NBC's "TODAY" show co-host Savannah Guthrie posted an emotional appeal on social media six months after her mother, Nancy Guthrie, was kidnapped. On Instagram, Guthrie appealed to witnesses, saying, "Someone knows something. Someone suspects something."
84-year-old Nancy Guthrie was last seen outside her home in Catalina Hills near Tucson, Arizona, on January 31. Security camera footage from the home shows a masked suspect disabling the cameras at 1:47 a.m. on February 1. About forty minutes later, at 2:28 a.m., the Bluetooth connection between Nancy Guthrie's pacemaker and her cell phone was lost.
Ransom notes reveal new details
The Pima County Sheriff's Office released the ransom notes to the public, which were sent one day after the kidnapping and came in two parts four days apart. The notes demanded a $4 million Bitcoin ransom for Nancy Guthrie's release, and threatened to kill her otherwise. The second note claimed that Nancy Guthrie had been "killed."
Authorities stated that the notes contained some critical details about the case that had not been made public at the time. These details include the location of Nancy Guthrie's Apple Watch and a broken floodlight found in the backyard of the home. The fact that the Apple Watch detail, which Fox News Digital learned about on the morning of February 3, was included in a note sent on February 2 suggests that the perpetrators may have had access to some information from the investigation.
'Bring our mother home' plea
In her Instagram message, Savannah Guthrie expressed her family's pain, saying, "This is our beautiful mother. Six months ago, someone took her from her bed in the middle of the night." The host, stating that "Every moment, every breath, and every heartbeat since then has been anguish and hopelessness," appealed to witnesses: "Someone has noticed something different, strange, unsettling, or unusual. Maybe they are scared. Maybe they are conflicted. But there is a way – to tell what you know. You can do it anonymously. There is a reward."
Guthrie also criticized those following the story for entertainment or profit, saying, "If you are following this story for entertainment or profit, you are not on her side – you are part of the harm being done to her," and concluded her message with "Bring our mother home."
The Pima County Sheriff's Office asked anyone who recognizes the "unique linguistic style" in the ransom notes to contact them. As the investigation continues, the family once again reminded that a reward is available for any information and that anonymous tips are accepted.
