Sheriff doubts – Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said he suspects the new ransom note in Nancy Guthrie’s Tucson kidnapping case may be another false one, after multiple unverified notes claimed details about her fate and video evidence. The sheriff urged skepticism while the F
A new ransom note tied to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie has emerged in Tucson — and the sheriff overseeing the case is already calling it into question.
On June 26. Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos spoke on Arizona radio station KVOI AM 1030’s “Buckmaster Show” after reporting earlier that day said the case had received another letter. The most recent claim. described in that coverage. suggests a phone kept in a “secure location” contains video showing Nancy Guthrie and her alleged kidnappers. along with information that would supposedly confirm when and how she was taken.
Nanos’ response was blunt. He said he expects some of these notes to be fabricated and that the FBI has made arrests in the past related to false or fake ransom notes.
“I think the FBI has done a number of arrests for false or fake ransom notes,” Nanos said. “It’s a shame that that happens, but I think we’re looking at another one of those today with what’s been reported. But we’ll let the FBI do their work.”
He also said the harm from hoaxes extends beyond the investigation. “It is a shame that these type of events occur. ” he said. explaining that public attention helps the case. but that it also creates room for abuse. “People who call in fake ransom notes. people who claim [false information] for the sake of media and the family. they get out and disturb. in this case. an entire neighborhood. ” Nanos said.
The alleged note’s details, as reported
The latest round of claims began after TMZ reported Friday, June 26 that it received a new ransom note offering the “password” to a phone in a “secure location.” The reported pitch included information about Guthrie’s disappearance in exchange for payment in Bitcoin.
TMZ said it forwarded the email to the FBI and asked the sender to share a screenshot of Guthrie in the video to prove authenticity.
The note was reportedly sent by someone using the same email and Bitcoin address as the person who emailed TMZ shortly after Guthrie went missing in February.
According to the reporting, the note alleged two people were responsible for Guthrie’s kidnapping. It also claimed the phone contained video of the “main guy. ” along with photos of “both involved. ” plus “names and addresses and age.” It further claimed there is footage of Guthrie on “the day that was probably her last.”.
No one involved is confirming authenticity
USA TODAY has not viewed or authenticated the alleged ransom note.
When reached, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department declined to comment. The FBI said it does not comment on ongoing investigations.
This is not the first time the case has been hit with unsettling claims
The newest alleged note arrives days after multiple major outlets reported that earlier letters claimed Nancy Guthrie was dead. On June 22. NBC News. ABC News. and CBS News reported on a note sent to multiple news outlets early in the case that claimed Guthrie was dead. NBC and ABC cited unnamed people “familiar with” the matter, while CBS referred to “sources who reviewed the notes.”.
Unverified ransom notes circulated in the days after the mother of “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie was abducted from her home in Tucson, Arizona. She was last seen entering her garage on Jan. 31, after having dinner with family nearby, and was reported missing the next morning.
Across the five months since her disappearance, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have addressed the letters publicly.
In a Feb. 4 video posted to Instagram, the host spoke to the suspected kidnapper directly, saying, “We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen.”
On Feb. 7, Savannah Guthrie shared another video acknowledging a second ransom note: “We received your message and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”
In late February, the Guthrie family offered a $1 million reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s recovery. The FBI also released images showing an armed, unidentified individual appearing to tamper with Nancy Guthrie’s front door camera on the morning she disappeared.
In a “Today” interview segment with Hoda Kotb on March 26. Savannah Guthrie again discussed the ransom notes. which had reportedly been received by KOLD News. CBS’ Tucson affiliate. and TMZ. “There are a lot of different notes, I think that came. And I think most of them, it’s my understanding, are not real,” she said. “But I believe the two notes that we received that we responded to, I tend to believe those were real.”.
On June 23, Savannah Guthrie reacted to reports that one of the notes said Nancy Guthrie was dead. She said she didn’t have “any comment on the story” and is “not involved in our coverage” for NBC. but she urged the public to provide any information. “Somebody knows something. and this is a news story today that is on your radar. but this is the life that my sister lives. that I live. that my brother lives. that our extended families live. that our children live every day. and we are in agony. We cannot be at peace,” she said at the time.
Where the case stands now
Savannah Guthrie shared an emotional Instagram post as the search for Nancy Guthrie enters its fifth month.
For anyone with information, law enforcement is asking the public to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at (520-351-4900) or 88-CRIME.
Nancy Guthrie Chris Nanos Pima County Sheriff Tucson kidnapping case ransom note FBI Bitcoin ransom Savannah Guthrie KVOI AM 1030 KOLD News TMZ 1-800-CALL-FBI
So basically it’s fake again?
I dunno why people keep making up ransom notes. If she’s actually out there, this just makes it worse for everyone involved. Also how do they even get info about her like that?
Wait the article says there’s video on a phone in a secure location, but then the sheriff doubts it’s legit? Sounds like someone is either doing a hoax or the investigators are playing catch up. I’m not saying he’s wrong, but “secure location” is doing a lot of work there.
This reminds me of those cases where the media blows it up and then suddenly everyone thinks they can “help” by calling in stuff. Like yeah public attention helps but also it makes a circus. If the FBI already arrested people before for fake notes, then why does it keep happening??