The assessment comes after months of public attention, emotional appeals from her family, and widespread reporting on alleged ransom demands. Despite the new findings, authorities insist the investigation remains active. For Savannah Guthrie and her loved ones, the search for answers continues amid uncertainty and enduring hope.
According to Reuters, an FBI official said the two ransom notes that surfaced shortly after Guthrie vanished in early February, along with a more recent message claiming knowledge of the kidnappers, have all been deemed fake.
“None of the ransom notes are believed to be genuine,” the FBI official told Reuters while speaking on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation.
A second law enforcement source familiar with the matter also confirmed that assessment.
Were the ransom demands ever considered real?
The conclusion marks a notable shift in a case that, for months, appeared to include communications supposedly sent by individuals connected to Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance.
The notes were first delivered to media organizations, including TMZ. They were later provided to federal investigators for examination.
One of the early messages reportedly demanded millions of dollars in cryptocurrency and established payment deadlines on February 5 and February 9. Another note, later reported by NBC News, stated that Guthrie had died and did not seek additional payment or offer any means for recovering her remains.
Reuters reported that investigators determined those first two notes originated from the same sender, though officials did not explain how they reached that conclusion.
The FBI has now concluded that whoever authored those communications was not connected to Guthrie’s disappearance.
The agency also dismissed the authenticity of a third message recently reported by TMZ. That note claimed the sender knew the identities of the abductors and possessed video footage showing the “main guy” involved, along with Nancy Guthrie herself on what was described as the day she died.
Federal officials did not disclose how investigators ruled out that latest communication.
Why did investigators dismiss the cryptocurrency messages?
According to Reuters, the FBI attempted early in the investigation to determine whether the first ransom demand had any legitimacy.
Investigators transferred a small amount of cryptocurrency into the account specified in the message, hoping it might reveal information about whoever was behind the demand.
The money, however, remained untouched. The unused payment, together with other investigative methods that officials did not publicly identify, contributed to the FBI’s conclusion that the messages were fraudulent.
The new findings may also raise questions about whether the original assumption that Nancy Guthrie was abducted for ransom remains supported by evidence.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department, which continues to oversee the broader investigation, declined to comment on the ransom notes and referred inquiries to the FBI.
“We don’t have any updates, other than this is still an active investigation,” sheriff’s spokesperson Angelica Carrillo said. She added that DNA samples and video evidence collected during the case “remain under forensic analysis.”
What evidence is still being examined?
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen at her Tucson home on January 31 after spending the evening with her daughter Annie Guthrie and son-in-law.
Authorities later confirmed that blood discovered on her front porch belonged to her. Surveillance footage released by the sheriff’s office and the FBI in mid-February showed an armed individual wearing a ski mask tampering with her doorbell camera shortly before investigators believe she disappeared.
DNA recovered from a glove found near her residence, which resembled gloves worn by the masked figure, did not match any known profiles contained within a national database.
Savannah Guthrie, longtime co-anchor of NBC’s “Today,” has repeatedly spoken publicly about the ordeal. In earlier social media videos, she and her siblings urged anyone responsible to establish direct communication with the family and stated, “we will pay.”
More recently, after reports by NBC News regarding the ransom letters, Guthrie again appealed to viewers for information and reminded the public that her family is offering a $1 million reward.
She described her family as living in “agony” since her mother’s disappearance.
Despite the FBI’s determination that the ransom communications were fabricated, the search continues. Savannah Guthrie has said her family is still “blowing on the embers of hope” that her mother remains alive, while also acknowledging that “she may already be gone.”
Investigators continue examining forensic evidence as one of the most closely watched missing-person cases in Arizona remains unresolved.
FAQs
Did the FBI find any ransom notes to be genuine?
No. According to Reuters, investigators determined all three messages were inauthentic.
Has Nancy Guthrie been found?
No. Authorities say the investigation remains active and ongoing.
