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By Amanda Castro and Khaleda Rahman
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Savannah Guthrie issued an emotional on‑air appeal Tuesday for anyone with information about her mother’s disappearance to come forward, hours after reports that a second ransom note sent to her family claimed Nancy Guthrie was dead.
Fighting through visible anguish, Guthrie said her family has lived in “agony” for 20 weeks since the 84‑year‑old was abducted from her Catalina Foothills home, urging viewers to share even the smallest tip and stressing that the plea was “the moment to tell you that we need your help.”
The renewed call for public assistance comes as investigators assess two potentially credible ransom notes, including one declaring Nancy was “buried with nature now,” a development that has shifted the months‑long search toward determining what happened and who is responsible. Several media outlets reported receiving ransom notes tied to the case in the days after Guthrie, the mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her home in the foothills outside Tucson.
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NBC News reported that the first note, sent to Tucson TV station KOLD on February 2, said Guthrie was safe and demanded cryptocurrency in exchange for her release. The second note to KOLD, which was sent on February 6, indicated she had died but contained no apology or request for payment for the release of her body, the outlet reported, citing three people familiar with the matter.
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CNN reported the second note revealed that Nancy Guthrie died shortly after her disappearance, but that those who kidnapped her did not mean to kill her.
NewsNation’s Brian Entin reported that the second note said Nancy Guthrie was “buried with nature now." Citing an unnamed source close to the investigation, Entin said on his show, Brian Entin Investigates, that the note "indicated that Nancy's death was not intentional, but did not offer a direct apology."
Jessica Bobula, news director for KOLD, said Monday that the station received several notes after Guthrie disappeared. The station notified authorities and has shared only what the FBI has released about the notes, she said.
Investigators say both notes linked to the case appear “potentially credible,” signaling a major shift in the months‑long search, per NBC News.
The Guthrie family, already pleading for direct communication, may now face a transition from rescue efforts to determining what happened and who is responsible.
"The investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie remains active and ongoing," said the Pima County Sheriff's Department in an email to Newsweek. "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 on Wednesday when reached by Newsweek.
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What Did Savannah Guthrie Say?
On Tuesday morning, while anchoring the Today show, Savannah said, in regard to her mother and following news of the second note surfacing: "I just want to take the opportunity to ask people, to really to beg people to come forward. Somebody knows something. This is a new story today that is on your radar but this is the life that my sister lives, I live, my brother lives, our extended families live, our children live every day We are in agony.
"We cannot be at peace no matter how much I try to come out here every day and smile and find that joy, and I will, I promise I will, this is the moment to tell you that we need your help," she added. "We’re begging for your help. I’m not going to miss that opportunity. And so please, if you’re watching, no matter how small the reward is there, you can tell us. It can be anonymous. Please do the right thing for us, for our family, for our children. We love our mom. We’ll never stop looking for her, never."
When Did Nancy Guthrie Go Missing?
Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her Tucson, Arizona home around 9:30 p.m. on January 31. She was reported missing the next day after she failed to appear at church, prompting her children to search the property before calling authorities.
Authorities have said that she was taken against her will and that drops of her blood were found on her front porch.
Investigators Say Crime Scene Evidence Points to Foul Play
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos previously said homicide detectives were brought in early because of what deputies observed inside the home.
Nancy’s limited mobility—she “couldn’t walk 50 yards by herself”—led investigators to conclude she did not leave voluntarily. DNA evidence was later collected, and the home was declared a crime scene.
Family Pleaded for Contact After Early Message From Possible Captors
Savannah Guthrie posted a video on Instagram with her siblings on February 7, saying they would "pay" for her return.
“We received your message and we understand,” Savannah Guthrie said, seated alongside her brother, Camron, and sister, Annie.
“We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”
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In earlier videos, the family had also asked for proof of life, citing Nancy’s fragile health and need for daily medication.
In an interview on the Today show in March, Savannah Guthrie said she believes the two notes the family responded to were “real.”
“There are a lot of different notes, I think, that came, and I think most of them, it’s my understanding, are not real and I didn’t see them,” she said.
“But I believe the two notes that we received, that we responded to, I tend to believe those are real.”
Surveillance Images Show Masked Suspect at Guthrie Home
In mid-February, the FBI recovered and released surveillance footage from Guthrie’s doorbell camera showing a masked person outside her front door on the night she vanished. The footage shows the individual approaching the home and striking the camera.
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The FBI described that person as a suspect in the case and described him as about 5-foot-9 or 5-foot-10 with an average build and said he was carrying a 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack.
Authorities have not publicly identified the suspect or released any further details about him or the other items he wore: a ski mask, long pants, jacket, gloves and handgun holster.
The FBI has doubled the reward to $100,000 for information leading to Nancy or anyone involved.
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