FBI Says Reported Nancy Guthrie Ransom Notes Were Fake as Search for Missing 84-Year-Old Continues

Federal investigators have reportedly made a major breakthrough in the investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie, concluding that the three widely discussed ransom notes connected to the case were not genuine.

 

According to Reuters, an FBI official said investigators determined the messages were fake communications rather than legitimate contact from Nancy’s alleged abductors. The finding reportedly applies to the two ransom notes received shortly after her February disappearance, as well as a third message that later claimed to identify the people responsible for her kidnapping.

The first ransom note, which was reportedly sent to TMZ, demanded millions of dollars in cryptocurrency. A second message later claimed that Nancy had died shortly after being abducted. Investigators reportedly determined that both notes came from the same sender.

To test whether the ransom demand was legitimate, the FBI reportedly transferred a small amount of cryptocurrency to the digital wallet specified in the message. According to Reuters, the funds were never accessed, leading investigators to conclude that the account was fraudulent and the ransom demand lacked credibility.

Authorities have not publicly explained how they determined that the third note, which claimed to know the identities of Nancy’s kidnappers, was also fake.

 

Despite those findings, the investigation remains active. Later Wednesday, the FBI’s Phoenix Field Office released a statement clarifying that while several ransom notes have been identified as extortion attempts without legitimacy, other communications received during the investigation have not been ruled out and continue to be examined.

Officials emphasized that Nancy’s disappearance is still being investigated as a kidnapping-for-ransom case, with local and federal authorities continuing to pursue every credible lead.

Nancy disappeared from her Tucson, Arizona, home during the early morning hours of Feb. 1. Nearly six months later, no official suspects have been identified.

Following reports that one of the ransom notes claimed her mother had died, Savannah Guthrie emotionally addressed the case on Today, saying she wanted to use the opportunity to plead directly with the public.

Fighting back tears, Savannah urged anyone with information to come forward, saying someone knows what happened and could help investigators.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department also confirmed it has received information related to possible ransom notes and said every tip is being thoroughly investigated in coordination with the FBI.

Although investigators now believe multiple reported ransom notes were fabricated, authorities stress that the search for Nancy Guthrie is far from over and continue asking the public to report any information that could help solve the case.