Days after 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her Tucson home in January, a ransom note addressed to her family and sent to news media claimed she had died, according to sources cited by CBS News, the BBC’s US news partner.
The note was one of two messages received following the January kidnapping, according to the sources. The first demanded millions of dollars in bitcoin for Guthrie’s release. The second note, reportedly from the possible kidnappers, stated that she had died and included an apology to the family, the sources said.
A representative for the Guthrie family did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department declined to comment on the contents of the notes. In a statement, the department said the investigation “remains active and ongoing.”
Nancy Guthrie is the mother of Savannah Guthrie, the anchor of NBC’s “Today” show. She was reported missing from her Tucson home on Jan. 21, 2026. Investigators later found signs of forced entry at the residence. The case has prompted a series of public pleas from Savannah Guthrie, her brother, and other family members urging her safe return.
The family has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s safe return.