The Federal Bureau of Investigation has confirmed that ransom notes linked to the ongoing disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie, are not credible. The notes, which surfaced months after Nancy vanished in February, included demands for cryptocurrency and claims of possessing footage of her death, but investigators have now ruled them as fabrications.
Three ransom demands were shared with a media outlet, initially treated as potential leads. The first note requested $4 million in Bitcoin, with the amount increasing to $6 million if unmet. A subsequent message falsely claimed Nancy had died and offered to return her body for $4 million. The FBI tested the authenticity of the notes by depositing a small amount into the listed cryptocurrency account, but the funds were never accessed.
Authorities are reevaluating the nature of Nancy’s disappearance, with new evidence suggesting the case may not involve a ransom scheme. Despite the family’s public appeals for information, her location remains unknown. Blood found on her porch has been confirmed to match Nancy’s DNA, but no conclusive leads have emerged. Surveillance footage shows a masked individual tampering with her video doorbell moments before the feed abruptly ended.
Savannah Guthrie, 54, has publicly described the emotional toll of the case. During a live broadcast of the Today show, she broke down in tears and acknowledged previously considering paying the ransom. “I wanted to just take the opportunity to ask people, really to beg people, to come forward,” she said, urging the public to share any relevant details.
Volunteer search and rescue groups have proposed extensive support in the investigation. The United Cajun Navy submitted a 41-page plan to aid authorities, but local law enforcement declined external assistance. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department has maintained control of the operation, emphasizing the need for focused, official resources in locating Nancy Guthrie.
