Police release Nancy Guthrie ransom notes in latest bid to find kidnappers
Investigators hope the notes' "distinct linguistic characteristics" may be recognised by a member of the public.
Authorities in Arizona have made public two ransom notes in the ongoing effort to identify those responsible for the abduction of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of prominent US news anchor Savannah Guthrie.
One note, deemed potentially credible, demanded millions in Bitcoin. The second note, however, asserted that Nancy Guthrie had died shortly after being taken from her Tucson-area home six months prior.
The Pima County Sheriff's Office has stated they cannot confirm her death and that the investigation remains active.
The two notes were released by officials on Friday, with a plea to the public for assistance in identifying the author, whose "distinct linguistic characteristics may be recognisable."
Investigators believe that Nancy Guthrie, who was 84 when she was last seen on January 31, was forcibly removed from her residence. No potential motive has been disclosed, nor has a suspect been apprehended.
According to the sheriff, the notes were addressed to Savannah Guthrie and the Guthrie family and were sent to a local TV station in Tucson, Arizona, in the days following Nancy Guthrie's disappearance.
The sheriff's office issued a statement saying, "A friend, family member, coworker, classmate, or acquaintance may recognise these patterns of expression and possess information that could help identify the individual responsible."
The first note, received on February 2, began: "Hello Savannah, we have your mother Nancy. She is safe but scared. She will be held for ransom and once payment is received she will be released unharmed. We will be holding her for a maximum of 7 days. You will need to send bitcoin in the amount of $4 million USD before 5PM on Thursday the 5th.
"If payment is not received, the ransom will be increased to 6 million USD which will need to be paid by 5PM on Monday the 9th. Once payment is received to the bitcoin address below she will be released within 12 hours of deposit to a safe drop off location back in Tucson. If payment is not recieved [sic] by the last deadline on Monday the 9th at 5PM, she will be killed.
"Your mother is aware of this and her life is in your hands. It is in the best interest of everyone to have this completed as soon as possible.
"You will not be able to contact me from here on out, there will be no negotiation. Do not play games, law enforcement will not be able to help you," the note continued.
Following what appears to be a redacted sentence, it concluded: "She had a white smart watch on the floor of the foot of her bed and the white flood light in backyard was destroyed."
Nancy Guthrie, who was on daily medication, vanished after relatives dropped her off at her home on the evening of Saturday, January 31.
Police were alerted when she failed to appear at a friend's house the following morning to watch a virtual Sunday church service.
Four days after the initial note, the second one arrived: "Guthrie Family, we did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition. We never intended to hurt her, that was not our intention.
"She perished shortly after she was taken. We believe it was heart related. She is buried in nature now.
"Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome. We want your family to know this and hope you all can find peace. We are truly sorry."
After the second note was received, Savannah Guthrie, one of the most recognized TV presenters in the US, posted on Instagram on February 7 to respond.
"We received your message and we understand," Guthrie stated at the time. "We beg you now to return our mother to us... This is very valuable to us, and we will pay."
Earlier this week, Guthrie released another video, appealing to the kidnappers to "do the right thing" and disclose her mother's location.
This is not the first instance where authorities have released writings from criminal suspects in an attempt to identify them. Ted Kaczynski, known as the "Unabomber," was identified by his own brother after US newspapers published a copy of his manifesto.
Earlier this year, authorities released images of a masked and armed suspect who covered the front door camera at Nancy Guthrie's home before her disappearance. A glove found in her neighborhood also yielded no DNA evidence.