Savannah Guthrie Appeals for Information on Missing Mother, Ransom Notes Released

Today show host, Savannah Guthrie, has made a fresh appeal for information about her mother who disappeared from her Arizona home. She urged anyone who recognises the writing in two ransom notes released by authorities to come forward, saying her family is “desperate” for answers. Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, disappeared from her home outside Tucson on February 1, after spending the previous evening with her family. Investigators have said they believe she was taken against her will. No arrests have been made in the case.

In an Instagram post on Saturday, Guthrie said her family was “desperate” and “begging for help”, urging anyone with information about her mother’s disappearance to come forward. She also drew attention to two ransom notes that authorities released a day earlier, asking the public to pay particular attention to the writing style and unusual word choices in the messages. Investigators believe the notes contain distinctive patterns of syntax and phrasing that could be recognised by someone who knows or has interacted with their writer.

“Someone knows something. Someone suspects something. Someone recognises the writing in the ransom demand notes,” Guthrie wrote, according to the Associated Press. She also appealed to anyone who may have noticed a friend, relative or acquaintance behaving unusually since Nancy disappeared — including someone who suddenly changed their appearance, left the Tucson area or developed an unusual interest in the case.

Authorities released two notes on Friday that were sent to a Tucson television station shortly after Guthrie vanished. The first note, sent on February 2, demanded $4 million in cryptocurrency and claimed Guthrie would be released unharmed if the ransom was paid. It also threatened her life if the demand was not met. A second note, sent four days later, claimed Guthrie had died shortly after being kidnapped and said her remains had been buried “in nature”. Authorities have not publicly established who wrote the notes or confirmed whether the claims about Guthrie’s death are true.

Investigators have also released surveillance footage showing an unidentified man near Guthrie’s home. The FBI said the person appeared to tamper with her doorbell camera and was about 5 feet 9 inches to 10 inches tall with an average build. The FBI is offering $100,000 for information leading to Guthrie’s recovery or the arrest and conviction of someone involved in her disappearance. The Guthrie family has separately offered a $1 million reward.