Arizona Police Release Ransom Notes in Search for Missing 84-Year-Old Nancy Guthrie

On February 1, 2026, Nancy Guthrie—84, mother of NBC News anchor Savannah Guthrie—disappeared from her Catalina Foothills home in Tucson, Arizona. The case remains open, with police still hunting clues.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) stepped into the spotlight on Friday, February 3, by making public two ransom notes that may help identify the culprit. Both letters were addressed to Savannah and the rest of the Guthrie family, and were sent to a local Tucson television station soon after Nancy’s vanishing.

The first note arrived on February 2 and demanded $4 million in Bitcoin, with a hard deadline of 5 p.m. on Thursday, February 5. It warned that failure to pay would push the ransom up to $6 million by Monday, February 9, and that Nancy’s life was at stake. The note even mentioned a white smartwatch found on Nancy’s bed and the destruction of a white flood light in the backyard.

Four days later, on February 6, a second note surfaced. It claimed Nancy had died shortly after her abduction, citing a heart‑related cause, and apologized, saying she was buried “in nature.” The PCSO has been unable to confirm Nancy’s death.

Savannah has turned to social media for help. In an Instagram post, she wrote, “We have lived every moment, every breath, and every heartbeat in agony and despair.” She added, “Every day, we wake up and try to be strong and go on – because that’s what our joyful and resilient Mom taught us to do. But make no mistake – our hearts are in ruins.” A day later, she posted a video pleading with the kidnappers to “do the right thing” and to reveal Nancy’s location.

The PCSO says the ransom notes may contain distinctive linguistic traits that could point to the writer. They are calling on anyone who recognizes the style or who has information to come forward, and anonymous tips are still being accepted.

The story has captured national attention. The FBI is involved, and a $100,000 reward has been offered for information that leads to Nancy’s recovery. Investigators have found evidence of forced entry at Nancy’s home and have detained at least three men in connection with the disappearance.

Six months after Nancy vanished, the investigation is still active, and no credible evidence of her whereabouts has surfaced. Police continue to urge the public to help identify the ransom note writer.

Releasing the notes is a rare move in a kidnapping case, intended to give law‑enforcement agencies and the public the details that might finally crack the case. The situation remains unresolved, and authorities have not confirmed Nancy Guthrie’s status. Local and federal agencies keep monitoring the case.