Investigation of New Message in Nancy Guthrie Case
Authorities are currently examining a new message sent to a local television news station that may be connected to the suspected abduction of Nancy Guthrie, mother of US news presenter Savannah Guthrie.
On Friday, officials stated they were "aware of a new message regarding Nancy Guthrie" and are "inspecting the information provided in the message for its accuracy."
This development follows public appeals from the Guthrie family seeking confirmation that their mother remains alive, as well as the passing of the first deadline mentioned in one of the alleged ransom letters on Thursday evening.
The 84-year-old woman is believed to have been taken from her residence in Tucson, Arizona, over the past weekend. Police have announced a $50,000 (£36,000) reward for information leading to her whereabouts.
The FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department released a joint statement that did not specify the recipient of the note or provide details about its contents.
A presenter from a local CBS News affiliate informed the BBC that her station received the "message." It remains unclear whether other media outlets were also recipients.
Family Pleas and Lack of Direct Contact
On Thursday, Camron Guthrie, son of the missing woman, reiterated the family's request for communication and confirmed that they had not received any direct contact from the alleged kidnappers.
"We have to know that you have our mum," Camron said in the family's latest video message. "We want to talk to you."
"We haven't heard anything directly," he added in the video, which was posted shortly after 17:00 local time in Arizona (00:00 GMT).
"We need you to reach out, and we need a way to communicate with you so we can move forward."
National Attention and Federal Involvement
The case has attracted widespread attention across the United States, with even President Donald Trump commenting and directing federal agencies to assist in the investigation.
On Friday, President Trump stated that authorities had uncovered "some clues" and expressed optimism that "we could have some answers" soon regarding the case.
Details on the Messages and Ransom Notes
The message currently under investigation is one of several being reviewed by law enforcement.
During a briefing on Thursday, FBI Special Agent Heith Janke mentioned that the agency was examining one of the notes, which he described as a possible ransom note. The note set a payment deadline of 17:00 on Thursday, though the time zone was not specified, and included a second deadline for the following Monday.
No additional details were provided about the consequences if the deadlines were not met. Agent Janke stated,
"We're not going to go into specifics."
Authorities also announced on Thursday that an arrest had been made in connection with a fake ransom note.
Emotional Appeal from Savannah Guthrie
Earlier in the week, Savannah Guthrie shared an emotional video message alongside her siblings.
The NBC News Today programme host addressed the potential abductors directly, stating,
"We are ready to talk... We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and you have her... Please, reach out to us."
Ongoing Investigation and Community Response
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos commented on Thursday that investigators had not yet identified any suspects but were operating under the assumption that Nancy Guthrie was still alive.
"Right now, we believe Nancy is still out there. We want her home,"he said.
"Everybody's still a suspect in our eyes."
Numerous reporters and camera crews have gathered in the quiet Arizona suburb where Nancy Guthrie resides.
Authorities have restricted access to her street, located beneath the Santa Catalina Mountains on roads lined with the region's iconic Saguaro cactus.
Police posted on X that investigators are conducting follow-up activities at the Guthrie residence and surrounding areas, and that the road is "restricted to provide investigators space."
One local resident, when asked about security concerns, expressed frustration at repeated interviews and indicated he was not concerned about kidnappers but rather about local wildlife, specifically javelina, hoofed mammals native to Tucson. He demonstrated his preparedness by showing a large stick, stating it was sufficient for his security.
Authorities have urged the public to report any information to the sheriff's office, pledging to investigate all leads thoroughly and cautioning against the spread of misinformation.
