Law enforcement sources say a ransom note believed to have been sent by the kidnappers of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC “Today” host Savannah Guthrie, claimed that she died while being held captive.
The note was reportedly sent to media outlets in February, the same month Guthrie was allegedly taken from her home in Tucson, Arizona. Its existence was not publicly disclosed until Monday, when CNN reported on it.
According to CNN, an earlier note had demanded millions of dollars in ransom. A later message, sent to media outlets, allegedly said Guthrie had died in captivity.
The people who wrote the letter reportedly claimed they had not intended to kill her. They said she died not long after she was taken hostage.
“Investigators believed they are legitimate communications from the kidnappers,” CNN reported, while also noting that numerous ransom notes from different people had been sent to media outlets during the investigation.
The development comes after a months-long search that drew national attention. Guthrie was last seen Jan. 31, after her son-in-law dropped her off at her home.
In the early hours of Feb. 1, a doorbell camera recorded a masked person outside the house. Soon after, the monitor connected to Guthrie’s pacemaker stopped receiving signals from the implanted device.
Retired FBI Hostage Negotiator Chip Massey on law enforcement sources revealing a note back in February stated Nancy Guthrie had died: “This could be a juncture where law enforcement believes perhaps that the abductors are listening… give this family final relief.” pic.twitter.com/w9g5UOVxQZ
— Erin Burnett OutFront (@OutFrontCNN) June 23, 2026
The next morning, Guthrie did not attend church. A fellow church member noticed her absence and contacted the family. Relatives went to her home, found she was missing, and called police.
Local and federal law enforcement agencies, search-and-rescue teams, and volunteers later joined the effort to find her. Authorities searched the surrounding area for clues about where Guthrie might have been taken.
It remains unclear exactly when the emails were received. CNN reported that both the network and a local television station received copies of the second note, which alleged that Guthrie had died while being held.
Law enforcement officials reportedly asked the outlets not to publish the contents of the notes or reveal general details from them. Both outlets agreed to withhold the information.
On Feb. 7, the Guthrie family released a brief video statement. In it, Savannah Guthrie said, “We received your message, and we understand.” CNN’s report suggested the statement may have followed the receipt of the second note.
Former FBI hostage negotiator Chip Massey told CNN’s Erin Burnett that the note marked “a juncture” in the case and could provide the family with “final relief.”
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department, one of the agencies involved in the investigation, declined to discuss the contents of the note, according to the Associated Press.
The department said the case remains “active and ongoing.” It directed further questions about the notes to the FBI. The FBI’s Phoenix office did not respond to a request for comment.
