The puzzling case of Nancy Guthrie’s vanishing took an unexpected twist on April 6, when TMZ obtained two additional ransom messages asserting awareness of the 84-year-old’s whereabouts and her abductor’s identity, coinciding with her daughter Savannah Guthrie’s heartfelt comeback to the “Today” show following a two-month hiatus.
The messages, delivered April 6, represent the most recent progression in a situation that has captivated the country since Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Catalina Foothills residence near Tucson, Arizona, on Feb. 1. The writer requested half a bitcoin for details regarding Nancy’s body’s whereabouts and her captor’s identity, with the remaining half to be transferred once a public apprehension occurs.
TMZ creator Harvey Levin disclosed on April 6 that the media company obtained messages from an individual who has reached out to them “incessantly” during the probe, asserting knowledge of Nancy’s kidnapper and her current whereabouts.
The initial message asserted Nancy Guthrie is deceased, while a conflicting subsequent communication indicated the writer observed her living with her purported captors in the Mexican state of Sonora. TMZ said it transmitted both messages to the FBI.
The ransom writer voiced irritation at being rejected by law enforcement, condemning the FBI for squandering “millions” on the investigation while declining to compensate for intelligence and accusing the agency of hubris for treating the messages as a scam.
Former FBI agent Jennifer Coffindaffer said the timing of the notes was no coincidence. “They sent these right when Savannah Guthrie went back to work,” Coffindaffer told Newsweek. “That was by no mistake, that was absolutely meant to further torment her and her family.” She added that the continued communications with no proof of life suggest someone “willing to torture this family.”
TMZ founder Harvey Levin revealed additional details about the sender, saying the individual has a criminal record involving burglary, and claims that is why he has avoided going directly to the FBI, fearing he could be implicated. Levin said the sender has been “bent out of shape from almost the beginning,” feeling consistently dismissed.
The arrival of the messages aligned with Savannah Guthrie’s comeback to the “Today” show hosting position following her prolonged leave. “Here we go, ready or not,” she told viewers at the top of the April 6 broadcast. “Let’s do the news.”
The experienced journalist had been away from broadcasting since her mother’s disappearance, reappearing only for a three-part interview with former co-anchor Hoda Kotb that aired on March 26 and 27. During that emotional sit-down, Savannah revealed she believes two of the ransom notes her family received were genuine, while dismissing most others as opportunistic fakes from people who “really have to look deeply at themselves.”
Nancy Guthrie vanished during nighttime hours, removed from her residence in her sleepwear without footwear or prescriptions. Her sister Annie contacted Savannah after Nancy didn’t appear for a virtual church service. The family originally suspected she might have experienced a health crisis, but the finding of blood droplets on Nancy’s porch and her doorbell camera torn from the wall indicated something far more sinister.
Security video released by law enforcement depicts a disguised individual lurking on Nancy’s front step the night she disappeared. The FBI characterized the suspect as standing between 5-foot-9 and 5-foot-10 tall with an average build, wearing a black 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack.
The probe reached its third month, with the FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department following up on thousands of tips from the public. The FBI is offering a $100,000 reward for information, while 88-CRIME has put up $102,500, and the Guthrie family is offering $1 million for leads that bring Nancy home safely.
Former FBI supervisory special agent Andrew Bringuel questioned why authorities have not released the ransom communications to the public. “I am curious why the police have not released the communications between the ‘subject(s)’ and the media/police,” Bringuel told Newsweek. “This may be to protect the integrity of the case, it may be because they do not believe they are legitimate, it may be to protect the victim, or some other strategic reason.”
Bringuel observed that these situations are usually resolved when perpetrators commit errors or when cooperative informants come forward, characterizing public tips as “a force multiplier” for investigators.
Nanos himself has come under fire amid the investigation. The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to require him to provide sworn testimony on his work history and department leadership, after the Arizona Republic uncovered records indicating he resigned instead of being terminated from the El Paso Police Department in 1982 — contradicting his public resume, which claimed he remained there until 1984. Disciplinary records from his tenure there include allegations of excessive force. Nanos has been given until April 21 to respond in writing or in person before the full board, with non-compliance potentially resulting in his removal from office.
One early demand sought millions in bitcoin and claimed Nancy was “safe but scared.” The Guthrie family responded by releasing recorded video messages on social media, pleading for proof of life and their mother’s safe return.
Anyone with information about the case is urged to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or 88-CRIME. The FBI continues to pursue all leads as the search for Nancy Guthrie intensifies.