...
By Khaleda Rahman
National Correspondent
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
The FBI is investigating some ransom notes in connection with the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie that "may potentially be legitimate," the bureau said on Wednesday.
The disappearance of Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie, is still being treated as a kidnapping for ransom, the FBI said, though some of the ransom notes received in the five months since she vanished from her home have been determined to be extortion attempts by impostors.
The update comes after Reuters reported on Tuesday, citing an unnamed FBI official, that investigators had determined that three of the messages related to the case had been fakes, and that none of the ransom notes in the case "are believed to be genuine."
Read More on News
In a statement posted on X, the FBI's Phoenix office said an unspecified number of notes that had been received in the five months since Guthrie disappeared from her home near Tucson, Arizona, had been deemed "extortion attempts without legitimacy," but that other ransom demands were still under investigation.
A spokesperson for the Pima County Sheriff's Department, which is leading the investigation into Guthrie's disappearance, told Newsweek on Wednesday that the case was "active and ongoing."
Forensic analysis of DNA and video evidence collected in the case "remains underway," Angelica Carrillo said in an email. "If and when there is a significant development in this case, it will be shared with the public."
On X, the sheriff's department said that questions about any purported ransom notes in the case should be directed to the FBI.
"Throughout this investigation, the Pima County Sheriff's Department has received information regarding potential ransom notes related to the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie," it said on Wednesday evening. "Every tip and lead is taken seriously and is forwarded directly to our detectives, who continue to work in coordination with the FBI."
New Details Emerge About Ransom Notes
Over the past week, two notes related to Guthrie's kidnapping have garnered fresh attention after media outlets reported new details and as a third note was sent to TMZ on Friday from someone claiming to know the identity of the kidnappers.
The first, received by two Tucson television stations and TMZ on February 2, set two deadlines for a ransom to be paid in bitcoin. CBS News reported last week that the first note had included specific details about Guthrie's home, including a broken light on the back porch and an Apple Watch with a white band found on the bedroom floor.
The second note, sent to the same outlets on February 6, was reported by NBC News and other outlets last week to have said that Guthrie had died. According to NBC News, the note expressed regret over Guthrie's death but did not offer an apology or demand payment for the return of her body.
Last week, TMZ reported receiving a message from someone claiming to know the identities of Guthrie's kidnappers. The sender, who TMZ said was the same person who had sent more than a dozen emails to the outlet since February, said they had a video on a phone in a secure location showing the "main guy" involved in her kidnapping, as well as of Guthrie on the day she died.
Reuters quoted an FBI official on Tuesday who said the agency had concluded that investigators deemed the first two notes and the third note reported by TMZ to be fakes. "None of the ransom notes are believed to be genuine," the official told the outlet.
The FBI official also told Reuters that investigators determined that the first two notes sent in February were from the same sender, though the official did not say how that conclusion was reached.
The official said that to test the authenticity of the first note, the FBI had deposited a small amount of cryptocurrency in an account as directed in the note, but the money was left untouched in the account. Based on that and other unspecified methods, the FBI reached the conclusion that the two notes were sent by an individual or individuals who were not connected to Guthrie's disappearance, the official said.
The FBI also determined that the note sent to TMZ on Friday was not authentic, though the official did not disclose to Reuters how that conclusion was reached.
In an interview on Friday, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos dismissed that note as fake. "I think the FBI has done a number of arrests for false or fake ransom notes," he said. "It's a shame that that happens, but I think we're looking at another one of those today."
...
How Long Has Nancy Guthrie Been Missing?
Guthrie was reported missing on February 1. Authorities said they believed she had been kidnapped and that drops of her blood were found on her front porch.
Later in February, the FBI released surveillance footage from a camera outside her home showing a masked individual outside the residence on the night she disappeared. The FBI said that person was a suspect in her disappearance and described him as a man, about 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 a massive search involving federal, state and local authorities as well as volunteers, there has been no sign of Guthrie since February. Authorities have not made any arrests in connection with her disappearance, identified any suspects or released any more details about the man seen in the surveillance footage.
Savannah Guthrie Makes Public Plea
Savannah Guthrie responded to last week's reports by appealing again for 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," she said during the Today show on June 23. "And so since I am, I want to just take the opportunity to ask people, to really to beg people to come forward."
She said even seemingly minor information could prove valuable and also reminded viewers of the reward being offered by her family. "We love our mom and we'll never stop looking for her, ever," she said.
The Guthrie family is offering a $1 million reward for information that leads to their mother's 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.
Timeline of Notes in the Case
February 2
- Two local news stations and TMZ received a note that demanded millions of dollars in bitcoin.
- According to CBS News, it was addressed to Savannah Guthrie directly.
- CBS News also reported that it included specific details about Nancy Guthrie's home, including a broken light on the back porch and an Apple Watch with a white band found on the bedroom floor.
- That note demanded $4 million in bitcoin, according to Air Mail, which cited two sources close to the investigation.
February 6
- A second note was sent to the same outlets saying Guthrie died shortly after her disappearance, NBC News and other outlets have reported.
- According to NBC News, it expressed regret over Guthrie's death and did not demand additional payment.
- According to NewsNation's Brian Entin, the note said Guthrie was "buried with nature now."
- Savannah Guthrie and her family addressed the kidnappers in an Instagram post after the second note was sent.
- Savannah Guthrie has said she believes the two notes that her family responded to were "real."
Later in February
- TMZ reported that it received a series of emails from someone demanding payment for information about the people who abducted Guthrie.
- On February 16, the outlet reported that all the notes had demanded $50,000 in bitcoin in return for the information.
- According to TMZ, the sender says he is a man who has a burglary on his record from a decade ago and is afraid to come forward with the information.
- On February 18, TMZ reported it received a "highly sophisticated" demand for cryptocurrency that isn't bitcoin.
June 26
- TMZ said on Friday it received a new email from the same person who sent previous ones.
- The note alleged there were two people responsible for Guthrie's kidnapping.
- The person said there was a phone in a "secure location" that had pictures of both of the people responsible as well as their names, ages and addresses.
- They also said the phone had a video showing the "main guy" with Guthrie on "the day that was probably her last."
- The note said the phone was in a location "easy to access if you know where it is," and that they would give up the phone's password if they received one bitcoin.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Tobias Meyjes and Shakeema Edwards.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines