▶ Watch Video: Both ransom notes in Nancy Guthrie case released by police
Two notes that appear to have been sent by Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapper to a local news outlet shortly after her disappearance were made public Friday by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.
The search for the missing 84-year-old just passed the six-month mark, but according to the second note, sent on Feb. 6, Guthrie “perished shortly after she was taken,” possibly due to heart-related causes.
“She is buried in nature now. Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome,” the note says.
The first message was addressed to Guthrie’s daughter, “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie, and was sent to the tip line for CBS affiliate KOLD-TV in Tucson on Feb. 2. It reads:
Hello Savannah,
We have your mother Nancy. She is safe but scared. She will be held for ransom and once payment is received she will be released unharmed. We will be holding her for a maximum of 7 days. You will need to send bitcoin in the amount of $4 million USD before 5PM on Thursday the 5th. If payment is not received, the ransom will be increased to 6 million USD which will need to be paid by 5PM on Monday the 9th. Once payment is received to the bitcoin address below she will be released within 12 hours of deposit to a safe drop off location back in Tucson. If payment is not recieved by the last deadline on Monday the 9th at 5PM, she will be killed. Your mother is aware of this and her life is in your hands. It is in the best interest of everyone to have this completed as soon as possible. You will not be able to contact me from here on out, there will be no negotiation. Do not play games, law enforcement will not be able to help you.She had a white smart watch on the floor of the foot of her bed and the white flood light in backyard was destroyed.
One other line in that note was redacted by officials before being released to the public.
The last line of the note included details about Guthrie’s home that led investigators to take it seriously, including the description of the location of her Apple Watch with a white wristband, and the reference to the floodlight on the back porch being out.
The second note, from Feb. 6, was addressed to the Guthrie family. It says:
Guthrie Family,
We did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition. 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. Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome. We want your family to know this and hope you all can find peace. We are truly sorry.
The sheriff’s department said it was releasing the notes because they revealed “distinctive patterns of word choice, syntax, and phraseology that reflect the writer’s unique linguistic style” and provide “valuable insight into the person’s mindset, motives, and the evolution of their tone over time.”
The department said it hoped the “distinctive linguistic characteristics” might be familiar to a member of the public, and asked that anyone who recognizes the writing style come forward with information.
Authorities believe the two notes were likely sent by the person or group of people who abducted Nancy Guthrie, according to investigators familiar with the case. The notes were both sent from the same IP address, the investigators said.
Savannah Guthrie said in March that she believed the notes were authentic and that the family had responded to them.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her home in Tucson, Arizona, on Jan. 31 and was reported missing on Feb. 1.
Six months later, despite surveillance images and DNA testing, no suspect has been identified and no arrests have been made.
Guthrie and her siblings have issued multiple videos asking for any information and pleaded with the kidnappers to “do the right thing.”
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told CBS News on Thursday the department will continue to investigate the case, no matter how long it takes.
“This one’s far from being cold, and we’ll continue to work it,” Nanos said.
A task force of Pima County investigators and Federal Bureau of Investigation agents is continuing to investigate the kidnapping. The FBI tip line is 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). The Guthrie family is offering a reward of $1 million, on top of the FBI’s reward of up to $100,000.