In brief
In January 2023, 84‑year‑old Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson home, prompting a nationwide search. Days later, a ransom note demanding bitcoin was sent to her family and to news outlets; a second note, sent on 6 February, claimed she had died and apologized to the family. The note’s authenticity is disputed; the family believes the letters are genuine while law‑enforcement officials have not confirmed them. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department is working with the FBI to investigate, while a $1 million reward has been offered by the family and $100 000 by the FBI. The case remains open amid uncertainty about the child’s whereabouts and the notes’ legitimacy.
A ransom note was sent to the family of 84‑year‑old Nancy Guthrie and to news agencies after her home‑based kidnapping, stating that she had died.
The note was one of two addressed to the Guthrie family. The first, received the day after her disappearance on 31 January 2023, demanded millions of bitcoin for her return. The second, sent on 6 February, claimed her death was inadvertent and included an apology to her family.
Authorities have not confirmed the authenticity of the letters. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said the investigation remains active, and the FBI is reviewing all related information. The family maintains that the notes are real, while the sheriff’s office has declined to comment on their content.
Guthrie was taken “in the dark of night from her bed” by an individual or individuals who were taken into the house and left no trace. She was last seen in Tucson on 31 January and missed the next day’s virtual Sunday church service.
Following the notes, Savannah Guthrie – her daughter and a co‑anchor of the U.S. “Today” program – issued a statement urging the kidnappers to “return our mother” and offering payment for her return. She stepped away from the show for more than two months before returning in early April while the search continued.
The family has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to her return, in addition to a $100 000 bounty offered by the FBI. Law‑enforcement agencies have issued a warning not to publish details from the notes immediately, citing an ongoing investigation.
An image from the footage captured a masked individual outside the Guthrie home, and the family has repeatedly warned that Nancy Guthrie was in poor health without critical medication, raising concerns for her safety.
On 24 February, Savannah expressed hope despite acknowledging the possibility that her mother may already be gone. During a March interview, she reiterated that several ransom notes were sent and that some of them might not be genuine, though the family disputes this.
The FBI’s continued cooperation with local authorities underscores the complex nature of the case, which remains one of the most closely monitored missing‑person investigations in Arizona.
