The FBI is continuing to investigate the purported ransom notes in the kidnapping of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, though a top criminologist has expressed doubt about their authenticity. The agency stated that while some notes have been deemed extortion attempts without legitimacy, others are still being investigated as potentially genuine demands.
Dr. Casey Jordan, a behavioral analyst, told NewsNation that the lack of communication from alleged kidnappers and the absence of any proof of life or death in the five months since Guthrie's disappearance are primary reasons to question the notes' legitimacy. "So, without any proof of life or death, there is no reason to believe that they’re real," Jordan said.
Guthrie was abducted from her Tucson, Arizona, home on February 1. The FBI has acknowledged that some notes sent to Guthrie's family and news outlets have been identified as illegitimate. Law enforcement sources have indicated to The Post that the FBI does not currently believe any of the ransom notes are legitimate, but an investigative report is not yet complete.
One pair of notes, reportedly originating from the same IP address, claimed Guthrie was safe and demanded $4 million in bitcoin. A subsequent note stated she had died and offered an apology for an accidental death, noting her heart condition. Last month, a note sent to TMZ claimed to possess a video and other evidence detailing the kidnappers' identities. The sender offered to provide access to a phone containing this information in exchange for one bitcoin, prompting TMZ to alert the FBI.
There are no known suspects in Guthrie's disappearance. In a separate incident, Derrick Callella pleaded guilty to sending a bogus note to Guthrie's daughter and son-in-law shortly after her vanishing. This note was not linked to a February 2 ransom demand sent to local media and TMZ.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos commented on the situation, calling it a "shame" that fake ransom notes are being sent amid the ongoing investigation.