Sheriff's Office Releases Ransom Notes in Nancy Guthrie Kidnapping, Citing Unabomber Precedent
Pima County officials released two ransom notes linked to the kidnapping of Savannah Guthrie's mother, hoping the public will recognize the writing style, a retired investigator said.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos announced the release of two ransom notes that investigators believe are connected to the abduction of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, mother of "Today" co-host Savannah Guthrie. The notes, which share a distinctive linguistic pattern, were made public in an effort to generate tips from the community.
Retired Colorado Attorney General’s Office investigator Lisa Miller said the strategy mirrors the 1995 decision to publish the Unabomber’s manifesto, which led to a crucial tip from the bomber’s brother. Miller noted that, unlike the lengthy Unabomber essay, the Guthrie notes are brief but contain repeated phrasing that could be recognizable to someone familiar with the author’s style.
"Law enforcement rarely makes the deliberate call to release an offender's own words to the public," Miller said in a post on X.
"There are a number of pieces of information in these notes that just might jar someone to say, 'You know, I've heard that,'" Nanos added in a video posted to the platform.
The sheriff’s department urged anyone with information to contact authorities, offering a combined reward of more than $1.2 million. The case remains unsolved six months after the kidnapping.