Nancy Guthrie: Ransom deadline looms amid search
It has been nine days since the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie in southern Arizona, and Feb. 9 is reported to be the second deadline in a cryptic ransom letter. FOX 10’s Irene Snyder has more, from Tucson.
PHOENIX – Feb. 9 marks the ninth day in the search for Nancy Guthrie, the mom of NBC “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie.
Latest updates
An alleged 5 p.m. Monday deadline looms as the family of the 84-year-old offers to pay a $6 million Bitcoin ransom for her safe return.
Several news outlets reported receiving ransom notes, demanding cryptocurrency in exchange for her return. While investigators ruled out one of those notes to be fake, the FBI says one of the unverified notes contains two deadlines— one on Feb. 5 at 5 p.m. and the other on Feb. 9.
Weekend Updates:
A Pima County Sheriff’s vehicle pulled up to Nancy Guthrie’s residence in Tucson just after 9 a.m. on Feb. 8. “At the request of the Guthrie family, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department will maintain a presence at Nancy Guthrie’s residence for security purposes going forward.”
The forensic team appeared to focus on the home of Nancy’s daughter, Annie Guthrie, going into the garage and seen with what appeared to be flashes from cameras. It’s reported that the team has been inside the home taking photographs near bedrooms and a large family room.
The Guthrie family released a new video regarding their missing 84-year-old mother on Saturday afternoon. The video posted to Instagram at 4:30 p.m. MST on Feb. 7 shows Savannah Guthrie, the daughter of Nancy and co-anchor of NBC’s “Today” show, alongside her brother Camron and sister Annie, pleading to possible abductors.
“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.”
The backstory:
The 84-year-old was last seen on the night of Jan. 31 after being dropped off at her Catalina Foothills home near East Skyline Drive and North Campbell Avenue. She was reported missing the next day after her family was notified that she hadn’t shown up for church.
Authorities say she was taken from her home against her will and is without her necessary medication.
Sheriff Chris Nanos released a timeline of the events in Guthrie’s disappearance.
What you can do:
Anyone with tips should contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. A tipline was also created for the community to submit information.
A reward of up to $50,000 is being offered for any information leading to Nancy Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved.
Map of area where Nancy Guthrie was last seen
The Source: The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and previous FOX 10 reports.
