Investigators released two ransom notes in the Nancy Guthrie case a day after the sheriff said he had no note. The notes demanded $4 million in bitcoin, then said she died.
More than six months after Nancy Guthrie vanished from her Tucson home, investigators released two ransom notes last week. The decision came a day after Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told CBS News he had "nothing to indicate she's dead" and added, "I don't have a body. I don't have a burial site. I don't have any note." The notes were made public on July 31. Nanos said the public might recognize the sender's wording and help identify those responsible. The investigation has produced few leads.
The first note arrived in February, days after Guthrie was abducted. It opened with "Hello Savannah, we have your mother" and demanded $4 million in bitcoin, promising a safe drop-off within 12 hours. The sender included details about Guthrie's white Apple Watch and the floodlights on her back porch. The FBI took the note seriously. The second note, sent four days later, said, "We never intended to hurt her; that was not our intention. She perished shortly after she was taken. We believe it was heart-related. She is buried in nature now."
Investigators believe both notes came from the same masked IP address. They have not identified the sender. Lance Leising, a retired FBI supervisory special agent, told CBS News that releasing the notes was a good move for generating tips. "However, so late in the case and after a period of time where they have had no communication with the public, it just seems that the media strategy here is a little haphazard," he said. Leising added that the long delay might reflect lingering doubts about the notes' authenticity. "I'm sure, and maybe even to this day, they're not 100% sure if these notes are legitimate," he said. "They've already arrested and charged people for sending hoax and fake notes."
Jason Pack, another retired FBI supervisory special agent, noted that the second note dropped the ransom demand. "The money is simply gone," he said. "No demand. No offer to sell a location. Nothing. People motivated by money do not walk away from $4 million when the plan falls apart. They try to salvage something. This writer asked for nothing at all."
The release came days after Savannah Guthrie, the "Today" show host and Nancy's daughter, posted a video calling her family's situation an "unending nightmare." She urged anyone who recognized the writing to come forward. "Tell us where to look for her," she said. "The world can be a cruel and unforgiving place, and I know that you have tried to do things the right way. So I'm asking you, begging you, to do the right thing now."
Authorities continue to pursue limited leads. The case remains open.
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