US3 min(s) read
Published 15:53 22 Jun 2026 GMT
Chilling ransom note sent to Nancy Guthrie’s family apologizes for ‘accidentally killing her’
One of the ransom notes sent to Nancy Guthrie's family reportedly included a harrowing apology.
The blackmail letter, sent on February 6, allegedly offered to return the 84-year-old's body in exchange for money, a source familiar with the investigation told Air Mail.
The message followed an earlier ransom note from the same sender that included details investigators believed only someone involved in the abduction would know.
The email reportedly correctly described what Today host Savannah Guthrie's mom was wearing on the night she disappeared and referenced a damaged floodlight in her backyard.
Guthrie was kidnapped from her Tucson, Arizona, home in the early hours of February 1.
Per reports, the first messages from the sender claimed that the 84-year-old was "safe but scared" and would be returned if the family paid $4 million in Bitcoin by 5PM on February 5.
The sender allegedly warned that if the money was not paid by February 9, the demand would rise to $6 million, "or else".
Investigators reportedly determined that the later "apology" note came from the same IP address as the earlier emails, leading to concerns that the messages were genuine.
That note claimed Guthrie had been "accidentally killed" and offered to return her body to the family for $4 million.
Savannah made an emotional public appeal day after ransom note
The day after the note arrived, Savannah shared a heartwrenching clip on Instagram alongside her brother, Camron, and sister, Annie.
"We received your message, and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us, so that we can celebrate with her," the TV host pleaded. "This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay."
Savannah has since said she believes the ransom notes were real.
Federal authorities are now reportedly re-examining the ransom communications as they continue scouring for clues that could identify the person responsible for Guthrie's disappearance.
Air Mail reported that investigators believe the letters suggest the sender is articulate and possesses a good understanding of cryptocurrency.
Authorities reportedly also view the apology itself as important. The wording has led some investigators to believe the suspect may not be the cartel figure they initially feared, but rather a local opportunist.
Investigators are also examining whether the abductor may have had help. A masked man was reportedly seen trying to remove Guthrie's Nest doorbell camera on the night she disappeared.
However, federal investigators told the outlet that the clumsy effort to remove or hide the camera does not appear consistent with their profile of the more calculated suspect who wrote the ransom letters.
No suspects have been publicly identified.













