Sheriff’s Department Releases Nancy Guthrie Ransom Notes

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department has released the two ransom notes about Nancy Guthrie sent to a local Tucson news station. They are asking the public for help identifying the authors. “These communications reveal distinctive patterns of word choice, syntax, and phraseology that reflect the writer’s unique linguistic style,” they said in a press release accompanying the notes. “A friend, family member, coworker, classmate, or acquaintance may recognize these patterns of expression and possess information that could help identify the individual responsible.” Both notes came to the KOLD tip line via the submission portal on its website. The first demands the equivalent of $4 million in bitcoin for the safe return of Guthrie, while the second claims she died “shortly after she was taken.”

The first note starts by addressing Savannah Guthrie by her first name. “We have your mother Nancy,” it reads. “She is safe but scared.” It then demands the bitcoin by February 5. “If payment is not received by the last deadline,” the alleged kidnappers write, “she will be killed.” 

The second note addresses the whole Guthrie family. “We did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition,” it reads. “We never intended to hurt her, that was not our intention. She perished shortly after she was taken. We believe it was heart related.” Nancy Guthrie’s heart was a primary concern in the early days of her kidnapping, as she was taken without her daily medication and with her pacemaker disconnected from phone. It ends with an apology, saying, “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 veracity of these messages has been a matter of contention between news outlets, law enforcement agencies, and Nancy’s daughter Savannah Guthrie. The Today anchor said, “I tend to believe those are real,” in reference to the notes, while the FBI told Reuters they were fake. A third note sent to TMZ has also been dismissed by the FBI.