The Pima County Sheriff's Office has released two ransom notes sent to Today host Savannah Guthrie and her family, providing chilling details about the disappearance of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie. The notes, received in early February, claim Nancy Guthrie died shortly after being abducted from her Tucson, Arizona, home on February 1.
The investigation into the disappearance has now reached the six-month mark.
Ransom Demands and a Mother's Death
The first note, dated February 2, demanded a $4 million ransom in bitcoin, threatening increased demands and death if payment deadlines were missed. It also contained specific details about Guthrie's home, including a broken backyard floodlight and a white smartwatch found on her bedroom floor, intended to lend authenticity.
A second note, received on February 6, shifted from ransom demands to a statement claiming Nancy Guthrie had perished shortly after her abduction, suggesting a heart-related incident. This note offered an apology and stated she was "buried in nature."
The sheriff's office released the notes publicly in an effort to identify the writer through their distinctive word choice, syntax, and phrasing. Investigators have few official suspects, despite security footage of a masked man at the victim's door and reported DNA evidence found inside the home.
Legal Action Against Sheriff
Meanwhile, two men arrested and subsequently released in connection with the disappearance are preparing to file a lawsuit against Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos and an unnamed detective. Carlos Palazuelos and Daniel Maddox are accusing the sheriff's department of wrongful arrest and reputational damage, seeking $3.25 million in damages.
According to a notice of claim obtained by NBC News, Palazuelos was arrested at gunpoint on February 10, questioned for eight hours, and had his home searched before being released without charges. The notice alleges officers conducted the arrest publicly and "ransacked" his home, causing him physical, emotional, and reputational harm. Palazuelos stated he was told by agents he resembled a person in surveillance footage released from Guthrie's home.
Maddox was arrested hours later at his mother's home and detained for several hours. His claim alleges armed men in military gear pointed guns at him and ordered him to lie on the floor of his hallway. His mother, Josefina Maddox, is also seeking damages for alleged property damage during the search.
Sheriff Nanos stated in a recent interview that releasing individuals does not mean they are cleared, and that the department is still pursuing all credible leads. He indicated that at least one of the men arrested was not in the clear.
Ongoing Investigation
On Thursday, the sheriff's department marked the six-month anniversary of Nancy Guthrie's disappearance. In a statement, the department emphasized the complexity and time-intensive nature of analyzing DNA and digital evidence, assuring the community that the investigation is active and ongoing.
Savannah Guthrie publicly addressed her mother for the first time since June 23, describing her family's experience as a "never-ending nightmare" and urging the captors to "do the right thing."