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FBI says Nancy Guthrie ransom notes are fake
🇸🇬 Singapore /Crime & Justice

FBI says Nancy Guthrie ransom notes are fake

From CNA · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • The FBI has determined that three ransom notes related to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie are fake.
  • The assessment casts doubt on the initial premise that Guthrie was abducted for ransom.
  • The investigation into her disappearance remains active, with forensic analysis ongoing.

The FBI has concluded that three messages surfacing in media reports concerning the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of NBC 'Today' show host Savannah Guthrie, are not genuine ransom notes. This assessment raises significant doubts about the possibility of a kidnapping for ransom.

An FBI official, speaking anonymously to Reuters, stated that none of the three messages are believed to be authentic. These messages include two ransom notes reported in early February, shortly after the 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie went missing, and a third, more recent message from an individual claiming to know the kidnappers' identities. A second law enforcement source familiar with the case corroborated the FBI's findings.

None of the ransom notes are believed to be genuine.

— FBI officialAn FBI official stated that the messages related to Nancy Guthrie's disappearance are not considered authentic ransom notes.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department, leading the overall investigation, declined to comment, deferring all inquiries about the ransom notes to the FBI. A spokesperson confirmed that the investigation is ongoing and that DNA samples and video evidence are currently undergoing forensic analysis.

We don't have any updates, other than this is still an active investigation.

— Angelica CarrilloAngelica Carrillo, a spokesperson for the Pima County Sheriff's Department, confirmed the ongoing nature of the investigation.

All three messages were initially delivered to media outlets, including TMZ, before being handed over to authorities. Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have shared video messages on social media referencing ransom demands and pleading for their mother's return, with Savannah stating, "we will pay."

Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her home in Tucson, Arizona, on January 31. Investigators determined that the first two notes originated from the same sender, though the methods used to reach this conclusion were not specified. The first note reportedly demanded millions in cryptocurrency, with deadlines in early February. The second note, reported by NBC News, suggested Nancy Guthrie had died, without a payment demand for the return of her body. The FBI reportedly deposited a small amount of cryptocurrency into an account as instructed by the first note to test its authenticity and trace the perpetrators, but the funds were left untouched.

we will pay.

— Savannah GuthrieSavannah Guthrie, in a video message, expressed willingness to pay a ransom for her mother's return.
DistantNews Editorial

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

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