Arizona police release ransom notes in ongoing search for abducted mother of US TV presenter Savannah Guthrie
Police in Arizona have released the text of two ransom notes six months after the abduction of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, mother of prominent US television presenter Savannah Guthrie.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Office made the decision to publish the communications in the hope that members of the public might recognise distinct linguistic patterns or writing habits attributable to the perpetrator.
Nancy Guthrie was taken from her home near Tucson, Arizona, on 31 January. The first note, received by a local news station on 2 February, demanded $4 million in Bitcoin within five days, threatening that she would be killed if a total of $6 million was not paid by 9 February.
The note included specific details regarding the crime scene, referencing a damaged backyard floodlight and a white smartwatch left on her bedroom floor.
A second note arrived four days later, claiming that Nancy Guthrie had died from a heart-related condition shortly after her abduction and had been “buried in nature”.
However, law enforcement officials stated they cannot confirm her death and continue to treat the investigation as an active missing persons and kidnapping case. Savannah Guthrie, who hosts NBC’s Today show, has released multiple public appeals urging the abductors to reveal the location of her mother’s remains so the family can bring her home.