Ransom note says Nancy Guthrie died in Tucson
New details in Nancy Guthrie’s case reveal a ransom note claiming she died months after her disappearance in Tuscon, Arizona.
Nearly five months after Nancy Guthrie disappeared, new details about the ransom note are raising questions about the status of the case.
Today anchor Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen on the night of January 31, when her family dropped her off at her home in Tucson, Arizona, after dinner. The next morning, she was reported missing and the Pima County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation.
In the days that followed, a purported ransom note was sent containing details about Nancy Guthrie’s alleged kidnapping. Savannah Guthrie said in an interview with NBC in March that she and her family believed two of those bills (the first bill asked for money) were “real.”
But nearly five months after the abduction, NBC News, ABC News and CBS News reported on June 22 that a second note claimed Nancy Guthrie was dead.
Look back at the complete timeline of the ransom note, its contents, and what investigators said about its effectiveness.
February 3: Nancy Guthrie’s first ransom note confirmed
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told CBS News that a local news affiliate, later identified as KOLD News 13, received a letter on Feb. 2 “with specific details about the home and the clothing Nancy Guthrie was wearing that night.” Nanos said he shared the memo with Savannah Guthrie.
On February 3, TMZ reported that they also received a letter demanding money in exchange for Nancy Guthrie’s release. The same day, a reporter for the Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network, witnessed blood later confirmed to be Nancy Guthrie’s on the front porch of her home.
Officials later revealed that these initial memos contained two deadlines. One on Thursday, February 5th at 5pm and the other on Monday, February 9th.
February 4: Guthrie family acknowledges reports of ransom note
Savannah Guthrie and her siblings posted a video on Instagram speaking directly to their mother’s potential kidnapper. The post was captioned: “Take her home.”
“We have also heard reports in the media about the ransom letter,” the “Today” host said at the time. “We are doing the best we can as a family. We are ready to talk. But we live in a world where sounds and images are easily manipulated.”
“We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and you have her. We want and are ready to hear from you. Please contact us,” Savannah Guthrie added, Nancy Guthrie added, “She’s 84 years old. Her health, her heart is fragile. She lives in constant pain. She doesn’t have medication. She needs it to live. She needs it to not suffer.”
Savannah Guthrie pleads claim that ransom note listed mother’s death
“Today” anchor Savannah Guthrie made an emotional on-air appeal after receiving a ransom note that reportedly left her mother dead.
February 5: FBI addresses suspicious memo and announces arrest
FBI Special Agent in Charge Heiss Janke said in a Feb. 5 press conference that the notes reviewed by investigators did not contain “proof of life,” but instead contained “facts related to deadlines,” an Apple Watch, a floodlight, and “monetary value.”
Authorities also announced the arrest of a Southern California man suspected of sending a false ransom demand to Nancy Guthrie’s family.
February 5th: First ransom note due
Savannah Guthrie’s brother, Camron Guthrie, addressed a person who may be “holding our mother” in an Instagram video posted on February 5, the day of the original deadline that was allegedly included in the original ransom note.
“We want to hear from you,” said Camron Guthrie. “We haven’t heard anything directly. We need to reach you and we need a way to communicate with you in order for us to move forward. But first we have to know that you have our mother.”
February 6: Second ransom note claims Nancy Guthrie is dead
A second ransom demand letter was sent on February 6th, and KOLD confirmed it on social media when it was received. The FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department also confirmed they were investigating “new messages,” according to a post on X at the time.
Several months later, on June 22, multiple news outlets reported that this second note stated that Nancy Guthrie had died after being abducted, and CBS reported that investigators familiar with the case had reason to believe both notes were from the same person.
February 7: Savannah Guthrie accuses possible kidnapper
Savannah Guthrie and her brother shared another video on social media on February 7, mentioning the potential kidnappers and the ransom note.
“We received your message and we understand it,” Savannah Guthrie said. “We now ask you to return our mother to us and celebrate with us. This is the only way we can have peace. This is very precious to us and we will pay the price.”
February 9th: Ransom note expires
As the second deadline for the letter expired on February 9, Savannah Guthrie offered “some thoughts as we move into another week of this nightmare” in a video message. She explained that she and her family “believe that my mother is still outside,” and appealed to the public for help.
“Law enforcement is working 24 hours a day to bring her home and search for her. She’s been taken and we don’t know where she is, so we need your help,” Savannah Guthrie said, adding, “If you see anything, hear anything, feel at all strange. We are in a desperate situation and we need your help.”
The next day, the FBI released an image on X showing an unidentified armed person who appears to have tampered with Nancy Guthrie’s front door camera the morning she disappeared. Later that month, the Guthrie family offered a $1 million reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s recovery.
March 26: Savannah Guthrie says some ransom notes were real
Savannah Guthrie sat down with longtime colleague Hoda Kotb for an emotional interview in March ahead of her return to the Today show after leaving her job in February. Savannah Guthrie explained that she and her siblings are “in pain” over Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance and opened up about the ransom note.
“There’s a lot of different notes, I think it came. And my understanding is I don’t think most of them are real,” she said. “However, we believe the two returned notes we received are genuine.”
Savannah Guthrie shares emotional appeal to missing mother
Savannah Guthrie revealed to Hoda Kotb that her mother has been missing for more than 50 days in an interview on the “TODAY” show, and once again appealed for her mother’s return.
June 22: New reports of ransom notes emerge
NBC News, ABC News, and CBS News reported on June 22 that the February 6 ransom note listed Nancy Guthrie as dead. NBC and ABC cited anonymous people “with knowledge of the matter,” and CBS cited “sources who reviewed the memo.”
NBC also reported that the alleged kidnapper did not apologize for abducting Nancy Guthrie, but did express regret for her death.
A spokesperson for the Pima County Sheriff’s Office in southern Arizona told USA TODAY that inquiries about the ransom note should be directed to the FBI. “The investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie remains active and ongoing. The Pima County Sheriff’s Office continues to work closely with the FBI as investigators follow up on leads, review information, and pursue the facts surrounding this case,” the department said in a statement.
After a June 23 episode of “Today” featured an NBC News segment with an update on the reported ransom note, Savannah Guthrie said she “does not comment on this story” and is “not involved in our reporting,” and went on to “implore people to come forward with information.”
“Someone knows something and this is the news story of the day that is getting your attention. But this is the life that my sister is living, this is the life that I am living, this is the life that my brother is living, our extended family is living, our children are living every day, and we are suffering. We cannot be at peace,” she said.
Law enforcement is asking anyone with information to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Pima County Sheriff’s Office tips.fbi.gov. (520-351-4900) or 88-CRIME.
Contributors: KiMi Robinson, Melina Khan, Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY
