The Pima County Sheriff’s Department in Arizona said it is aware of claims of a possible ransom note in connection with the disappearance of “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie’s mother.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, went missing from her Tucson-area home on Sunday, officials said. The local sheriff’s department said a crime scene was discovered at the home of Guthrie, who is dependent on daily medication to avoid severe health issues or death.
“We are aware of reports circulating about possible ransom note(s) regarding the investigation into Nancy Guthrie,” Pima County officials wrote in a social media statement on Tuesday afternoon.
The authorities said they are “taking all tips and leads very seriously” and they would be investigated by the office’s detectives. It also is forwarding any evidence or possible leads to the FBI.
While it did not specify what reports it was referring to in its statement, entertainment website TMZ published a report earlier on Tuesday and posted a statement on X saying it had “received an unverified ransom note today demanding a substantial amount for the return” of Nancy Guthrie and that it contacted law enforcement.
Harvey Levin, the founder of TMZ, and TMZ producer Charles Latibeaudiere were seen in a video posted by TMZ on Tuesday describing the note that was sent through email. They said the note made demands to send a sum of ransom money to a Bitcoin address.
It also contained claims about what Nancy Guthrie “was wearing” as well as details about “damage to the house,” Levin said, with Latibeaudiere suggesting that the details in the note were included to verify that the ransom note was real.
“They’re acting as if, ‘Yeah, only we would know these things, and we’re serious, and there’s a dollar demand, or else,'” Levin said.
An article published on TMZ’s website about the alleged ransom note said that it’s currently not verified and it sent the note to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department.
Local news outlet KOLD-T also said it received an alleged ransom note in the case. It’s not clear if the note it received was the same as the one referenced by TMZ.
“Our newsroom also received what appears to be a ransom note, and we have sent it to law enforcement,” KOLD reporter Mary Coleman said in a statement on X.
On Monday and Tuesday, “Today” opened with reports of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, but Savannah Guthrie was not at the anchor’s desk. The host grew up in Tucson, graduated from the University of Arizona and previously worked as a reporter and anchor at Tucson television station KVOA.
In the meantime, Savannah Guthrie asked her followers on Instagram to “raise your prayers” during the search for her missing mother.
“We believe in prayer. We believe in voices raised in unison, in love, in hope. We believe in goodness. We believe in humanity. Above all, we believe in Him,” Savannah wrote in a social media post. “Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant. Raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment. We need you.”
Nancy Guthrie was last seen Saturday night at her home in the Tucson area, where she lived alone and was reported missing Sunday. Someone at her church called a family member to say she was not there, leading family to search her home and then call 911, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told reporters earlier this week.
Nancy Guthrie has limited mobility, and officials do not believe she left on her own. Nanos said she is of sound mind.
The sheriff has said she needs daily medication and could die without it. Asked whether officials were looking for her alive, Nanos said, “We hope we are.”
The Epoch Times contacted the Pima County Sheriff’s Department for comment Tuesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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