Police release ransom notes in Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case
Police have released ransom notes in an effort to identify the kidnapper of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, seeking public help to solve the case.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Police in Arizona have released the full text of two ransom notes sent to the family of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of American television presenter Savannah Guthrie, in an effort to reinvigorate the investigation six months after her disappearance.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen on 31 January at her home in Tucson. Investigators believe she was taken against her will. The first ransom note, received the day after she vanished, demanded $4 million in Bitcoin and stated that she was safe but scared, and would be killed after seven days if the money was not paid. The second note, received four days later, claimed that Nancy had died shortly after being taken, possibly from a heart-related issue. It read: "We never intended to hurt her. That was not our intention. She perished shortly after she was taken."
Police have not been able to verify Nancy's death and say the case remains active. They have published the notes in the hope that someone will recognise the writer's style, syntax or phrasing and come forward. They have also asked the public to look out for anyone who changed their behaviour around the time of the abduction, such as cleaning their car or acting unusually when the story was in the news.
Savannah Guthrie has repeatedly appealed for information, releasing a video message calling on the kidnappers to "do the right thing" and reveal where her mother is. She has continued to use social media to keep the case in the public eye, a strategy that some observers believe is being guided by the FBI to appeal to the softer side of the perpetrators or anyone who knows them.
Investigators have also disclosed that a hair sample recovered from Nancy's home was tested but yielded no results. Meanwhile, two men who were detained early in the investigation and later released have announced they are filing lawsuits for $3.2 million each, claiming they were unlawfully arrested and detained.
Despite extensive efforts, no suspect has been named. Police remain confident that the case will be solved, with one official saying: "There's so much being put into this case. I just have all the confidence in the world that we'll get there."
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC News | ITV |
|---|---|---|
| Police have not verified Nancy Guthrie's death and the case remains active. | ||
| Police released two ransom notes, one demanding millions in Bitcoin and another stating that Nancy Guthrie died shortly after abduction. | ||
| The first ransom note demanded $4 million in Bitcoin, threatened death after seven days, and included specific details about a white smart watch and a broken light; it was received the day after the abduction. | ||
| The second ransom note claimed Nancy Guthrie died shortly after being taken, possibly from a heart-related issue. | ||
| A hair sample from the home was tested but produced no results. | · | |
| Two men detained early in the investigation are filing lawsuits for $3.2 million each. | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The BBC focused on the broader context of the case, including the six-month mark, the lack of a suspect, and the forensic dead end with the hair sample. It also highlighted the lawsuits from the two men who were detained and released, and the role of the FBI in coaching Savannah Guthrie's public appeals. The tone was analytical, with an expert guest providing detailed background.
- “we are now reaching the six month mark since Nancy Guthrie was taken in the middle of the night out of her Tucson, Arizona home. And to this day, we still don't have a suspect.”
- “they have finished testing a hair sample that was found or recovered, that is, at the home of Nancy Guthrie. And that did not yield any results.”
- “two of the gentlemen that were detained very early on in the search and then released have announced that they will both be filing lawsuits for $3.2 million for being unlawfully or erroneously, they're saying, arrested and detained and then released.”
ITV1 presented a more concise, straight-to-the-point news report, emphasising the timeline of the notes and the family's plea. It included direct quotes from the ransom notes and Savannah Guthrie's appeal, and noted that police cannot verify Nancy's death. The tone was factual and sympathetic, with a focus on the police's hope that the public will recognise the writing style.
- “The first received the day after Nancy disappeared, says she is safe and scared but that she'd be held for seven days before being killed unless four million dollars in bitcoin is received.”
- “Four days later a second note claimed Nancy had died. 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.”
- “They say they cannot verify Nancy's death and that the case remains active.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.