FBI Says Nancy Guthrie Kidnapping Remains a Ransom Investigation

The FBI says reports that all ransom notes linked to the kidnapping of Nancy Guthrie are fake are incorrect.

In a statement, the agency said investigators have received several ransom notes during the case. Some have been identified as extortion attempts with no credibility, while others could be legitimate and are still under investigation. The FBI said the case remains a kidnapping-for-ransom investigation, with the Pima County Sheriff's Office leading the case.

Sheriff Chris Nanos confirmed his office has received information about possible ransom notes but declined to comment on whether they are genuine, saying all tips are being investigated with the FBI. He also rejected reports that authorities had dismissed all of the notes.

The update came five months after Guthrie, 84, disappeared from her Tucson, Arizona, home on Feb. 1. Her daughter, Today host Savannah Guthrie, thanked investigators and the Tucson community for their support, saying her family continues to search for her mother.

At least three ransom notes have been sent since Guthrie's disappearance. The first demanded $4 million in Bitcoin for her release. Later notes claimed she had died and later offered to provide evidence in exchange for money. Authorities have not confirmed whether any of the notes are authentic, and the investigation remains ongoing.