Nancy Guthrie kidnapping: ransom notes released, family pleads for help

Nancy Guthrie Savannah Guthrie ransom notes Bitcoin Pima County Sheriff

Nancy Guthrie, 84, mother of NBC "Today" co‑anchor Savannah Guthrie, vanished from her Tucson, Arizona home on the night of Jan 31–Feb 1 2026. Two ransom notes were sent to local media on Feb 2 and Feb 6, demanding a $4 million Bitcoin payment that would rise to $6 million if not paid, and threatening that she would be killed. The first note referenced a white smartwatch at the foot of her bed and a destroyed backyard floodlight; the second claimed she died shortly after being taken, citing a heart‑related condition and that she was buried in nature. On July 31 2026 the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI released the full contents of both notes, asking the public to help identify the writer by recognizing distinctive linguistic patterns. Savannah Guthrie has made multiple emotional pleas on social media for information and a reward exceeding $1 million remains available. The investigation remains active with no arrests; a hair sample from the home yielded no DNA profile. Additionally, a Phoenix man, Carlos Palazuelos, filed a $2.5 million notice of claim alleging wrongful detention during the probe, and a cryptocurrency expert noted that the dormant Bitcoin ransom wallet could still provide valuable investigative leads.

Entities

Carlos Palazuelos · Chris Nanos · FBI · FBI Laboratory, Quantico · FBI Phoenix Field Office · Federal Bureau of Investigation · Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) · Nancy Guthrie · Pima County Sheriff's Department · Pima County Sheriff’s Department · Savannah Guthrie · Tucson, Arizona

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 3 SOURCES] Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her home in Tucson, Arizona on the early morning of February 1, captured on a door‑bell camera as a masked man. wutqfm.com
[● 2 SOURCES] Savannah Guthrie posted an Instagram video urging the kidnapper to release her mother. www.megynkelly.com
[● 8 SOURCES] The hair sample is a mixed DNA sample from up to four individuals. wutqfm.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The first ransom note demanded payment in U.S. dollars or Bitcoin with a deadline of February 9, threatening to hold Nancy Guthrie for up to seven days. www.megynkelly.com
[● 9 SOURCES] At least five to six laboratories across the United States, including the FBI lab in Quantico, are analyzing the DNA evidence. wutqfm.com · internewscast.com
[● 9 SOURCES] A hair sample recovered from Nancy Guthrie’s home did not yield a DNA profile. wutqfm.com · internewscast.com
[● 11 SOURCES] The Guthrie family is offering a reward of more than $1 million for information leading to Nancy Guthrie. www.nbcnews.com · www.bbc.co.uk · www.kikvradio.com · time.news · mix929.com · +4 more
[● 8 SOURCES] A hair sample collected from Nancy Guthrie’s home did not yield a DNA profile. wutqfm.com · www.megynkelly.com · internewscast.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The FBI released video showing a masked individual captured on the Nest doorbell camera at Nancy Guthrie’s home. www.megynkelly.com
[● 4 SOURCES] Forensic testing on a hair strand recovered from Nancy Guthrie’s home did not link to any suspect. wutqfm.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The investigation remains active and ongoing six months after the abduction. www.nbcnews.com
[● 2 SOURCES] The FBI released video showing a masked individual at Nancy Guthrie’s front door on the day of the abduction. www.nbcnews.com