Nancy Guthrie: Ransom note claimed mother of ‘Today’ co-anchor had died, reports say

TUCSON, Ariz. — A ransom note sent to media outlets in early February about the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie claimed that the 84-year-old mother of “Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie had died several days after she was abducted from her Arizona home, according to published reports.

CNN, NBC News and CBS News, each citing “law enforcement sources” briefed on the case, said a second ransom note claimed that Nancy Guthrie had died, but that the abductors did not mean to kill her. A first note had been sent four days earlier, the news outlets reported.

Tucson television station KOLD, which reported that it received both ransom notes, said that it was not releasing the full details of the notes “out of respect for the family and the investigation.”

The existence of the note was known, but its contents -- specifically any mention of Nancy Guthrie’s purported death -- had not been released, NBC News reported.

The contents of the second note were known to CNN and to KOLD’s news department. Both organizations reported that they agreed to a request from law enforcement officials and the Guthrie family not to reveal the contents of both notes. That way, any future communications with the kidnapper or kidnappers could be authenticated, CNN reported.

“We (the FBI and sheriff’s department) are grateful for the media’s attention and assistance in handling such pieces of evidence with such sensitivity to both the case and the family,” the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement obtained by KOLD.

The Guthrie family said it received two notes that were sent to Tucson media outlets, ABC News reported. Those notes were deemed as potentially credible by investigators.

On Tuesday, Savannah Guthrie made an emotional plea for more details while serving in her role as co-anchor for “Today.”

KOLD said that it shared the IP addresses from where the notes were transmitted to law enforcement officials. While the notes were not from the same IP address, the sender used the same type of secure server to hide their address.

Authorities believe Nancy Guthrie was abducted after finding blood near her front doorstep, the AP reported. The FBI later released surveillance videos showing a masked man on her porch that night.

Nancy Guthrie was last seen at about 9:45 p.m. MT on Jan. 31 at her home in Tucson. Her family had dropped her off at the residence after they had dinner together, the sheriff’s department said.

She was reported missing the next day when she did not attend church, the AP reported.

“The investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie remains active and ongoing,” Pima County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Kevin Adger said in a written statement on Monday, The Arizona Republic reported. “The Pima County Sheriff’s Department continues to work closely with the FBI as investigators follow up on leads, review information, and pursue the facts surrounding this case.”

The sheriff’s department directed other questions about the ransom note to the FBI, CNN reported.

The Guthrie family did not make any public comments about the notes on Monday, the AP reported.

Concerns about Nancy Guthrie’s health arose immediately because medication she took to treat a heart condition was still at her residence, the Republic reported.

The Guthrie family initially received a ransom note on Feb. 2 demanding $4 million in Bitcoin, according to the newspaper. A second email, sent on Feb. 6, allegedly apologized for what it referred to as Nancy Guthrie’s accidental death and suggested a monetary transaction in exchange for her body, the Republic reported.

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