Ransom Note Deepens Mystery Of Savannah Guthrie’s Missing Mother

In a case that has gripped the nation and left a family in anguish, the mysterious disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC’s Today show host Savannah Guthrie, has taken a dramatic turn after multiple media outlets reported receiving alleged ransom notes demanding payment in Bitcoin for her release. The unsettling developments have unfolded against the backdrop of a massive search effort and a growing sense of urgency in the Tucson, Arizona, community where Nancy Guthrie was last seen.

According to TMZ, executive producers Harvey Levin and Charles Latibeaudiere announced on February 3, 2026, that the entertainment outlet received an unverified ransom letter in their email, written in the style of a classic ransom note. “We got something in our email that… is written like a ransom note for Savannah Guthrie’s mother,” Levin said in a video posted to Instagram. Latibeaudiere added, “There were specific requests for certain amounts of money… Bitcoin.” The note reportedly included details about what Nancy was wearing and damage to her home, seemingly to prove the sender’s knowledge of the situation. “At the bottom there are certain things they are saying about what she was wearing and damage to the house…” Levin explained, with Latibeaudiere noting, “… that they are clearly saying to verify 'we know what we are talking about.'”

The ransom demand, according to Variety, was substantial—running into the millions—and included a deadline as well as an ominous ‘or else’ threat. TMZ stated that it verified the Bitcoin address provided in the note as real. Both TMZ and local Tucson television station KOLD forwarded the alleged ransom notes to the Pima County Sheriff’s Office, which has since confirmed that it is taking all tips and leads seriously and is coordinating closely with the FBI. “We are aware of reports circulating about possible ransom notes regarding the investigation of Nancy Guthrie. We are taking all tips and leads very seriously. Anything that comes in, goes directly to our detectives who are coordinating with the FBI,” the Sheriff’s Office posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The authenticity of the ransom notes remains unverified. Sheriff Chris Nanos, speaking to multiple outlets including Us Weekly and The Associated Press, has previously stated there was no indication of a ransom demand, but emphasized the importance of any information that could help bring Nancy home. “No, there’s not, we’ve not heard anything like that,” Nanos told Us Weekly earlier, adding, “I wish somebody would call us and say, ‘Hey,’ because that’s what the family wants. They just want her back. Hey, no questions asked, call us where to come and get her, and we’ll do that.”

Nancy Guthrie was last seen at her home in the affluent Catalina Foothills area, north of Tucson, around 9:30 p.m. on January 31, 2026. The alarm was raised the following day when a friend noticed she missed a church service and contacted her family, sparking a frantic search. Investigators quickly determined that Nancy’s disappearance was not a simple case of a missing person. Sheriff Nanos declared her home a crime scene, citing “very concerning” evidence found at the residence. “We know, at least we believe, and I believe we know, she did not walk out of that home on her own,” Nanos told reporters, as quoted by The Nightly. He later confirmed, “It is a crime in our eyes. What they described at the scene to me was like there's a little more than somebody just missing here.”

A person familiar with the investigation told The Associated Press that signs of forced entry were discovered at Nancy’s home, leading authorities to believe she was taken against her will in a nighttime kidnapping. Several of her personal items—including her cellphone, wallet, and car—were left behind, further supporting the theory that she did not leave voluntarily. Nancy, described by those close to her as being of sound mind and “very alert,” has limited mobility and requires daily medication for health conditions that could become fatal if untreated for more than 24 hours.

The investigation has since expanded to include a review of surveillance video from nearby homes, analysis of cellphone tower data, and checks of license plate cameras in the area. DNA samples have been collected and analyzed, but as of now, no suspects have been identified. The motive for the abduction remains a mystery. Despite the ransom notes, a person familiar with the case told AP that investigators do not currently believe the incident was part of a robbery, home invasion, or kidnapping-for-ransom plot. The Sheriff’s Office, however, continues to pursue every lead, treating the ransom notes with the gravity warranted by the situation.

As the search intensified, Savannah Guthrie stepped back from her high-profile role as co-host of NBC’s coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, which begins February 6. “Savannah will not be joining us at the Olympics as she focused on being with her family during this difficult time,” an NBC Sports spokesperson told The Nightly. “Our hearts are with her and the entire Guthrie family as the search continues for their mother.”

On social media, Savannah Guthrie has appealed for prayers and support from the public. “We believe in prayer. We believe in voices raised in unison, in love, in hope. We believe in goodness. We believe in humanity. Above all, we believe in Him,” she wrote on Instagram. “Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant. Raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment. We need you.”

The Guthrie family’s deep roots in Tucson and Nancy’s reputation for resilience and faith have inspired an outpouring of support. Savannah, who grew up in Tucson and graduated from the University of Arizona, has often credited her mother with holding the family together after her father’s untimely death. Nancy Guthrie, who raised Savannah and her siblings as a single mother, has been described as meeting “unthinkable challenges in her life with grit, without self-pity, with determination and always, always with unshakeable faith,” as Savannah shared on Today during her mother’s 80th birthday celebration in 2022.

President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on February 3, called the situation “terrible” and said he planned to call Savannah Guthrie. The case has drawn national attention, with law enforcement urging anyone with information to come forward. The Pima County Sheriff’s Office has provided a QR code for tips and continues to coordinate with the FBI as the investigation unfolds.

As the days pass, the Guthrie family—and the wider Tucson community—wait anxiously for answers. The investigation remains active, with law enforcement pursuing every possible lead and the public holding out hope for Nancy Guthrie’s safe return.