Nancy Guthrie’s alleged kidnappers claimed in a ransom note sent to TMZ that the 84-year-old mother of TV host Savannah Guthrie is “safe but scared” — and fully aware of the disturbing demands tied to her release.
The message, which surfaced two days after she was reported missing over the weekend, reportedly called for millions of dollars in bitcoin and warned of “serious” consequences if the payment was not made.
“I will say the letter begins by saying she is safe but scared, and they go on to say she knows exactly what the demand is,” TMZ Harvey Levin told Fox News Thursday night per the New York Post.
“They are, through us, telling the family exactly what they are demanding, and they are saying that Nancy is aware of it.” Also, “They are saying … that this will be their only communication and they are done communicating and negotiating — here’s the deal and that’s it.”
“As the clock ticks, that’s one of the reasons the FBI and other authorities have gotten desperate here,” TMZ’s Levin said.
Without going into specifics, Levin said certain details in the message suggested Guthrie — whom authorities believe was taken from her Tucson home against her will over the weekend — may still be in the surrounding area. He noted that the ransom note referenced insider information tied to the suspected abduction, including mentions of her Apple Watch and a damaged floodlight at her million-dollar property.
According to Levin, the message was sent before those details had been publicly disclosed, raising concern that the note could be credible and prompting an immediate call to the sheriff after reviewing its contents during an interview with CNN’s Erin Burnett.
Levin said the message referenced specific details about the case, including Guthrie’s Apple Watch and a damaged floodlight — information that aligned with what investigators had already mentioned. He also noted the note described the watch’s exact placement, a detail not publicly released, which he suggested could make authorities take the letter more seriously.
Investigators say they are treating the ransom notes — including several sent to media outlets — as credible leads, though it’s unclear whether each message contained the same details. FBI officials revealed that some notes demanded money with a Thursday deadline and a second deadline set for Monday, while a message sent to a Tucson newsroom reportedly included information only the suspected abductor would know.
The developments come as Savannah Guthrie and her siblings continue pleading publicly for proof their mother is alive, saying they are willing to communicate to secure her safe return. Authorities have not identified any suspects or persons of interest, but believe Nancy Guthrie is still missing and could have been specifically targeted, though the motive remains unclear.
According to investigators, Guthrie was last seen Saturday night after being dropped off at home. Hours later, her doorbell camera was disconnected, and by 2:28 a.m. Sunday, her pacemaker app lost connection with her phone, marking a key point in the timeline of her disappearance.
