Ransom notes suggest death of Savannah Guthrie’s mother as investigation stalls
Media reports indicate kidnappers claimed Nancy Guthrie died shortly after abduction, though law enforcement has not verified the claim five months after she vanished from her Arizona home.
Savannah Guthrie, co-host of NBC’s “Today” show, made an emotional on-air appeal on Tuesday for information regarding her missing mother, Nancy Guthrie, who disappeared from her Tucson-area residence nearly five months ago. The broadcast came a day after news organisations reported that a previously undisclosed ransom note suggested the 84-year-old had died shortly after her abduction.
Holding a tissue at the “Today” desk in New York, Guthrie told viewers, “We are in agony, and we cannot be at peace. … We love our mum. We'll never stop looking for her.” She clarified that while she was not involved in NBC News’ coverage of the story, she wished to personally urge the public to come forward with any tips.
Nancy Guthrie was reported missing on 1 February. More than a week later, the FBI released video footage showing a masked stranger outside her front door, with blood found on the porch. The case remains unsolved despite extensive searches by volunteers and law enforcement teams in the nearby desert terrain, including a recent search near the Arizona–Mexico border that yielded no results.
Tucson TV station KOLD reported on Monday that it had received two notes: one demanding millions in Bitcoin for Guthrie’s return, and another stating she had died. Separately, CNN cited law enforcement sources indicating that the kidnappers did not intend to kill Nancy Guthrie, but that she died shortly after her disappearance.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department referred questions about the ransom notes to the FBI, which declined to comment. Experts noted that authorities often withhold specific details, such as a victim’s death, to protect the integrity of an ongoing investigation. Retired chief US marshal Tom Morrissey stated that details might be released if they could help identify a suspect, while retired lieutenant Bob Krygier warned that premature statements could damage investigative credibility.
