone, identification, and medication were all found untouched inside the house.
“It’s not a situation where she voluntarily went away,” a source close to the family told the Daily Mail. “She didn’t take any of the things you would normally take if you voluntarily went out.”
Image credits: KGUN9
Sheriff Nanos previously noted that Nancy’s limited mobility made it extremely unlikely that she had left the house on her own.
Authorities also said she did not suffer from dementia or cognitive decline, a point underscored on Today, where co-host Jenna Bush Hager became emotional while reminding viewers how critical Nancy’s medication is to her health.
As the investigation intensified, Savannah Guthrie stepped away from her duties at NBC and issued a public appeal for help, urging anyone with information to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Office.
As the 5 pm deadline passed under the watch of federal and local authorities, investigators said every lead is being pursued.
"Horrible." Viewers shared their thoughts on the case on social media
