Nancy Guthrie case: Sheriff releases ransom notes sent to Tucson station

PHOENIX - Sheriffs in Pima County have released the contents of ransom notes that were sent in the aftermath of Nancy Guthrie's disappearance from her Tucson home.

The backstory:

84-year-old Guthrie was last seen on the evening of Jan 31 when she was dropped off at her Catalina Foothills home. She was reported missing the following day by family members after she failed to show up at church.

On July 27, Nancy's daughter, NBC Today Show host Savannah Guthrie, released a video where she pleaded for Nancy's return.

Since Nancy's disappearance, PCSD and the FBI have released footage of Nancy's alleged abductor at her doorstep. In their statement on July 31, officials with PCSD said the two video that were recovered from Nancy's doorbell cameras "may be from two separate days."

"They indicate he took steps to prepare for the event on the night of January 31 to February 1," read a portion of the statement.

What We Know Now:

The notes were sent to Tucson television KOLD. The station received the notes on Feb. 2 and 6, which is also when Savannah started posting videos with her siblings on Instagram, addressing the kidnappers.

The first note claims Guthrie is "safe but scared," outlining a plan to hold her for ransom. The demand starts at $4 million, increasing to $6 million over a week. The writer claims Nancy will die if no money is sent, adding her life is in the family’s hands.

Dig deeper:

The first ransom note 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 [received] 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.

(Bitcoin address redacted)

She had a white smart watch on the floor of the foot of her bed and the white flood light in backyard was destroyed.

The second note reads:

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.

Investigators believe the way the notes are written could provide clues about who wrote them. They hope their release could help the public identify the person responsible.

Expert weighs in

"It kind of pressures on the heartstrings of the relatives, the family members, especially Savannah," said Retired Police Chief Jeff Halstead.

Halstead, a former commander with Phoenix Police, says specific details point to the notes being legitimate, like a mention of Nancy’s white smart watch.

What He's Saying:

"If this was received before anyone stated anything publicly relative to the investigation that Nancy had on a smartwatch… that is very highly credible and highly relevant to being directed by the suspects," Halstead said.

Halstead says the tone shifts drastically in the second note, received four days later. The urgency disappears as the writer admits Nancy died soon after being taken. They apologize, claiming they did not "fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition," telling the family nothing they did would have changed the outcome.

"So it's almost like they ended their case of trying to get specific dollars amounts and timelines. And now they're putting in a closing statement that whoops we didn't know she was this sick, she has passed. We buried her and we are so sorry," Halstead stated.

Investigators have not confirmed these notes are actually from Nancy’s kidnappers, but Halstead believes the suspects were solely focused on a payday.

"They didn't think she was going to die. But they also thought they were going to be very wealthy after this and I think they're just closing this and leaving it on, and they want to move on in life," Halstead added.

What you can do:

Anyone who knows anything about the person who may have written these notes or the case is asked to call the FBI. Investigators say it’s never too late to come forward. Callers can remain anonymous. The Guthrie family is offering a $1 million reward.