DistantNews
Support us
🇺🇸 United States /Crime & Justice

FBI investigates legitimacy of ransom notes in Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case

From CBS News · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • The FBI is investigating the legitimacy of multiple ransom notes received in connection with the kidnapping of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie.
  • Investigators believe some notes are legitimate, while others are attempts at extortion by individuals unrelated to the kidnapping.
  • The initial ransom demand was for $4 million in bitcoin, with a follow-up note suggesting Guthrie had died, but no further communication has been received.

Federal investigators are meticulously examining a series of ransom notes tied to the kidnapping of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, the mother of "Today" show co-host Savannah Guthrie. Five months after her abduction from her Tucson, Arizona, home, the question of who is behind the notes continues to challenge investigators.

The FBI, working with local authorities including the Pima County Sheriff's Department, has categorized the notes into three groups. Some, received within the first week of Guthrie's disappearance, are considered likely legitimate. Others may be legitimate but lack definitive clues, while a third category is viewed as outright extortion attempts by individuals seeking financial gain without any connection to the actual kidnapping.

The FBI and its task force partners have received several ransom notes over the course of this investigation. Some have been deemed to be extortion attempts without legitimacy. Other ransom demands may potentially be legitimate and are still being investigated as such.

— FBI officialStatement to CBS News regarding the investigation into the ransom notes.

"The FBI and its task force partners have received several ransom notes over the course of this investigation," an FBI official stated. "Some have been deemed to be extortion attempts without legitimacy. Other ransom demands may potentially be legitimate and are still being investigated as such." The FBI is handling the digital forensic analysis of the notes, with Sheriff Nanos directing all inquiries to the federal agency.

This case continues to be investigated as a kidnapping for ransom case.

— FBI officialWednesday statement to CBS News about the ongoing investigation.

The first note, sent on February 2, included specific details about Guthrie's home, such as the placement of her Apple Watch and a broken floodlight, which led investigators to take it seriously. It demanded $4 million in bitcoin, later increasing the demand by $2 million. The note was sent via tip lines to news stations and TMZ, with a Gmail address provided for contact. A response crafted by the family with the FBI's help yielded no reply.

A second note arrived on February 6, originating from the same IP address as the first. This communication suggested that Nancy Guthrie had died. Savannah Guthrie and her siblings publicly stated they would pay, but the potential kidnappers have not communicated since.

We received your message and we understand... This is very valuable to us and we will pay.

— Savannah Guthrie and her siblingsResponse to the second ransom note, which suggested Nancy Guthrie had died.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CBS News in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog