Ransom Note Claims Savannah Guthrie’s Mother Died After Abduction

Tue Jun 23 2026 14:29:36 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Investigators assess ransom notes that claim 84‑year‑old Nancy Guthrie died following an abduction from Tucson, Arizona.

A ransom note sent after the 84‑year‑old mother of NBC’s Savannah Guthrie was allegedly kidnapped from her Tucson home claimed she had died. The first note demanded millions of bitcoins for release, while a second, sent a week later, apologized for her death, stating it was inadvertent. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI continue to investigate, with media asked not to publish details of the letters. Savannah Guthrie’s family has offered a $1 million reward and released CCTV footage of a masked individual, yet the mother’s whereabouts remain unknown.

Ransom Note Claims Savannah Guthrie’s Mother Died After Abduction

On 31 January 2024, 84‑year‑old Nancy Guthrie was allegedly abducted from her Tucson home. A ransom note was sent to media the next day demanding millions of bitcoin for her release, but a second note—sent on 6 February—stated that she had died and apologized, claiming the death was unintended.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department has declined to reveal the notes’ contents, but officials say the probe is active and ongoing. The FBI has been working with local police for months on the case, and media outlets are advised not to publish detail of the letters as investigations continue.

Despite the memorial note, Savannah Guthrie and her family have kept searching for her mother, offering a $1 million reward through the FBI and a $100,000 pledge from the agency. The family has also shared images of a masked figure seen on CCTV outside Nancy’s house and released a video pleading for her return.

The case remains unresolved, but authorities have urged the public to report any information that could help locate Nancy Guthrie. The media has been asked to withhold the full wording of the ransom notes while official investigations proceed.