Ransom Note Emerges After Disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s Mom

The investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, escalated this week after purported ransom notes were delivered to multiple media outlets, raising new fears that the case involves an organized abduction.

Authorities confirmed that two messages containing similar language have surfaced, though investigators have not yet verified their authenticity or confirmed whether the notes are directly tied to Guthrie’s disappearance, according to CNN. Still, law enforcement officials stressed that the communications are being treated as potentially significant evidence.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said Tuesday that investigators are taking the notes seriously and are not dismissing any possibility as the case rapidly evolves.

“When the note comes to us, it’s like any piece of evidence,” Nanos told CBS News. “You give it to us. You give us a lead. We’re going to look at every aspect of that lead and work it as a lead.”

One of the alleged ransom notes was sent Tuesday to the entertainment outlet TMZ. According to the site’s reporting, the message demands a large payment in cryptocurrency.

The note “demands a specific substantial amount of Bitcoin … the amount is in the millions, and the note demands the cryptocurrency be sent to a specific Bitcoin address,” TMZ reported.

“There is a deadline connected to the alleged ransom … and an element of ‘or else,’” TMZ added. The message also referenced damage to an item inside Guthrie’s home, though TMZ did not disclose what was allegedly affected. The outlet said the note was turned over to the Pima County Sheriff’s Office.

The sheriff’s department later acknowledged the reports in a public statement.

“We are aware of reports circulating about possible ransom note(s) regarding the investigation into Nancy Guthrie. We are taking all tips and leads very seriously. Anything that comes in, goes directly to our detectives who are coordinating with the FBI,” the department said, urging the public to submit information using a QR code included in the post.

As the search continues, investigators say they are pursuing multiple leads while urging anyone with relevant information to come forward. Officials have emphasized that all evidence is being carefully evaluated as part of an active, multi-agency investigation.

Sheriff Nanos has previously said he believes Guthrie was “taken against her will [which] includes possible kidnapping or abduction,” according to KSAZ-TV.

Authorities have declined to confirm details about physical evidence recovered at the scene.

“At this time, the Sheriff has not confirmed whether those samples were blood. He has stated that he does not want to get into specific details about evidence to protect the integrity of the investigation,” the department said.

“At this time, we do not have any information to share regarding possible injuries,” the office added.

Investigators also revealed a troubling technological clue. According to the New York Post, police reported Tuesday that Nancy Guthrie’s pacemaker stopped communicating with her Apple devices at approximately 2 a.m. Sunday.

The sheriff said the case is now shifting away from broad searches and into a more focused investigative phase.

“The air and ground searches … you’ll see that slow down,” Nanos said. “Those things are going to slow ddown;we’re pushing more to the investigative side of this.”

“She is an 84-year-old woman who went to bed, and sometime in the middle of the night, she was removed from that home and now here 48 plus hours, and this lady needs her medication,” he said. “So it’s not good.”

When asked whether authorities have identified a suspect, Nanos was blunt.

“No clue,” he told reporters.

“We don’t know if multiple people were involved,” he added.

Further details about the pacemaker data were reported by Fox News. A law enforcement source told the outlet that the implanted medical device lost connection with Guthrie’s Apple products around 2 a.m. Sunday. When officers arrived at her Arizona home hours later, they found her phone and Apple Watch still inside the house — a detail investigators believe could help establish a critical timeline.

As officials race against the clock, the appearance of ransom notes demanding millions has added a disturbing new dimension to a case already marked by mystery, fear, and mounting urgency.