Nancy Guthrie Ransom Notes May Hold Key Clues as Family Still Awaits Answers

Newly revealed excerpts from two reported ransom notes may offer important clues in the mysterious disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie.

The notes, read on the Crime Junkie podcast by journalist Briana Whitney, have not been independently verified, but investigators and observers believe they could shed light on the kidnappers’ identity and actions.

According to the first reported note, the kidnappers claimed Nancy was alive and demanded a ransom, saying she would be released within seven days after payment. A second note later alleged that she had died shortly after being taken.

Whitney pointed to several unusual details, including awkward wording, the demand for payment in “U.S. dollars,” and references to returning Nancy “back in Tucson,” suggesting the writer may have been from outside the United States or that Nancy was taken outside the city.

The second note also claimed the kidnappers did not realize Nancy’s serious heart condition and said her death was “heart-related,” while expressing regret and insisting they never intended to harm her. Whitney believes the wording appears designed to shift responsibility away from the kidnappers.

Nancy disappeared from her Tucson home on February 1 and has not been found. Authorities continue to investigate, and anyone with information is urged to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department or the FBI.