A second ransom note received by the family of Nancy Guthrie, mother of NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie, claims that Nancy Guthrie died inadvertently following her abduction, according to reports. Savannah Guthrie, speaking publicly for the first time since news of the second note emerged, pleaded for anyone with information to come forward, stating, "Somebody knows something. We are in agony."
Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her home near Tucson, Arizona, on January 31. An initial ransom note demanding millions in bitcoin was sent the day after her disappearance. This note reportedly contained specific details about her home and its surroundings. A second note, sent on February 6, used similar language but did not include a demand. Instead, it offered an apology for her death, stating it was inadvertent.
The FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department have been investigating the disappearance for months. A spokesperson for the sheriff's department confirmed that they continue to work closely with the FBI, following up on leads and pursuing the facts. The FBI declined to comment on the contents of the ransom notes or whether investigators have evidence of Guthrie's death.
Law enforcement had previously requested that media outlets hold off on publishing details of the notes while the investigation was ongoing. Journalists who were aware of the second note's contents explained that the decision not to report immediately was due to concerns that releasing the information could jeopardize a sensitive phase of the investigation and potentially slow down public assistance.
Following the emergence of the notes, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings released a video plea to the kidnappers. "We received your message, and we understand," Savannah Guthrie said in the video. "We beg you now to return our mother to us." She also stated that the family "would pay."
President Donald Trump, when asked about the case, expressed his hope that Nancy Guthrie would be found and acknowledged that the family has "gone through hell."