Nancy Guthrie Update: Sources Claim 1 Ransom Note Changed the Investigation
It has been almost five months since Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, vanished from her Arizona home without a trace. While the sheriff’s office and the FBI have spent months combing the area for any sign that the octogenarian could be recovered alive, it turns out that hope may have faded quicker than the public initially realized. A new report indicates that a ransom note sent to news organizations back in February suggested Nancy had died shortly after the abduction, changing the course of the investigation. Here’s where the investigation stands.
Nancy Guthrie ransom note suggests she has been dead for months
Nancy Guthrie’s sudden disappearance on January 31 sent the Guthrie family into panic mode, though they claimed to be hopeful that Nancy might return home safely. Those, however, were the early days of the investigation. Within months, the Guthries acknowledged that Nancy may no longer be alive.
New reports indicate that there was a strong reason to believe Nancy was dead by early February. Several insiders have stated that a second ransom note, received by multiple news organizations on February 6, was not a ransom note at all. According to several outlets, the note actually indicated that Nancy had died shortly after her abduction, though it insisted that was not the intent of the kidnappers. The note then stated that Nancy had been “buried with nature now.”
While numerous notes were sent to news outlets, two are believed to be credible, including the one stating Nancy died accidentally. That note contained key details that were not known to the public at the time, including what Nancy was wearing when she was last seen alive. Investigators often hold back such details from the public to better gauge when a source is credible, and it appears to have helped them here.
TMZ, which received several notes, including the ransom note in question, insists the early notes did not indicate Nancy had died. The outlet did, however, concede that follow-up messages it received from an alleged informant seeking one bitcoin for information seem to hint that Nancy was no longer alive. The initial notes indicated that time was of the essence. A follow-up note revealed that there was no longer any urgency, suggesting Nancy died sometime between the two.
The case at a glance
Nancy Guthrie was last seen the evening of January 31 at her home in the Catalina Foothills outside Tucson. She had dined with her daughter and son-in-law before being dropped off at home in the late evening. The Guthrie family was alerted to trouble on February 1, when Nancy failed to appear for a scheduled virtual church service. She was reported missing, and investigators quickly concluded she had been taken against her will. Nancy’s physical health, a bloodstain at the scene, and additional details led to that conclusion.
A hefty reward was offered by both the FBI and the family for information that would lead to Nancy’s recovery. Investigators sought information from the public, and while they obtained video footage of the assumed assailant, no significant suspects have emerged. Several false alarms have occurred during the investigation.
The case remains open and ongoing.
