Police investigating the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of US TV star Savannah Guthrie, have released two ransom notes in a bid to identify the writer. The notes, sent to a local TV station days after Nancy vanished from her home near Tucson, Arizona, on January 31, include a demand for millions in Bitcoin and a later claim that she died shortly after being abducted.
Ransom notes reveal chilling details
The Pima County Sheriff's Office made the letters public on August 1, hoping the author's distinctive writing style might trigger recognition. 'A friend, family member, coworker, classmate, or acquaintance may recognise these patterns of expression and possess information that could help identify the individual responsible,' the department said in a statement.
The first letter, dated February 2, was addressed to Savannah and her family. 'Hello Savannah, we have your mother Nancy,' it read. 'She is safe but scared. She will be held for ransom and once payment is received she will be released unharmed.' The writer demanded $4 million (£3 million) in Bitcoin within days, threatening to raise the amount to $6 million (£4.5 million) if payment was delayed. The note included specific details about Nancy's home, such as a white smartwatch on her bedroom floor and a damaged floodlight in the garden, which investigators believe only the perpetrator could have known.
Just four days later, a second letter painted a darker picture. 'Guthrie Family, we did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition,' it read. 'We never intended to hurt her, that was not our intention. She perished shortly after she was taken. We believe it was heart related. She is buried in nature now. Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome… We are truly sorry.'
Investigation continues despite death claim
Despite the disturbing claim, detectives have not been able to verify Nancy's death and continue to treat the case as an active missing person investigation. Nancy, who required daily medication, was last seen after relatives dropped her off at home on the evening of January 31. Her disappearance was reported the next morning when she failed to attend a virtual Sunday church service with a friend.
Savannah Guthrie, co-anchor of NBC's Today show, made an emotional public appeal in February, directly addressing the kidnappers: 'We received your message and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us… This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.' This week, she renewed her plea, urging those responsible to 'do the right thing' and reveal where her mother is.
Police have released few details about potential suspects, but earlier this year they published images of a masked individual covering the doorbell camera outside Nancy's home before she disappeared. Investigators also revealed that a glove found in the neighbourhood yielded no usable DNA evidence.
Unusual tactic with precedent
The decision to publish the ransom notes is an unusual investigative tactic, but not without precedent. The most famous example is the Unabomber case, where Ted Kaczynski's manifesto was published in 1995, leading his brother to recognize the writing style and alert the FBI, resulting in Kaczynski's arrest.
Now, detectives hope someone reading the Guthrie letters will have a similar moment of recognition. Until then, one of America's most high-profile missing person cases remains unsolved.
