New Ransom Note Emerges in Nancy Guthrie Abduction Case

A new ransom note may have surfaced in the ongoing investigation into the abduction of Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today Show host Savannah Guthrie. The Pima County Sheriff's Department announced late Monday that the FBI Guthrie Task Force was recently made aware of a possible new ransom note related to the case.

Investigators are reportedly reviewing social media comments concerning the note and are working to determine its credibility. The sheriff's department has expressed some skepticism regarding the note's validity. Details about the contents of the note have not been released.

Nancy Guthrie, 84, was forcibly abducted from her home in the Tucson area on February 1. The case garnered national attention, and police previously released two ransom notes in July. One note demanded $4 million, while a second claimed the 84-year-old had died, though it also included an apology.

One of the previously released notes was considered potentially authentic by investigators because it included specific details about Guthrie's home, such as a broken floodlight in the backyard and a white smartwatch found on her bedroom floor. The other note, while lacking specific details, shared a similar tone, suggesting it may have been written by the same individual.

In July, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos stated that investigators released the notes hoping to identify the writer through distinctive wording, expressions, or style. The FBI had previously released surveillance footage showing a masked man tampering with a camera on Guthrie's porch and obscuring it with a plant. The individual was described as a male approximately 5 feet, 9 inches tall.

Authorities have been seeking information about anyone who exhibited unusual behavior, altered their appearance, left the Tucson area suddenly, or showed unexplained interest or disinterest in the case. The Guthrie family has offered a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to Nancy's recovery. The family has not yet publicly commented on the reports of a potential new ransom note.

In recent weeks, law enforcement officers were observed searching brush outside Guthrie's home. This search may have been prompted by the altered landscape due to monsoon rains, potentially revealing or shifting evidence, according to Bob Krygier, a retired Pima County Sheriff's Department lieutenant. Alternatively, investigators might have been re-examining the crime scene or pursuing new leads. It remains unclear if this search yielded any significant findings. The ultimate fate of Nancy Guthrie remains unknown, despite one of the earlier ransom notes suggesting she may have died.