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Video above: Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos addresses the media on Tuesday, February 3, 2026.
(NEXSTAR) – As the fifth day of the search for Nancy Guthrie, mother of “Today” co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, unfolds, attention is turning toward alleged ransom notes that have been sent to various media organizations.
The 84-year-old Guthrie was last seen around 9:30 p.m. on Saturday night when her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, dropped her off at her residence in Tucson, Arizona. According to Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, Guthrie had been out for dinner with Cioni and her daughter, Annie, who live in close proximity.
Her family reported her missing on Sunday after a church member notified them of her absence from a church service. Since then, authorities have been diligently searching for her, cautioning that she has “some physical ailments, faces physical challenges, and requires medication.”
On Tuesday, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department acknowledged they were “aware of reports” concerning “possible ransom note(s)” connected to Guthrie’s disappearance.
Several news outlets have reported receiving alleged notes.
TMZ said on Tuesday that it had received an alleged, unverified ransom note demanding millions in Bitcoin in exchange for the release of Nancy Guthrie. The note, according to the outlet, included a deadline and details about an item allegedly damaged inside Guthrie’s home.
Tucson-area outlet KOLD reported receiving an email on Monday that appeared to be a ransom note.
KOLD anchor Mary Coleman told CNN that information within the email the station received would only be known by “someone holding [Guthrie] for ransom.” Coleman said an investigator had been in contact with the station and was looking into the IP address associated with the email.
“When we saw some of those details, it was clear, after a couple of sentences, that this might not be a hoax,” she explained, adding that it included “a dollar amount” and a deadline.
KGUN reported receiving a similar alleged note that referenced two pieces of evidence at Guthrie’s home that have not been verified by the Tucson area outlet.
While these purported ransom notes have apparent similarities, it’s unclear if they are identical notes. All three outlets reported that they shared the alleged notes with authorities.
Investigators did not initially believe Guthrie’s abduction was part of a kidnapping-for-ransom plot, a person familiar with the case, who was not authorized to publicly discuss details and spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Associated Press earlier this week.
Savannah Guthrie, her sister Annie, and her brother Camron posted a video to Instagram on Wednesday, calling on whoever might have taken their mother to return her safely while acknowledging the reports of possible ransom notes.
“We are ready to talk. However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated,” Savannah Guthrie said while reading from a prepared statement. “We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen. Please reach out to us.”
She was at times emotional during the recording, with her voice cracking. She smiled and looked into the camera when addressing her mother directly, saying that the family was praying for her and that people were looking for her.
“Mommy, if you are hearing this, you are a strong woman. You are God’s precious daughter,” Savannah said.
Authorities said Wednesday that no suspect or person of interest in the case had been identified. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department is scheduled to give an update to the media at 1 p.m. ET on Thursday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.