New Details Surface On ‘Sophisticated’ Ransom Notes Sent To Guthrie Family

New details have emerged on the ransom notes sent to the Guthrie family, which have threatened harm to the kidnapped Nancy Guthrie, 84, if cryptocurrency payments are not made. The notes, which have been described by the FBI as “sophisticated,” have threatened Guthrie’s life if demands are not met by Monday.

At least three alleged messages were received by media outlets, with some forwarded to investigators. The first notes were sent earlier in the week following Guthrie’s disappearance on February 1. One was received by Tucson television station KOLD News 13 at approximately 5 p.m. on the following day, while notes were sent to KGUN9, TMZ, and other outlets around the same time.

The initial noted demanded several million dollars in Bitcoin — specifically $6 million in at least one instance — with a first deadline of 5 p.m. local time on Thursday. A second deadline was set for Monday, February 9, at 5 p.m. local time.

The notes threatened Nancy Guthrie’s life if the demands were not met and included a Bitcoin address for payment, but provided no contact method for the family.

A subsequent note was sent to KOLD on Friday morning. Unlike the earlier notes, this one contained no monetary demands or deadlines. It included sensitive details and appeared to respond to the Guthrie family’s social media videos pleading for information.

Investigators have acknowledged the notes and confirmed they contain details not previously released to the public, such as references to a floodlight at Nancy Guthrie’s home and her Apple Watch. FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke stated during a press conference that the notes “talked about an Apple Watch and one talked about a flood light.”

“To anyone who may be involved, do the right thing,” he added.

The FBI also noted that the notes were identical in some cases and “carefully crafted,” but contained no proof of life or follow-up communication. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos expressed optimism that Guthrie was still alive after the first deadline passed, but stressed that her return is time-sensitive due to a heart condition that she needs medication for.

Authorizes previously arrested a California man for sending fraudulent ransom notes, though those were deemed to be unrelated to the actual case.

One note began by stating Nancy Guthrie “is safe, but scared, and they go on to say she knows exactly what the demand is,” according to TMZ’s Harvey Levin.

Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her home in Tucson, Arizona, on February 1, 2026. Software at her residence captured a “person on camera” at 2:12 a.m. that day, and her pacemaker lost synchronization with her Apple devices around the same time, marking the start of her disappearance.

She had dinner hours earlier at the home of her daughter Annie Guthrie and son-in-law Tommaso Cioni, located 4.3 miles away.

Investigators found signs of forced entry at her home and believe she was abducted against her will. Authorities also found blood splatters on the property’s front porch, which were deemed to belong to Nancy after a forensic analysis.

On Saturday, evening Savannah Guthrie posted a video on Instagram in which she and her siblings addressed the abductors directly. “We received your message and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay,” she said.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI are leading the investigation. No suspects or persons of interest have been identified, and no family members have been ruled out.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro commented that the abductors appear “very sophisticated,” using IP addresses and VPNs possibly routed through other countries, and suggested investigators may have “backdoor communication” with them.

As of Sunday, February 8, the search has entered its eighth day. The FBI has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to her return.

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