The Pima County Sheriff’s Department has shared with the public two ransom notes related to the abduction of Nancy Guthrie, in an effort to identify the writer.
The release comes nearly six months after Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, was reported missing from her Tucson, Arizona-area home. Investigators have not been able to identify any suspects.
“These communications reveal distinctive patterns of word choice, syntax, and phraseology that reflect the writer’s unique linguistic style,” the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a press release. “They also provide valuable insight into the person’s mindset, motives, and the evolution of their tone over time.”
CBS Tuscon affiliate KOLD-TV 13 received the first note, addressed to Savannah, on Feb. 2, the department said.
“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,” the note read, before demanding $4 million in bitcoin. A second deadline was given, requiring $6 million by Monday, Feb. 9.
If payment was not received by then, “she will be killed,” the note stated.
“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 note added.
Included in the note were descriptions of a smart watch near Guthrie’s bed and a flood light in her backyard.
The fields designated for the sender’s name, email, and date of birth were redacted.
The second note, a description of which was reported last month by several outlets, was sent Feb. 6 to the same station. It was addressed to the Guthrie family.
“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,” the note stated. “Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome. We want your family to know this and hope you all can find peace. We are truly sorry.”
After receiving this note, Savannah, 54, posted a video to Instagram.
“We received your message and we understand,” she said. “We beg you now to return our mother to us... This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”
In their press release, the sheriff’s department reminded the public of an unidentified male captured on Guthrie’s doorbell camera the night of her disappearance. There is also footage of a masked person at her house from a prior day.
“We know there are individuals familiar with this unidentified male who may have observed changes in his behavior around the timeframe of the videos,” the department said, listing possible examples: vehicle cleaning or repairs, a change in mood or physical appearance, unexplained injuries, and “intense interest or disinterest in the investigation.”
For investigators, lead-producing physical evidence has been hard to come by. On Thursday, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told ABC that DNA testing of hair from Guthrie’s home did not point to a suspect.
