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By Khaleda Rahman
National Correspondent
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New details about ransom notes sent after the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie are prompting fresh questions about what happened to the mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie—and whether an apparent kidnapping plot unraveled after going badly wrong.
Several media organizations reported receiving messages shortly after Guthrie vanished from her Tucson-area home in February, but outlets entered a voluntary, coordinated blackout with law enforcement to preserve the integrity of potential ransom negotiations and ensure any further communications could be verified.
Tucson TV station KOLD said on Monday that it received two notes: one on February 2 demanding millions of dollars in Bitcoin in exchange for Guthrie's return, and another on February 6 claiming she had died.
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According to NBC News, the second message expressed regret over Guthrie's death but did not demand additional payment. CNN reported the note suggested her death was unintended and occurred shortly after the abduction. NewsNation correspondent Brian Entin reported that the message claimed Guthrie was "buried with nature now."
Perhaps most notably, CBS News reported, citing multiple sources, that the initial ransom note was addressed directly to Savannah Guthrie and included details from inside or around the property, including references to an Apple Watch with a white band on the bedroom floor and a broken porch light.
NBC News reported that investigators consider the messages "potentially credible"—a key detail because it suggests authorities have not dismissed them as hoaxes.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department told Newsweek in a statement earlier this week: "The investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie remains active and ongoing. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department continues to work closely with the FBI as investigators follow up on leads, review information, and pursue the facts surrounding this case."
The FBI declined to comment when contacted by Newsweek, but according to KOLD, the bureau believes both notes came from the same person.
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A Kidnapping for Ransom
Jennifer Coffindaffer, a former FBI agent, told Newsweek that the newly disclosed details strengthen the theory that Guthrie was abducted in a kidnapping-for-ransom scheme.
"This reinforces what many believe and that is this was a kidnap for ransom that went south when she died," she said.
Coffindaffer added that the second note reportedly indicating that Guthrie’s death was unintentional is the "biggest" clue. "They would not want her to die because they needed her to get the ransom money and they understood that," she said.
Douglas MacGregor, a geographic profiler, said one note being addressed to Savannah Guthrie suggests she was the "primary target" and that money was the objective.
"I do believe this was targeted, however I’m still not fully convinced this was a kidnapping for ransom, or that Nancy left her home alive, but I do hope for her return," he wrote on X.
What the Notes Suggest About Motive—and the People Behind Them
Savannah Guthrie has spoken about the possibility that her mother’s abduction was motivated by her money in an interview in March. She said that her brother had told her he thought their mother had been kidnapped for ransom.
"I hope not. I mean, we still don’t know," she said. "Honestly, we don’t know anything. So I don’t know that it’s because she’s my mom and somebody thought: 'Oh, that lady has money, we can make a quick buck.' I mean, that would make sense, but we don't know."
Yet MacGregor cautioned against assuming money was the sole motive. He said targeting a nationally recognized television personality and drawing major media attention significantly increased the risk to the offender.
"It indicates the desire for publicity, with the ransom being secondary, or that publicity and deadlines were used to pressure a quicker settlement where proof of life could not be provided," he wrote on X.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, who has repeatedly come under fire while leading the investigation, said in a March interview with NBC News that investigators believe they know the motive for the crime, but declined to elaborate, citing the integrity of the investigation.
There has been friction between local deputies and the FBI, such as criticisms from the bureau's Director Kash Patel over sidelining federal resources for the first four days, and Nanos's decision to bypass the FBI to send DNA evidence to a private Florida laboratory.
Do the Messages Point to Amateurs Rather Than Professionals?
Coffindaffer told Newsweek that it was extremely unusual for the apparent abductors to inform the Guthrie family about her death.
She said the reported details indicate the perpetrators had "empathy" for the family, noting the reported use of "poetic" instead of harsh language.
"There's no reason for the abductor to give details like this. They could just disappear, but they don't owe any sort of explanation, especially when the plot has already been foiled," Coffindaffer said.
MacGregor reached a similar conclusion, arguing that the behavior described in the notes is inconsistent with experienced criminals.
"Some people believe these were professionals. I would argue that pros would have avoided public attention, minimized risk, and been familiar with their target. Pros would not surveil the property, yet miscalculate the target’s vulnerabilities," he wrote.
MacGregor added that professional offenders generally avoid unnecessary communications after a crime, particularly messages that could provide investigators with additional evidence. "This offender(s) presents as an inexperienced, local amateur," he wrote.
Savannah Guthrie's Public Plea
The Today co-host made an emotional on-air appeal on Tuesday, asking anyone with information about her mother’s disappearance to come forward.
"I don’t have any comment on this story, and I’m not involved in our coverage, but I can’t pretend I’m not here," Guthrie said during the Today show.
"And so since I am, I want to just take the opportunity to ask people, to really to beg people to come forward."
Guthrie added that even seemingly minor information could prove valuable and emphasized that tips can be submitted anonymously. "We love our mom and we'll never stop looking for her, ever," she said.
Nancy Guthrie’s family is offering a $1 million reward for information that leads to her recovery. A separate reward of more than $200,000—including $100,000 from the FBI—is being offered for information that helps locate her or leads to arrests and convictions in the case.
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Where the Investigation Stands
Nancy Guthrie was reported missing on February 1 after disappearing from her home near Tucson. Authorities have long said they believe she was abducted and have disclosed that drops of blood believed to be hers were found on the front porch.
More than a week later, the FBI released surveillance footage from a camera outside her home showing a masked individual outside the residence on the night she vanished.
Investigators described the individual as a suspect and said he appeared to be approximately 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-10 with an average build. Authorities said he was carrying a 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack.
Despite months of searching involving federal, state and local authorities as well as volunteers, no arrests have been announced and no suspect has been publicly identified.
The newly revealed contents of the ransom notes do not solve the case, but they provide investigators and outside experts with a clearer window into the apparent thinking of whoever sent them.
Whether those messages reflect genuine knowledge of Nancy Guthrie's fate—or a calculated attempt to mislead investigators—remains one of the central unanswered questions in a case that continues to grip national attention.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Ben Kelly and James Debens.
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