The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has shared a critical update that could change the course of investigation of the missing 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie’s case. The Bureau has concluded that all three kidnapping-related notes sent to media outlets are fake.
Reuters reported the bombshell as the police investigation has entered its fifth month to find the missing mother of NBC Today show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, who vanished from her home in Tucson’s Catalina Foothills.
The frail old lady was last seen on January 31, 2026, after spending an evening with her daughter Annie and son-in-law.
Despite an intensive FBI, Pima County Sheriff’s Department investigation and $1 million reward from the family for information leading to Nancy’s safe return, she hasn’t been found yet.
A man wearing a ski mask was seen tempering with her doorbell camera before she disappeared. The blood found on her front porch was confirmed to be her via DNA evidence.
Two ransom notes surfaced in early February, demanding millions in cryptocurrency with deadlines of February 5 and 9. A second note, sent from the same source, chillingly claimed Nancy had died and made no demand for payment.
A third note, received last week and sent to outlets including TMZ, claimed knowledge of the abductors’ identities and even included alleged video of the “main guy” and the victim.
All three messages were delivered to media organizations before being handed over to authorities. The FBI tested the first note by depositing a small amount of cryptocurrency and it went unclaimed. Now, federal investigators have concluded none of the notes are genuine.
“None of the ransom notes are believed to be genuine,” an FBI official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. A second law enforcement source confirmed the assessment.
2026-07-01 22:19:00
