In a concerning development, Nancy Guthrie, 84, has been reported missing from her Tucson, Arizona, home with multiple news outlets receiving a ransom demand. Nancy is the mother of Savannah Guthrie, the co-anchor of NBC's 'TODAY' Show. The ransom notes, which surfaced on Tuesday, requested a multi-million dollar sum in Bitcoin for Nancy's safe return.
The first reports of the ransom demand were made public by TMZ, with subsequent confirmations from other media outlets, including KOLD News in Tucson. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department, through Sheriff Chris Nanos, has acknowledged the existence of the ransom notes but has yet to verify their authenticity. "We are aware of reports circulating about possible ransom notes regarding the investigation," Nanos commented, adding, "We are taking all tips and leads very seriously."
The incident is believed to have occurred between the late hours of January 31 and the early morning of February 1. Nancy Guthrie was last seen by Savannah's sister, who drove her home around 9:30 pm on Saturday. The subsequent investigation by local police revealed potential signs of a violent abduction at Nancy's residence.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Sheriff Nanos refrained from commenting on possible motives or whether there was an extortion element in the case. He stated, "We have all kinds of investigative leads we’re working on," offering limited details on the investigation's direction.
Complicating the situation are medical concerns for Nancy Guthrie, who requires daily medication linked to a pacemaker. Resist the Mainstream reported that necessary electronic devices to coordinate with her pacemaker were left behind, and the syncing devices ceased functioning around 2 am, which might indicate the time of her abduction. The urgency of the search is underscored by the fact that she has been without her prescriptions since her disappearance.
Adding to the investigative leads, a Ring doorbell camera installed at Nancy's home was found to be missing, and footage showing the absence of the camera was shared on Twitter by reporter Brian Entin. Another tweet by reporter Briana Whitney depicted a sheriff's helicopter flying low over Nancy's residence, indicating an intensive search effort in the vicinity.
With the FBI working in coordination with the detectives, the investigation is ongoing as authorities and media cover the unfolding situation. Mary Coleman, a news anchor at KOLD, stated on Twitter that the newsroom had received what appeared to be a ransom note, which was immediately forwarded to law enforcement.
The community remains on high alert, with the sheriff's department urging anyone with information to come forward, emphasizing the critical nature of public assistance in cases of this magnitude.
