Pima County Releases Ransom Notes in Nancy Guthrie Kidnapping Case
Arizona authorities have made public two ransom notes allegedly sent by the kidnappers of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, hoping the documents will generate new leads.
Pima County Sheriff’s officials released two handwritten ransom notes on Friday that they say were sent by the individuals who abducted Nancy Guthrie, an 84-year-old Tucson resident who vanished on Feb. 1. The first note, dated Feb. 2 and sent to a local CBS affiliate, claimed a white smartwatch was found near her bed and that a backyard floodlight had been destroyed. It demanded a payment of $4 million in bitcoin by Feb. 5, later raising the amount to $6 million with a deadline of 5 p.m. on Feb. 9, and warned that “her life is in your hands.”
A second note, dated Feb. 6 and addressed to a Tucson news outlet, stated that Guthrie died shortly after being taken, attributing the death to a heart-related cause and expressing “sorry” to the family. The notes were released to encourage anyone familiar with the writer’s “unique linguistic style” to come forward, according to a department news release.
Sheriff Chris Nanos told NBC News that investigators believe someone close to the perpetrator may recognize the phrasing and provide information. “All the investigators agree: There is somebody out there that knows something. We want to hear from those who know who did this,” he said.
Former FBI supervisory special agent Jason Pack noted that the language appears to be that of a native English speaker who writes in a business-like tone, suggesting the author may be accustomed to drafting professional emails. The department redacted payment instructions from the released documents for law-enforcement reasons.
The release follows a public appeal by Savannah Guthrie, co-host of “TODAY,” who has asked the kidnapper to reveal Guthrie’s whereabouts. Authorities have not identified any suspects and continue to seek public assistance.