Two news outlets have received an alleged ransom note and law enforcement said it is investigating whether it is connected to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, 84-year-old mother of Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie.
Local Arizona outlet 13 News said it received an email Monday night that appears to be an alleged ransom note. The outlet said it forwarded the note to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and investigators are verifying its credibility.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told CBS News that the news station agreed not to report on the note.
He said it contained specific details about the home and what Nancy was wearing that night, but he did not confirm whether those details were accurate or whether the note was legitimate, CBS News reported.
TMZ said it received what appears to be a ransom note for Nancy, but the outlet said it has not been able to verify it.
When Did Nancy Guthrie Go Missing?
Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her home in Arizona on Saturday.
Why It Matters
Nanos said on Monday that officials “saw some things at the home that were concerning to us.”
“We believe now, after we processed that crime scene, that we do in fact have a crime scene, that we do in fact have a crime, and we’re asking the community’s help,” Nanos said.
The sheriff also said there were things at the crime scene that indicated Nancy “did not leave on her own.”
Nanos said Nancy needs daily medication and it could be fatal if she did not have the medication every 24 hours.
What To Know
Nanos said the FBI has reviewed an alleged ransom note and decided to share it with Savannah. Nanos said authorities wanted to keep the information private, but he said TMZ reported on the note it received before contacting the sheriff’s office.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said on Facebook that it is aware of reports circulating about a possible ransom note or notes regarding the investigation into Nancy’s disappearance.
“We are taking all tips and leads very seriously. Anything that comes in, goes directly to our detectives who are coordinating with the FBI,” the sheriff’s department wrote.
At a news conference on Tuesday, Nanos said officials finished looking through Nancy’s home and have turned it over to family.
DNA samples were gathered and submitted for analysis as part of the investigation. “We’ve gotten some back, but nothing to indicate any suspects,” Nanos said.
Has Law Enforcement Found Nancy Guthrie Yet?
Authorities had not located Nancy Guthrie as of Wednesday morning.
What People Are Saying
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, in comments to CBS News: “It’s like any piece of evidence. You give it to us, you give us a lead, we’re going to look at every aspect of that lead.”
Savannah Guthrie, Today show host and daughter of Nancy Guthrie, in a statement posted on Instagram: “We believe in prayer. We believe in voices raised in unison, in love, in hope. We believe in goodness. We believe in humanity. Above all, we believe in Him. Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant. Raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment. We need you. ‘He will keep in perfect peace those whose hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord,’ a verse of Isaiah for all time for all of us. Bring her home.”
What Happens Next
Anyone with information is asked to contact 88-CRIME. Tips can also be submitted anonymously by calling 520-882-7463, via the P3TIPS mobile app, and online at www.88crime.org. The sheriff’s office is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons involved in the disappearance.
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