Savannah Guthrie emotional on Today after report that ransom note claimed mom is dead
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The demands of a credible ransom note for the 84-year-old mother of Savannah Guthrie were not met — and may have led to her death, according to a new report.
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Authorities are taking another look at ransom notes sent in the early days of Nancy Guthrie’s abduction , news outlet Air Mail reports.
Investigators believe an email ransom note sent shortly after Nancy was taken on Feb. 1 was legitimate, given it correctly identified a broken flood light behind her Tucson, Arizona, home along with details about the Apple Watch she had been wearing.
Savannah gets emotional on Today
While she did not comment on the latest reports on Tuesday morning, Savannah made yet another emotional plea on Today, begging anyone to come forward with information.
“Somebody knows something,” she said tearfully.
“We are in agony and we cannot be at peace,” she continued. “No matter how much I try to come out here every day and smile and find that joy — and I will, I promise I will — this is the moment to tell you we need your help, we’re begging for your help and I’m not going to miss that opportunity.”
What did the ransom notes say?
The demands received by TMZ and local Tucson outlets KOLD and KGUN were apparently clear — US$4 million was to be paid in bitcoin by Feb. 5, and if the deadline passed, that number would be upped to $6 million.
Prior to the Feb. 5 deadline, Nancy was described as “safe but scared.” Savannah and siblings Annie and Camron issued a public plea for help, acknowledging the ransom, but the deadline passed.
A follow-up message indicated the amount would be raised to $6 million if not paid by Feb. 9 — and the terms were non-negotiable, with sources claiming that last communication ended with the ominous “or else.”
But on Feb. 6, a day after the initial deadline, a message arrived containing an “apology” for Nancy’s death, adding her body could be delivered for the original $4-million sum, according to the outlet.
An attempt to flush out the individual(s) behind the ransom note by depositing a little money in the Bitcoin account failed. The cryptocurrency wallet whose details were sent in the ransom note has remained inactive — thwarting authorities’ ability to track the people behind it.
TMZ denies new report
However, TMZ , which claims to have received “close to a dozen emails from a man claiming he knew both the identity of the kidnappers and the location of Nancy,” reported that the elderly woman’s ransom notes “did not contain an apology or a revelation that she was dead.”
The outlet said that the first email, sent days after the kidnapping, was not from one of Nancy’s abductors but someone aware of the details but needed money to hide out for fear of retribution from the real culprits.
He noted “time is of the essence” in that first communication. But a follow-up sent the next day said, “time is no longer of the essence,” which was understood by TMZ that Nancy was no longer alive.
The outlet told the FBI they wanted to do a documentary on the case and suggested they would pay the bitcoin “to see where it led.” The agency appeared to be interested before the gossip site claims the FBI has since “ghosted” them.
The FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department are asking anyone with tips to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. The bureau has set a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to Nancy’s recovery or the arrest of anyone involved in her disappearance.