The FBI pushed back on Wednesday against a report that all ransom notes tied to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie had been dismissed as fake, saying that while some notes were fraudulent extortion attempts, others remain under active investigation as potentially genuine. The statement from FBI Phoenix added new complexity to a case that has gripped the country for five months and offered no clear resolution to the central question: what happened to the 84-year-old mother of NBC “Today” anchor Savannah Guthrie.
FBI Clarifies Status of Ransom Notes
In a statement released Wednesday, the FBI Phoenix office said its task force had received several notes over the course of the investigation. “Some (of the notes) have been deemed to be extortion attempts without legitimacy,” the office said. “Other ransom demands may potentially be legitimate and are still being investigated as such.”
The clarification came after an earlier report, citing an unnamed FBI official, claimed federal investigators had determined all three kidnapping-related messages to be fake. The FBI’s official statement did not specify an exact number of notes received, characterizing the total only as “several.” Federal investigators distinguished between notes they’ve ruled out and those still under review — a difference that could significantly affect how the case proceeds.
Pima County Sheriff’s Department officials said they treat all tips seriously and share them with detectives coordinating with federal agents, but referred questions about the ransom notes to the FBI.
What Investigators Have Found
A relative brought Nancy Guthrie to her Catalina Foothills residence in Tucson, Ariz., following dinner on the evening of Jan. 31, around 9:45 p.m. She was reported missing around noon the following day, February 1, after she failed to appear at a friend’s house to watch a church service online. She left without her phone or essential medications — details that alarmed investigators from the outset.
Authorities found blood near the front doorstep of her home. On Feb. 10, the FBI released doorbell camera footage showing a masked, armed individual on the porch the night she disappeared. Investigators are also analyzing mixed DNA recovered from the home, including a hair sample, though no arrests or suspects have been publicly identified.
Multiple notes surfaced in media reports following her disappearance. Tucson television station KOLD-TV said it received two of them — one demanding millions in cryptocurrency for Guthrie’s return, the other claiming she had died shortly after being taken. A note received by TMZ claimed to identify the kidnappers. The ransom demands included payment deadlines of Feb. 5 and Feb. 9. In one development disclosed earlier in the investigation, federal agents transferred a small sum of cryptocurrency to a wallet address provided in one of the messages; those funds were never withdrawn and remained untouched.
Search Efforts and Reward
Volunteers and search teams have repeatedly combed the desert terrain surrounding Tucson since Guthrie’s disappearance. A volunteer group conducted a search near the Arizona-Mexico border. Despite those efforts, no physical trace of Guthrie has been publicly reported.
Authorities are offering $1.2 million combined to anyone who provides information that leads to her recovery. The investigation remains active with no arrests announced.
Investigation Continues as Kidnapping Case
The FBI’s Wednesday statement was unambiguous on one point: the investigation has not shifted categories. “This case continues to be investigated as a kidnapping for ransom case,” the FBI said. According to the bureau, that classification affects resource allocation, agency participation, and tip evaluation procedures.
Savannah Guthrie, who has continued to anchor “Today” through the ordeal while publicly appealing for information, has not commented publicly on the latest FBI statement. Her mother has now been missing for five months, with no confirmed sighting and no arrest. The investigation remains active.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.