Second Nancy Guthrie ransom note claims missing 84 year old is dead

Detectives released redacted letters after six months hoping wording could identify writer behind

Nearly six months after Nancy Guthrie vanished from her home near Tucson, Arizona, investigators have publicly released two redacted ransom notes in the hope that the wording, phrasing or writing style will help identify the person responsible. The case remains unsolved, and authorities have stressed that the claims made in the letters have not been verified.

Nancy Guthrie, 84, disappeared on February 1, 2026. She is the mother of NBC Today co anchor Savannah Guthrie. The Pima County Sheriff's Department confirmed that the letters were made public as the investigation reached the six month mark, with detectives believing the communications could generate new leads from members of the public.

The first ransom note was sent to the news desk at Tucson television station KOLD and addressed directly to Savannah Guthrie. In the message, the writer claimed to have abducted Nancy and demanded a $4m Bitcoin ransom. The letter instructed that payment be made by a specific deadline and warned that the amount would increase to $6m if the initial deadline passed. It further threatened that Nancy would be killed if payment was not received by the final deadline.

The writer also included details that investigators said had not been publicly disclosed at the time of Nancy's disappearance. According to the released document, the note mentioned that a white smartwatch was lying on the floor at the foot of Nancy's bed and that a white floodlight in the back garden had been destroyed. Because those details matched information known only to investigators, law enforcement has treated the letter as significant evidence in the case.

Several days later, authorities received a second letter that dramatically changed the claims made by the sender. Rather than demanding money, the writer stated that Nancy had died shortly after being taken.

"We did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition. We never intended to hurt her, that was not our intention," the letter stated.

The message went on to claim that Nancy "perished shortly after she was taken," adding that the death was believed to be heart related. It also claimed she had been buried "in nature" and told the Guthrie family that nothing they could have done would have changed the outcome. The letter concluded with an apology, saying, "We are truly sorry."

Investigators have emphasised that these claims remain entirely unconfirmed. Nancy Guthrie has not been found, and authorities have not verified that she is deceased. The contents of the second note are being treated as part of the ongoing investigation rather than as established fact.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department said it decided to release both redacted letters because detectives believe the language used by the author may be recognisable to someone familiar with the writer. Officials hope that distinctive phrasing, vocabulary or writing habits could provide the breakthrough needed to identify whoever sent the communications.

The investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance remains active. Authorities continue to ask anyone with information about the letters, their author or Nancy's whereabouts to contact the Pima County Sheriff's Department or the FBI. Detectives have reiterated that even seemingly minor information could prove valuable as they work to determine what happened to the missing 84 year old and who is responsible for her disappearance