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🇦🇺 Australia /Crime & Justice

Details of ransom notes in Nancy Guthrie case released

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Authorities have released early ransom notes in the Nancy Guthrie case, hoping the writing style will be recognized.
  • A second note indicated that the 84-year-old died shortly after her kidnapping on February 1.
  • The Pima County Sheriff's Department is appealing for community members to come forward with any information, emphasizing that relationships and loyalties can change.

Authorities in the United States have released early ransom notes in the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, hoping the distinctive linguistic characteristics will help identify the writer. The notes offer a grim insight into the case of the 84-year-old woman who went missing from her home outside Tucson on February 1.

we believe these distinctive linguistic characteristics may be recognisable to someone who knows or has interacted with the notes' writer.

— Pima County Sheriff's DepartmentExplaining the purpose of releasing the ransom notes.

A second note, sent to the family, indicated that Nancy Guthrie had died shortly after she was kidnapped, stating, "She is buried in nature now." The first note, sent a day after her disappearance, had claimed she was safe but scared and demanded $4 million in cryptocurrency for her release within 12 hours, threatening her life if the demand was not met. The notes reveal specific word choices and provide insight into the writer's mindset, according to the Pima County Sheriff's Department.

Your mother is aware of this and her life is in your hands.

— Ransom NoteThreatening Nancy Guthrie's life in the first ransom note.

Despite an intensive search involving thousands of law enforcement officers and volunteers, there has been no sign of Nancy Guthrie. Her daughter, Savannah Guthrie, co-host of the Today show, has made emotional appeals on social media and in videos, begging the kidnappers to "do the right thing now" and reveal her mother's location. The sheriff's department acknowledged that coming forward might be difficult due to personal relationships or safety concerns but urged anyone with information to contact them, stating, "It is not too late to come forward."

She is buried in nature now.

— Ransom NoteInforming the family of Nancy Guthrie's death in the second note.

The sheriff's office continues to pursue all available technological and investigative leads, emphasizing that community members remain a vital resource in providing answers for Nancy's family. The distinctive patterns in the notes are believed to be recognizable to someone who knows or has interacted with the writer.

Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome.

— Ransom NoteExpressing a sense of finality in the second note.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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