finance
FBI Concludes Ransom Notes in Nancy Guthrie Disappearance Are Fake
The FBI has determined that three ransom notes sent after the January 31 disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie in Tucson, Arizona, are not genuine. The finding narrows the focus of the Pima County Sheriff's Department investigation to physical evidence and surveillance footage still under review.
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The FBI has determined that none of the three ransom notes received after Nancy Guthrie's disappearance are genuine. An agency official told Reuters that the first two notes, which appeared in early February, came from the same sender, while a third message claimed to identify the alleged abductors and included purported video of the main person involved.
The first note demanded millions of dollars in cryptocurrency with payment deadlines of February 5 and February 9.
The FBI sent a small amount of cryptocurrency to the listed account, but the funds were never collected. The second note stated that Guthrie had died and made no financial demand. A second law enforcement source confirmed the FBI assessment that all three notes lack authenticity.
Nancy Guthrie, age 84, was last seen at her Tucson home on January 31 after spending the evening with her daughter Annie Guthrie and son-in-law. Blood on the front porch matched her DNA. Surveillance footage captured a person in a ski mask tampering with the doorbell camera, and a glove recovered nearby yielded DNA that matched no profiles in national databases.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department is leading the investigation. DNA evidence and video remain under forensic review, according to department spokesperson Angelica Carrillo. The Guthrie family has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to answers about the disappearance.
Last month, Guthrie's daughter Savannah Guthrie, an NBC anchor, delivered an emotional on-air plea for tips.
