Pima County Sheriff Publishes Two Ransom Notes in Tucson Kidnapping Case

The Pima County Sheriff's Department in Tucson released two ransom notes that were mailed on Feb. 2 and Feb. 6, saying they appear to share a distinctive linguistic pattern that could allow investigators or the public to recognize the writer. Authorities have not verified the authenticity of the notes, but Savannah Guthrie, co-host of "Today," said she believes they may be genuine and investigators have not ruled them out.

The notes contain details about the crime scene that were not publicly known at the time, such as the location of the victim's Apple Watch and a broken floodlight in the backyard. A retired FBI negotiator, Jason Pack, said the sender’s knowledge of those specifics suggests familiarity with the house, though it does not prove a direct connection to the victim.

Pack also noted that the language in the notes resembles that of a native English speaker who regularly writes business emails, citing phrasing such as “payment that will need to be paid by” and “money in the amount of.”

The sheriff’s office also confirmed that video from the victim’s front steps may show a masked intruder on two separate days and asked residents to report anyone who displayed unusual behavior after the video’s release, such as sudden nervousness, changes in appearance, or cleaning a vehicle.

Tips can be submitted to the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or anonymously at 520-88-CRIME. Rewards totaling more than $1.2 million remain unclaimed.