Nancy Guthrie, 84, (mother of TODAY Show host Savannah Guthrie) missing - last seen in the Catalina foothills area on Jan 31, 2026

[sds71]

Possible ransom note reviewed by NBC News​

Andrew Blankstein and Tom Winter
NBC News has reviewed a copy of what authorities have described as a possible ransom note sent to three news organizations referencing Guthrie, and the contents are consistent with the descriptions provided by the FBI and those news outlets.

Officials say they're investigating 'new message' regarding Nancy Guthrie

Live updates as investigators continue to search for Nancy Guthrie and her family appeal for her safe return.

www.nbcnews.com

 

[Strangeworld]

I think any further contact is risky by the kidnapper. He/she apparently outlined what needed to happen. If family doesnt get proof of life, they have a decision to make.

Does anyone remember early on when the ransom note was reported on, that it was mentioned somewhere about the Thursday/Monday deadlines. But then in the last 24 hours people were responding like it was new information. I could have sworn I'd already heard that somewhere earlier. From what I recall, it was ransom to be sent by Thursday and to be received in their account by Monday. When I heard that I thought well maybe they are allowing time for the transfer - so pay by Thursday and it better be in my account by Monday.

Maybe I'm wrong, there's been so much swirling around

 

[Justice101]

None of this makes sense
no robbery
questionable ransom letter to tmz days later
an elderly target with health issues
not targeted? no mention of savannah specifically
savannah has money, but not enough for this kind of drama
could have gone after that money a much easier way

Totally agree.

And if you was an actual family member responsible, why not make the inside LOOK LIKE a robbery?

The more I think about it, the more totally unsure I am as to who may have done this. Anyone else here clueless like me???

 

[SMK777]

Uber if ALL people at the party had been drinking. Uber is a good option.

Yes, but NG took the Uber TO the family dinner.

 

[Starkville]

If the ransom-note writer is legit, why hasn't he contacted the family since the note?

jmopinion

MOO perhaps the bargaining chip is no longer alive.

But MOO I think the ransom is a red herring and distraction.

 

[CrimeDawg123]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2019789228276682977

 

[gammagirl]

I've read people say that it's the way he "looks!" Newsflash, everyone: the dude is Italian and this is the way men from Italy look.

I think all family and others are suspects. This guy may have been the one to take her home last night. He may be the nicest guy you would ever want to meet. He does make some wild music, though... one album entitled: Life:Love::Love:Murder. The band is Early Black and they play in the Tucson area. Maybe someone with more insight into this music could add to this. Otherwise, it is reported that he taught biology.

 

[SRWCF]

How the heck did he get her number? Everyone has cell phones it isn't like the old days when you could get peoples home phone numbers, man I am old.

Lol! I'm old, too! I got a call a few years ago in the wee hours of the morning from an ex-boyfriend from 30 years ago. He was like, "Hey, it's me, Justin." I said, "Justin who???" The dude was high or drunk or something because he said he was calling to say he was sorry to hear my dad had passed. I told him that happened a year prior. That's when he said he only just found out because he had recently gotten out of jail. G R E A T. Anyway, after I made it clear I didn't want to talk to him, I did a quick Google search of my name and, lo and behold, there was my cell number out there on the interwebs for anyone to find! Where there's a will, there's a way!

 

[GlobeFireCandle]

My parents are a few years younger than her but if we drop them home we wouldn’t go in with them, we would watch them enter the house then leave, I don’t think it is that odd to not go in to ‘settle’ an older person, its a little bit infantilising if they have all their faculties.

 

[moonbeams]

I wonder if tempers flared. She was hit and killed and they panicked and decided to make it look like a kidnapping. This may turn out to be a really stupid plot on behalf of the person. You would think that they would have at least attempted to make it look like a robbery.

Why wasn’t the son-in-law part of the family’s video message? That, to me, looks really strange. It sticks out. It would have helped in making him look less guilty.

i disagree that it looks strange. this was for HER CHILDREN. not her sons in law (SG's husband wasn't in it either)

 

[SMK777]

Totally agree.

And if you was an actual family member responsible, why not make the inside LOOK LIKE a robbery?

The more I think about it, the more totally unsure I am as to who may have done this. Anyone else here clueless like me???

Yes, nothing seems to be adding up.

 

[Sadi]

Anything is possible
they can tell how old DNA evidence is, but I’m not sure if they can tell by a few hours or a day or 2. No idea…

I know it’s an odd question, but I’m curious and like details. I’ll do some research. There was a picture of N somewhere on here and it showed a bandage on her arm which made me wonder.

 

[SRWCF]

I think all family and others are suspects. This guy may have been the one to take her home last night. He may be the nicest guy you would ever want to meet. He does make some wild music, though... one album entitled: Life:Love::Love:Murder. The band is Early Black and they play in the Tucson area. Maybe someone with more insight into this music could add to this. Otherwise, it is reported that he taught biology.

Yep, I saw all of that. I listened to the music and LOVE IT. He's only 3 years younger than me and I was very much into the punk rock scene growing up and I still enjoy the genre.

 

[bestill]

My opinions only:

What are the chances that Nancy Guthrie is still alive? <20%

What are the chances the one responsible was a healthcare person, gardener, maid, electrician, etc? 40%

What are the chances the one responsible was a family member? 60%

What are the chances the police and FBI will eventually solve this case? 80%

When do I think a person(s) will be arrested? Within the next 10 days.

I bookmarked this so we can see how on the crypto you are!

 

[SMK777]

we need a break in the case

Absolutely. The only thing that will make things stop stagnating and move forward.

 

[SRWCF]

I know it’s an odd question, but I’m curious and like details. I’ll do some research. There was a picture of N somewhere on here and it showed a bandage on her arm which made me wonder.

Could have been a bruise from a blood draw or IV during surgery (I saw the picture, too, but can't remember the placement of the bandage).

 

[Trino]

Lots of "parts" to the disappearance of NG but not the one thing to pull it together. Extremes are she's either deceased or the entire disappearance is a hoax. Money is somehow involved - maybe. As baffled as everyone, including law enforcement.

I do think if the perp was hired help that they would have taken valuables from the house - unless the person was paid solely to abduct NG for someone else. Maybe a reason posters don't know about? Beginning to think this was not just done by one person. Just think the intruders are gone from the area, state, maybe the country.

She couldn't be abducted w/o a car so why can't LE get a hit on a vehicle? Even a vehicle on an adjacent street at that hour of the morning?

 

[justwannahelp]

But if someone knew that there wasn't a subscription why would they even bother to take it? Maybe they weren't aware that it didn't save, but still.

It is my understanding- someone correct me if I’m wrong - that the front door camera was not a nest. The front door had a recording/working camera, so was maybe a ring camera?? The cameras placed all around the property (other than front door and MAYBE back door) were nests without subscriptions/no video.

Is that right?
Ring cams recording at front and back doors
—smashed and/or taken

Nest cams everywhere else
(not main entrances)
—no subscription/no video
—not smashed, not taken

 

[acutename]

It's the crypto that moves into and out of a wallet that is traceable on the ledger (aka the blockchain) so it's the "spending" of crypto in a wallet that makes it traceable, not the existence of a wallet itself. That's true even if one uses a mixer/tumbler.
It sounds like the kidnapper wants millions of dollars worth of crypto, but it might be interesting to see how kidnapper behaves if their wallet was sent for example $20,000 - would the kidnapper leave $20,000 there forever or start moving it which provides clues for investigators. Even if they left the bitcoin untouched in the wallet for years, it's easy to set up an alert to monitor a wallet and if it ever started moving out of the wallet that would provide clues.

I actually wondered if they could provide the requested crypto but lock it....

 

[merrymary]

Someone posted way earlier in the thread that Nancy had had some electrical work done at her house and that the permit had final inspection the first week of January. I guess I’m surprised there hasn’t been more discussion of that, this seems right around the time punch list work would be completed, which can cause tension sometimes. That coupled with the white van would lead me to perhaps look at any disgruntled tradesmen that had been in her home recently.

Yes, that was me. Final inspection was done on the 6th of January. I would have to believe they looked into that. Heck, Columbo would have been on that in a flash!