The FBI has concluded that the three kidnapping-related messages in the case of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie, are not genuine. The messages, which included two ransom notes and a third message claiming to know the identities of the kidnappers, were deemed fake by federal investigators.
Investigation Details
The FBI assessment of inauthenticity pertains to the two ransom notes reported in early February, days after Nancy Guthrie vanished, and a third, more recent message from someone claiming to know the kidnappers’ identities. A second law enforcement source familiar with the matter confirmed the FBI assessment of the ransom notes.
The disclosure that the FBI has discounted the veracity of the three notes seemed to raise doubts about investigators’ fundamental premise that Nancy Guthrie was abducted for ransom to begin with. A spokesperson for the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, which is leading the overall investigation, declined to comment, citing its agreement to refer all inquiries regarding ransom notes to the FBI.
Savannah Guthrie has referenced ransom demands in video messages she and her siblings have posted on social media, urging kidnappers to open a direct line of communication with her family and pleading for her mother’s return. The family has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s safe return.
Investigation Ongoing
The FBI has taken the lead in examining any purported ransom notes or other communications from suspects in the case. Investigators determined that the first two notes originated from the same sender, though how that conclusion was drawn was not specified. The FBI early on deposited a small amount of cryptocurrency in an account as instructed in the first note, but the money was left untouched and never taken.
The FBI has additionally discounted the authenticity of a third note that claimed to know the identities of Nancy Guthrie’s abductors and to have video of the “main guy” involved in her kidnapping, as well as of the victim on the day she died.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
