Ransom notes in Nancy Guthrie case released as sheriff’s office seeks new leads

Digital Editor

TUCSON, Ariz. —

Nearly six months after Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson, Arizona, home, authorities have released two ransom notes from her alleged abductor in hopes of generating new leads.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department released two alleged ransom notes Friday afternoon.

Related video above | Savannah Guthrie posts video asking for help bringing her mom home

The first note — written directly to “Today” host Savannah Guthrie — came from someone who claimed to have her mother, alleging she was “safe but scared” and demanding a payment of $4 million in bitcoin for her return.

The note reads, “Hello Savannah. We have your mother Nancy. She is safe but scared. She will be held for ransom and once payment is received she will be released unharmed. We will be holding her for a maximum of 7 days. You will need to send bitcoin in the amount of $4 million USD before 5PM on Thursday the 5th. If payment is not received, the ransom will be increased to 6 million USD which will need to be paid by 5PM on Monday the 9th. Once payment is received to the bitcoin address below she will be released within 12 hours of deposit to a safe drop off location back in Tucson. If payment is not received by the last deadline on Monday the 9th at 5PM, she will be killed. Your mother is aware of this and her life is in your hands. It is in the best interest of everyone to have this completed as soon as possible. You will not be able to contact me from here on out, there will be no negotiation. Do not play games, law enforcement will not be able to help you … She had a white smart watch on the floor of the foot of her bed and the white flood light in the backyard was destroyed.”

The second letter, directed at the “Guthrie Family,” had claimed Guthrie died.

The second letter reads, “We did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition. We never intended to hurt her, that was not our intention. She perished shortly after she was taken. We believe it was heart related. She is buried in nature now. Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome. We want your family to know this and hope you all can find peace. We are truly sorry.”

The second ransom note, directed to the Guthrie family.

Authorities believe Nancy Guthrie was taken from her home against her will on Feb. 1.

They found blood near the front doorstep of her home just outside Tucson, and the FBI later released surveillance videos showing a masked man on the porch that night.

Savannah Guthrie has posted numerous videos to her social media since her mother’s disappearance, asking for help finding her.

“I’m asking you, begging you, to do the right thing now. Make the right choice,” she said in the most recent video posted Monday, appearing to be talking to the person or people responsible for her mother’s disappearance. “I believe there is always a way home. Please make the right choice.”

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, who is heading the investigation, spoke to KVOA News 4 in Tucson on Monday, providing the latest update on the case.

“We still have DNA that’s not just one lab or two labs. These are labs all across the country that are talking to one another about how best to look at what they have in front of them for DNA evidence. And, so I’m still positive we will resolve this case,” Nanos told KVOA.