TUCSON, Ariz. (Court TV) — Six months after Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her home in Arizona, investigators have released ransom notes they said they received in the case.
Nancy Guthrie seen in missing person alert from Pima County Sheriff’s Department. (Pima County Sheriff’s Department)
Nancy Guthrie, 84, disappeared from her Tucson-area home on Feb. 1, 2026. Investigators said they found blood on the porch, but no sign of the octogenarian despite multiple searches. She was last seen alive on the evening of Jan. 31, when she was out with family.
In the days after her disappearance, Tucson TV station KOLD received two ransom notes. The notes, received on Feb. 2 and Feb. 6, “reveal distinctive patterns of word choice, syntax, and phraseology that reflect the writer’s unique linguistic style,” investigators said in a news release Friday sharing the notes’ contents. “We believe these distinctive linguistic characteristics may be recognizable to someone who knows or has interacted with the notes’ writer. A friend, family member, co-worker, classmate or acquaintance may recognize these patterns of expression and possess information that could help identify the individual responsible.”
“Hello Savannah,
We have your mother Nancy. She is safe but scared. She will be held for ransom and once payment is received she will be released unharmed. We will be holding her for a maximum of 7 days. You will need to send bitcoin in the amount of $4 million USD before 5PM on Thursday the 5th. If payment is not received, the ransom will be increased to 6 million USD which will need to be paid by 5PM on Monday the 9th. Once payment is received to the bitcoin address below she will be released within 12 hours of deposit to a safe drop off location back in Tucson. If payment is not received by the last deadline on Monday the 9th at 5PM, she will be killed. Your mother is aware of this and her life is in your hands. It is in the best interest of everyone to have this completed as soon as possible. You will not be able to contact me from here on out, there will be no negotiation. Do not play games, law enforcement will not be able to help you.”
The first note was addressed to Savannah Guthrie, Nancy Guthrie’s daughter and the host of NBC’s “Today.” The second note was addressed to the “Guthrie Family” and said, “We did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition. We never intended to hurt her, that was not our intention. She perished shortly after she was taken. We believe it was heart related. She is buried in nature now. Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome. We want your family to know this and hope you can all find peace.”
Before releasing the notes, investigators redacted information from the documents, including the sender’s email address and the name the writer gave.
Two previously released videos recovered from a surveillance camera at the victim’s home showed a masked man carrying a backpack and a gun approaching her front door. In a news release about the investigation, Pima County Sheriff’s deputies said the videos indicate that the unidentified man “took steps to prepare” for what he did.
“We know there are individuals familiar with this unidentified male who may have observed changes in the time frame of the videos,” investigators said, urging people to think back to those in their lives who showed a sudden change in mood, had unexplained injuries or sudden changes in routine in early February. “Unexplained interest or disinterest in Nancy Guthrie’s neighborhood” may also be key, investigators said, as well as “noticeable intense interest or disinterest in the investigation or an unexplained knowledge of the situation.”
Investigators have not named any suspects in their investigation or revealed any theories about what may have happened to Nancy Guthrie.
