Arizona authorities have finally released the ransom notes that appear to be from Nancy Guthrie’s kidnappers, who claimed they didn’t fully understand her failing health and apologized for her death.
Nancy, the 84-year-old mother of Today show star Savannah Guthrie, vanished from her home in the Catalina Foothills outside of Tucson six months ago. As local and federal authorities continued to search for Nancy, it slowly became apparent that police may be trying to recover a dead body, rather than trying to rescue the elderly mother from her captors.
Public speculation appeared to be confirmed Friday after the Pima County Sheriff’s Department released ransom notes sent to the Guthries days after Nancy was taken from her home as she slept in the early morning hours of February 1.
While the existence of the ransom notes was made public after they were sent to news outlets early in the investigation, this is the first time they’ve been released in what appears to be a desperate attempt from investigators to find new leads and close the case once and for all.
The first ransom note that local CBS affiliate KOLD-TV 13 News received on February 2 was addressed to Savannah.
“We have your mother Nancy. She is safe but scared. She will be held for ransom and once payment is received she will be released unharmed. We will be holding her for a maximum of 7 days,” the note read.
The author of the note then gave specific instructions for an exchange of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin for Nancy’s safe return.
“You will need to send bitcoin in the amount of $4 million USD before 5PM on Thursday the 5th. If payment is not received, the ransom will be increased to 6 million USD which will need to be paid by 5PM on Monday the 9th.
“Once payment is received to the bitcoin address below she will be released within 12 hours of deposit to a safe drop off location back in Tucson. If payment is not recieved by the last deadline on Monday the 9th at 5PM, she will be killed,” the note read.
The author warned Savannah not to “play games” with Nancy’s life.
“Your mother is aware of this and her life is in your hands. It is in the best interest of everyone to have this completed as soon as possible. You will not be able to contact me from here on out, there will be no negotiation. Do not play games, law enforcement will not be able to help you,” the note read.
Another note was sent to KOLD-TV 13 News on February 6, claiming that Nancy had died while being held captive.
“We did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition. We never intended to hurt her, that was not our intention. She perished shortly after she was taken. We believe it was heart related,” the note, which was addressed to the Guthrie family, read.
“She is buried in nature now. Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome. We want your family to know this and hope you all can find peace. We are truly sorry.”
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Authorities had said early on in the case that Nancy had a pacemaker, a device that regulates the heart’s rhythm, that was disconnected from an app on her phone when she went missing.
Nancy’s children had voiced concern for their mother’s health in a social media video in early February.
“Her health, her heart is fragile. She lives in constant pain. She is without any medicine. She needs it to survive. She needs it not to suffer,” Savannah said at the time.
Savannah admitted in a later video that her mother may have died.
“We still believe in a miracle. We still believe that she can come home,” the visibly distraught TV journalist said. “We also know that she may be lost. She may already be gone. She may have already gone home to the Lord that she loves.”
With the release of the ransom notes, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department is hopeful it will get more tips from people who may know the author.
“These communications reveal distinctive patterns of word choice, syntax, and phraseology that reflect the writer’s unique linguistic style,” the sheriff’s department said in a statement. “They also provide valuable insight into the person’s mindset, motives, and the evolution of their tone over time.”
While Savannah returned to the Today show in April, she and her family are still “in agony,” as the TV host put it in a new Instagram video, calling the situation “a nightmare that will not end.”
“We have done our part,” Savannah said. “We will never stop looking for her.”
Seemingly talking directly to Nancy’s kidnappers, Savannah then said, “I know that you’ve tried to do things the right way, so I’m asking you, begging you to do the right thing now.”
“Tell us where to look for her,” Savannah said. “Help us bring this situation to an end.”
