Savannah Guthrie responds after reports on ransom note claiming her mother died


A second message sent days after Nancy Guthrie disappeared said the 84-year-old died shortly after her abduction, and the newly disclosed details prompted an emotional response Tuesday from her daughter, “Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie.

The contents of the note had not previously been made public. Reporting by ABC News, NBC News, CNN and NewsNation indicates investigators believed it was one of two messages sent in the days after Guthrie vanished that may have come directly from the people responsible for her kidnapping.

Guthrie disappeared from her home near Tucson on Feb. 1. More than four months later, she has not been found.

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Two notes drew investigators’ attention

The disappearance generated a flood of emails, ransom demands and messages claiming knowledge of the case. Authorities later determined many of them were fake.

Of the many messages sent after Guthrie disappeared, investigators focused on two they believed could have come from the abductors.

The first claimed Guthrie was alive and demanded $4 million in bitcoin for her release.

The second delivered a very different message. Sources familiar with the investigation say the author wrote that Guthrie died shortly after being taken and was buried “in nature.”

The message reportedly said her death was accidental. Airmail reported that it also included details about the night she disappeared and was linked to the same IP address used in an earlier communication.

Unlike the first note, it did not seek additional money, offer the return of Guthrie’s body or include an apology.

The family’s response

Shortly after the second note was received, Savannah Guthrie released a video alongside her brother and sister directed at the person responsible.

“We received your message and we understand,” Guthrie said. “We beg you now to return our mother to us.”

The family ended the appeal with a pledge to pay for her return.

At the time, they did not disclose what prompted the video.

The contents of the notes remained private for months after investigators and the Guthrie family asked media outlets that received them not to disclose details publicly. The goal was to preserve information that could help authenticate any future communication from the abductor.

Savannah Guthrie responds

Savannah Guthrie addressed the new reporting Tuesday on NBC’s “Today,” fighting back tears as she spoke about her mother’s disappearance the the reports surrounding the second note.

“I’m not involved in our coverage, but I can’t pretend I’m not here,” Guthried told viewers.

She said the family remains focused on finding answers and urged anyone with information to contact investigators.

“We are in agony,” Guthrie said. “We need your help.”

The public appeal marked Guthrie’s first comments since details from the second note became public.

Four months later, few answers

No arrests have been announced and no suspect has been publicly identified.

In February, the FBI released doorbell-camera images showing a masked man outside Guthrie’s home around the time she disappeared. Investigators later identified him as a suspect and asked the public for help identifying him.

The FBI said the man was between 5-foot-9 and 5-foot-10, of average build, and carrying a black Ozark Trail backpack.

The search has generated thousands of tips but no public breakthrough.

In March, Savannah Guthrie acknowledged how little her family knew about what happened.

“Honestly, we don’t know anything,” she told former Today co-host Hoda Kotb.

More than 20 weeks after Nancy Guthrie disappeared, no arrests have been announced, no suspect has been publicly identified, and investigators still have not determined what happened after she was taken.


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Center-rated reporting

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AllSides Center-rated reporting May 2026

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Why this story matters

New reporting reveals that a second note sent to media outlets days after Nancy Guthrie's abduction said she had died shortly after being taken, information that had been withheld from the public for months at the request of law enforcement and the family.

Case remains unsolved

More than 20 weeks after Nancy Guthrie disappeared, no arrests have been made, no suspect has been publicly identified and her whereabouts remain unknown, according to the Pima County Sheriff's Department.

Disputed note contents

Reporting outlets disagree on key details: NBC News says the second note contained no apology or payment demand, while Air Mail and some sources describe an apology for an accidental death and an offer to return her body for money.

Tip line still active

A combined reward of more than $1.2 million is available for information leading to Nancy Guthrie's recovery or an arrest; anyone with information can call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Straight Arrow
Fear No Fact.

Don't just take our word for it.


Center-rated reporting

According to media bias experts at AllSides

AllSides Center-rated reporting May 2026

Transparent and credible

Awarded a perfect reliability rating from NewsGuard

100/100

Welcome back to trustworthy journalism.

Find out more

Bias comparison

  • Media outlets on the left frame the case as a “twisted mystery” with a “bombshell” second note, stressing the reported claim that she “died” and the human tragedy around the family.
  • Media outlets in the center emphasize a different dividing line: possible FBI missteps, “critical lead,” and investigative process.
  • Media outlets on the right lean harder into crime-thriller intensity, using phrases like “catastrophic mistake,” “heartbreaking,” and “HORROR” to spotlight the “apology,” “accidental” killing, and even the Mexico grave search.

Media landscape

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220 total sources

Key points from the Left

  • Nancy Guthrie, mother of NBC's Savannah Guthrie, was reported missing from her Tucson home in early February 2026, with authorities believing she was taken against her will after finding blood near her doorstep and a masked person captured on video.
  • Two ransom notes linked to Nancy Guthrie's disappearance were received; the first demanded cryptocurrency for her release, while the second stated she had died and did not request payment, with investigators considering both notes potentially credible.
  • Savannah Guthrie publicly appealed for her mother's safe return and urged anyone with information to come forward, emphasizing the family's hope for resolution.
  • Search efforts extended into Mexico following anonymous tips about a possible burial site, leading to the discovery of multiple mass graves unrelated to Nancy Guthrie, and the case remains open and unresolved.

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Key points from the Center

  • Nancy Guthrie was abducted, and her kidnappers first demanded millions in bitcoin for her release.
  • A second ransom note, sent days later, stated that Nancy Guthrie had died but the abductors did not mean for her to die.
  • Savannah Guthrie, Nancy's daughter and 'Today' show co-host, said the family believes the ransom notes are authentic.
  • An FBI and Pima County task force is investigating the kidnapping and searching for Nancy and her abductors.

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Key points from the Right

  • Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped from her Tucson home on February 1, with ransom notes demanding $4 million in Bitcoin, stating she was "safe but scared."
  • A ransom note sent on February 6 from the same IP address apologized for accidentally killing Guthrie and offered to return her body if ransom was paid, indicating a potential homicide.
  • Federal authorities, including the FBI, have been investigating her disappearance, but no suspects or arrests have been made, and the case remains open after more than five months.
  • Volunteer groups in Mexico near Nogales have searched for her, but communication between U.S. And Mexican authorities has been limited; Guthrie remains missing.

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