The search for Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “TODAY” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, entered a new phase this weekend as the family released a video directed toward a possible abductor and law enforcement officials examined additional messages connected to the case.
Savannah Guthrie appeared alongside her brother and sister in a brief Instagram video on Saturday, indicating that the family had received a message and was willing to pay for their mother’s safe return. The message did not include details about the referenced note, but officials familiar with the investigation said the video was tied to a second written message now under review by authorities.
Nancy Guthrie was reported missing from her home north of Tucson, Arizona, around noon Sunday after she failed to appear at church. Investigators said she was last seen the previous evening at about 9:45 p.m., following dinner at her daughter Annie Guthrie’s home.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department has said it believes Guthrie may have been taken during the night, with kidnapping or abduction among the possibilities. State and federal agencies, including the FBI, are assisting in the investigation.
The case has drawn national attention as reports surfaced of possible ransom-related communications sent to media outlets. At least three news organizations have received notes that investigators have not yet substantiated. NBC News reviewed a copy of one such note, though no law enforcement agency has confirmed its authenticity.
Local station KOLD received two separate notes through its news tips system, according to the station’s news director. The first message, sent earlier in the week, included deadlines and a request for funds, and suggested Guthrie was unharmed but implied she could face danger if demands were not met. The second note, received Friday, differed significantly and did not include a direct demand for money, though it appeared to contain information meant to convince investigators it came from the same sender.
Neither message provided proof of life, authorities said. Both notes, along with IP-related information, were forwarded to the sheriff’s department.
The FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department confirmed Friday that they were aware of a new message connected to the case and were inspecting it for authenticity. It remains unclear whether the possible ransom note and the second message are linked or came from the same individual.
Source: NBC News