Investigators have ruled out a new ransom message in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of TV morning-show host Savannah Guthrie, who has been missing from her Tucson-area home since around Feb. 1. The Pima County sheriff announced the possible note Monday, September 28, and on Tuesday said, “After further review, investigators determined the text message is not credible.” Some earlier notes in the case were also judged to be fake.
Story Snapshot
- The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said Tuesday that a new ransom text message is not credible.
- Nancy Guthrie, 84, is still missing. She was last seen at her home on the evening of Jan. 31 and reported missing Feb. 1.
- The FBI has said some earlier notes were extortion attempts, and a California man pleaded guilty in July to sending fake ransom demands.
- The Guthrie family is offering a $1 million reward for her return.
Sheriff Reviewed a New Possible Ransom Note
The sheriff’s statement said, “The PCSD/FBI Guthrie Task Force was recently made aware of a new possible ransom note related to the Nancy Guthrie investigation.” It added, “Investigators are also aware of social media comments regarding the note and are looking further into the information to determine its credibility.” Officials have not released the note or its contents.
Investigators in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, say they are reviewing a new possible ransom note. https://t.co/hN4kPes4eg pic.twitter.com/fLLqT3GtiY
— KRON4 News (@kron4news) September 29, 2026
The message was not real. Nancy Guthrie is still missing, and no arrest has been made in her disappearance. The sheriff has said she was abducted from her home.
Earlier Ransom Notes in the Case
Several ransom messages have reached news outlets since Guthrie vanished. A letter went to a Tucson TV station on Feb. 2, and other messages demanded millions of dollars in bitcoin. One later message claimed she had died.
Officials later released two of the earlier notes to the public. In July, the sheriff also warned people about social media posts asking for money, saying, “PCSD will never ask for money related to this case.”
Why Investigators Treat New Notes Carefully
On July 1, the FBI said some ransom notes in the case were “deemed to be extortion attempts without legitimacy.” The FBI also said, “Other ransom demands may potentially be legitimate and are still being investigated as such.”
A California man pleaded guilty in July to sending fake ransom demands in the case. On Tuesday the sheriff’s office said the new message is not credible, and that investigators “will continue to review reported messages for credibility and investigate any potential attempts at extortion.”
What Investigators Have Shared
Guthrie was dropped off at her Catalina Foothills home on the evening of Jan. 31. Family members reported her missing on Feb. 1 when she did not show up for church.
Doorbell camera video from her home showed a man on the night she was taken. Investigators describe him as about 5 feet 9 to 5 feet 10 with an average build, carrying an Ozark Trail hiking backpack. Investigators also recovered a glove near the home.
FBI Director Kash Patel has accused Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos of slowing the investigation. Nanos has denied it. The two agencies continue to work the case through the joint task force.
What To Watch Next
Investigators say they will keep checking every message that comes in. The Guthrie family’s $1 million reward remains in place. Anyone with information can contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department or the FBI.
Sources:
washingtonexaminer.com, kcra.com, cnn.com, usatoday.com, reuters.com
