In a shocking development, a ransom note sent to news outlets after the January abduction of Nancy Guthrie – the 84‑year‑old mother of NBC’s Today anchor Savannah Guthrie – claims the elder woman died. The message, attributed to the suspected kidnappers, apologized for an inadvertent death and included an apology to the family, asserting that the death was not intended.
The first note, delivered the day after Mrs. Guthrie vanished from her Tucson home, demanded millions in Bitcoin for her return. Nearly a month later, a second note – without any monetary demand – informed the family that the mother had died, a claim that prompted widespread concern and media scrutiny.
Authorities – led by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI – continue to investigate the case. The department confirmed that the inquiry remains active, working closely with federal investigators to chase leads and review information, while keeping the public informed on the investigation’s status.
Public and police warnings highlighted Nancy Guthrie’s frail health and lack of critical medication, raising the stakes for the family’s search. The FBI and Pima County have spent months sifting evidence, while the family has offered a $1 million reward, supplemented by a $100,000 offer from the FBI, to secure any information that could lead to her return.
In March, Savannah Guthrie stepped away from the daytime program for more than two months as the investigation unfolded, later speaking about the evolving nature of the ransom notes. She has said she believes the initial notes to be authentic while remaining hopeful that her mother may yet return.
The FBI and Pima County officials have urged media outlets to refrain from publishing the ransom note’s details while the investigation proceeds, citing jurisdictional sensitivities and potential interference. The case remains one of the most closely monitored high‑profile missing‑person incidents in recent Arizona history.
