Ransom notes in Nancy Guthrie case released as sheriff's office asks for public's help in identifying writer
The Pima County Sheriff's Department has released two ransom notes received by local media in Tucson, Arizona, in the days after Nancy Guthrie was taken, while calling for the public's help in identifying their writer.
Savannah Guthrie on Saturday shared a new message about the family's "agony and despair" and its determination to bring Nancy home.
"Every day, we wake up and try to be strong and go on - because that’s what our joyful and resilient Mom taught us to do. But make no mistake - our hearts are in ruins," Guthrie wrote in a post on social media.
"We are begging for help. We are desperate. We need someone to come forward. Someone knows something. Someone suspects something. Someone recognizes the writing in the ransom demand notes," Guthrie wrote.
The redacted versions of the ransom notes arrive six months after the mother of "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie was kidnapped from her Tucson-area home. The 84-year-old remains missing.
ABC News has previously described the contents of the notes, the second of which said Guthrie died after her abduction.
"These communications reveal distinctive patterns of word choice, syntax, and phraseology that reflect the writer's unique linguistic style," the Pima County Sheriff's Department said in a press release on Friday. "They also provide valuable insight into the person's mindset, motives, and the evolution of their tone over time."
The department said they "believe these distinctive linguistic characteristics may be recognizable to someone who knows or has interacted with the notes' writer."
The first note was sent to the local CBS Tucson affiliate KOLD-TV on Feb. 2, according to the sheriff's department, and is addressed to Savannah Guthrie.
"We have your mother Nancy. She is safe but scared," the note stated, while asking for millions of dollars in Bitcoin for her release. If payment was not received, "she will be killed," the note stated.
The note included descriptions of a smart watch near her bed and a damaged floodlight in the home's backyard.
The second note was sent on Feb. 6, according to the sheriff's department, and is addressed to the Guthrie family. The note stated that Guthrie died and "is buried in nature now."
"We did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition. We never intended to hurt her, that was not our intention. She perished shortly after she was taken," the note stated.
The note included an apology and said to the family, "Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome. We want your family to know this and hope you all can find peace."
Savannah Guthrie urged anyone with information about the abduction to come forward, saying the reward is still available and that information can be shared anonymously.
"We will never stop looking for answers - and we will never stop looking for the light. We will always be hoping and praying and believing in the best of our world - in spite of circumstance. This is what our faith makes possible. Please. Bring her home," Guthrie wrote on Saturday.
