Six months after Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson home, authorities released two ransom notes on Friday, hoping someone will recognize the writer’s distinctive language. The 84-year-old mother of “Today” co-host Savannah Guthrie vanished in January, and the investigation has produced few leads.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said in a video message Saturday that investigators are actively reviewing tens of thousands of tips, videos and forensic leads. “There are a number of pieces of information in these notes that just might jar someone to say, ‘You know, I’ve heard that,'” Nanos said. “We hope that by releasing the actual note, we’ll get some response from the community.”
The first ransom note, sent to a local TV station on 2 February, demanded millions of dollars in Bitcoin. It 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.” A second note claimed Guthrie died shortly after being taken: “She perished shortly after she was taken. We believe it was heart related. She is buried in nature now.”
Forensic linguist William Eggington, a retired professor from Brigham Young University, said the notes contain clues. The heavy reliance on passive voice and an “if-then” construction suggest at least a high-school education. Spelling inconsistencies, like “recieved” later in the first note, indicate the person didn’t carefully edit. Eggington believes the same person wrote both notes, based on style.
The second note, Eggington said, dehumanizes Nancy by referring to her in the third person, and the phrase “buried in nature” is distinctive. However, he cautioned that investigators must hold scientific scepticism, especially with so few words. The writer may be intentionally disguising their natural voice.
Jeffrey Adler, a professor at the University of Florida, said identifying a suspect from the notes “seems like a stretch” after six months. Kidnapping is uncommon, and most cases involve family custody disputes. But there are precedents: Theodore Kaczynski, the Unabomber, was caught after his brother recognized his writing in a published manifesto.
Savannah Guthrie made a desperate plea in an Instagram post, writing that her family has “lived every moment, every breath and every heartbeat in agony and despair.” She urged anyone with information to come forward: “Someone recognises the writing in the ransom demand notes.” Authorities asked anyone with tips to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900.