TMZ and the Arizona CBS news affiliate have reported receiving demands for millions of dollars in Bitcoin for the release of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos releases update on missing Nancy Guthrie
Authorities updated the public on the disappearance and possible kidnapping of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie at a Feb. 3 press conference.
- Authorities believe Guthrie, 84, was abducted overnight between Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, and was last seen around 9:30 p.m. that Saturday.
- The sheriff’s office confirmed the report but did not confirm the authenticity of the alleged ransom note.
- The memo received by TMZ demanded millions of dollars in Bitcoin cryptocurrency and listed a specific Bitcoin address.
CBS News reported that Tucson affiliate KOLD News has received a ransom note for Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie, as the search for a missing 84-year-old man expands.
Pima County Sheriff’s Office investigators analyzed the letter, took it seriously and shared it with the FBI, who decided to share it with the NBC host, according to CBS.
The memo, which KOLD received on Feb. 2, “included specific details about the home and what Nancy Guthrie was wearing that night,” CBS reported.
The report added that investigators wanted to keep the memo private and that the Tucson station had agreed not to broadcast any information about it.
However, TMZ first reported on February 3 that they had received a letter demanding the release of Nancy Guthrie, who went missing on February 1 from her home in Arizona, just north of Tucson.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told CBS that TMZ obtained a copy of the memo and reported it before contacting his office.
The USA TODAY Network has not confirmed or substantiated the authenticity of either memo.
Authorities believe Guthrie, 84, was abducted overnight between Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, and was last seen around 9:30 p.m. that Saturday.
TMZ’s report came less than an hour after Nanos told reporters that his office and FBI agents were following up on all leads, but could not confirm whether Guthrie’s disappearance was random or targeted.
The sheriff’s office confirmed the report but would not confirm whether the ransom demand was legitimate.
“We take all tips and leads very seriously,” the office said. “Everything that comes in goes directly to detectives working with the FBI.”
Who received the ransom note for Nancy Guthrie?
TMZ reported that they received the letter on the morning of February 3rd.
Mary Coleman, an anchor for Tucson’s KOLD News, then posted on social media that her newsroom had also received a ransom note.
What does Guthrie’s ransom note sent to TMZ say?
TMZ left the details of the memo vague. The media reported that the memo demanded millions of dollars in Bitcoin cryptocurrency and provided a specific Bitcoin address. TMZ reported that they have confirmed the authenticity of the address.
The letter included a deadline and an “or else” element, the paper said.
How did the Pima County Sheriff’s Department respond?
TMZ and Coleman reported that both newsrooms forwarded the memo to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.
On February 3, the Sheriff’s Office announced that it was aware of the suspicious letter and would continue to pursue all information received.
Additionally, he encouraged anyone with information to contact authorities through the Pima County Sheriff’s Evidence Portal. You can also call the office at 520-351-4900.
