Nancy Guthrie Ransom Notes Released in Full, as Writer Makes Claim About How She Died

Authorities on Friday publicly released the full text of the two ransom notes sent after Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, offering the first complete look at messages that have previously been described in news reports but never released in their entirety.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department shared the notes on X ahead of the six-month anniversary of the 84-year-old’s disappearance. The department said the notes were sent to several news outlets, including Arizona CBS affiliate KOLD-TV 13 News, on Feb. 2 — the day after she was abducted from her Tucson, Ariz., home — and again on Feb. 6.

The first note, addressed to Nancy’s daughter, Today anchor Savannah Guthrie, read: “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,” the note continued. “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 here from here on out, there will be no negotiation. Do not play games, law enforcement will not be able to help you.”

A redacted line appears, followed by: “She had a white smartwatch on the floor at the foot of her bed and the white floodlight in the backyard was destroyed.”

The second note, addressed to the Guthrie family, was shorter and claimed that Nancy had died unintentionally.

“We did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition,” the sender wrote. “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.”

As part of Friday’s release, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department made another plea for the public’s help to solve the case. The department believes someone who knows or has interacted with the writer of the notes may recognize certain “patterns of expression and possess information that could help identify the individual responsible.”

Some of those patterns include changes in mood or physical appearance, unexplained injuries, an unusual interest or disinterest in Nancy’s neighborhood or the investigation, and more, per the PCSD.

The sheriff’s department also highlighted surveillance photos and video footage previously released by the FBI’s Phoenix Field Office that show a masked and armed man on Nancy’s front porch in the middle of the night on Feb. 1, when investigators believe she was taken. Her whereabouts remain unknown.

The PCSD has said that blood found on the exterior porch matched Nancy’s DNA. With assistance from the FBI, investigators have also been analyzing a mixed DNA sample recovered from her home that could help identify a suspect. Authorities have said they have not ruled out the possibility that a single person carried out the abduction.

“I think we’re getting closer,” Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told PEOPLE in May, as the search reached the 100-day mark.

Earlier on Friday, a spokesperson for the PCSD confirmed to PEOPLE that hair recovered from Nancy’s Tucson home had not led them to identify a suspect.

On Monday, July 27, Savannah, 54, appeared to address her mother’s kidnappers in an emotional video shared to Instagram.

“The world can be a cruel and unforgiving place, and I know that you have tried to do things the right way,” she said. “So I’m asking you, begging you to do the right thing now. Make the right choice. Help us find her, tell us where to look for her. I truly believe it is never too late to do the right thing. Help us bring this situation to an end for all of us.”

Savannah ended her message with one last request, saying, “No matter where we’ve been or what we’ve done, I believe there is always a way home. Please make the right choice.”

A $100,000 reward has been offered by the FBI for any information leading to Nancy’s recovery or an arrest in the case. Savannah and her family have since offered a separate $1 million reward.