Nancy Guthrie: Arizona police release ransom notes in public

Arizona police released two ransom notes in public in the hope for public would identify the kidnapper of the mother of Savannah Guthrie.

On Friday, officials released both notes; they have requested the public for their help in identifying the writer, whose “distinct linguistic characteristics may be recognisable”.

According to investigators’ belief, Nancy Guthrie was taken against her will from her home. But they haven’t found any shared possible motive or arrested a suspect.

The first note, which is treated as apparently credible, demanded millions of dollars in Bitcoin. The other claimed Nancy Guthrie died shortly after she was abducted from her home near Tucson six months ago. The Pima County Sheriff’s Office says they cannot verify her death, and the investigation remains active.

The notes were addressed to Savannah Guthrie and the Guthrie family, and sent to a local TV station in Tucson, Arizona, in the days after Nancy Guthrie disappeared, according to the sheriff.

In a statement from the sheriff’s office noted, “A friend, family member, coworker, classmate, or acquaintance may recognise these patterns of expression and possess information that could help identify the individual responsible”.

The first note, which was received on 2 February, 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. We will be holding her for a maximum of 7 days. You will need to send bitcoin in the amount of $4 million USD before 5 PM on Thursday the 5th.

“If payment is not received, the ransom will be increased to 6 million USD, which will need to be paid by 5 PM on Monday the 9th. Once payment is received to the bitcoin address below, she will be released within 12 hours of deposit to a safe drop-off location back in Tucson. If payment is not received [sic] by the last deadline on Monday the 9th at 5PM, she will be killed.

“Your mother is aware of this and her life is in your hands. It is in the best interest of everyone to have this completed as soon as possible. The noted continued, “You will not be able to contact me from here on out; there will be no negotiation. Do not play games; law enforcement will not be able to help you”.

After what appears to be a redacted sentence, it ends: “She had a white smart watch on the floor at the foot of her bed, and the white flood light in the backyard was destroyed.” Nancy Guthrie, who was taking daily medication, vanished after relatives dropped her off at her home on the evening of Saturday 31 January.

Police were contacted when she failed to show up the following morning at a friend’s house to watch a virtual Sunday church service.

Four days after the first note, the second arrived: “Guthrie Family, we did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition. We never intended to hurt her; that was not our intention.