Arizona sheriff releases two ransom notes in Guthrie case

Six months after the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, authorities have released two chilling ransom notes that present a conflicting narrative about her fate. The Pima County Sheriff's Department made the notes public on Friday, July 31, 2026, in hopes that someone might recognize the writer's distinctive style.

Nancy Guthrie, the mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie, was last seen at her home in the Catalina Foothills area of Tucson, Arizona, on January 31, 2026, and was reported missing the following day. Investigators believe she was abducted from her bed.

The first note, addressed to Savannah Guthrie and received by a local Tucson television station on February 2, demanded a ransom of $4 million in bitcoin. It stated that Nancy Guthrie was "safe but scared" and threatened to kill her if payment was not received by 5 p.m. on Monday, February 9. The note included specific, non-public details from the scene, mentioning a white smartwatch on the floor and a destroyed flood light in the backyard. It warned, "Do not play games, law enforcement will not be able to help you."

A second note, received on February 6 and addressed to the Guthrie family, struck a...