The investigation into the disappearance of “Today” host Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, continues, but the FBI just made its first arrest in connection with the case.
FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke announced at a February 5 press conference that a suspect had been arrested in connection with a false ransom note sent to news media on February 3, but the FBI later denied the note was authentic. “We have arrested an individual in connection with the impersonation of the ransom demand and a complaint will be filed with a magistrate judge later today,” Janke said. “You will receive additional information from the FBI and our U.S. Attorney’s Office in Arizona as soon as more information becomes available.”
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He continued, “There is no evidence that this is related to Nancy’s case. This is someone trying to profit from this.”
Janke also issued a warning to those planning to provide false evidence in order to obtain a $50,000 reward for Nancy’s whereabouts. “My next message is to the impostors out there who are trying to take advantage of this situation and profit from it. We will investigate and make sure you are held accountable for your actions,” Yank said. “This is an 84-year-old grandma who needs important medications to stay healthy. You still have time to do the right thing before this gets worse and worse for you.”
TMZ reported on February 3 that it had received an alleged ransom note demanding millions of dollars in Bitcoin to free Savannah’s mother. According to TMZ, the note was sent on Tuesday morning and included a specific Bitcoin address used to send the payment, which the outlet verified was authentic.
Less than a day after the FBI was arrested over the fake ransom note, Mary Coleman, an anchor at KOLD 13 News in Arizona who also received the ransom note via email, claimed that “it became clear within a few sentences” that it “probably wasn’t a scam.”
“A lot of it is information that only the people who blackmailed her would know,” she said during a Feb. 4 appearance on CNN. “Some very sensitive information and things that people who weren’t there when she was captured wouldn’t know.”
She continued, “We immediately sent that information to the Sheriff’s Department … and one of the detectives did get back to us asking for more information so they could start searching for IP addresses and things of that nature and try to identify the person responsible here.”
Coleman added that the note “included an amount, a deadline,” and other details that only “Guthrie’s kidnapper might have known, so that definitely raised some red flags.”
Savannah, her siblings Anne and brother Karen posted a video on Instagram pleading to Nancy’s would-be kidnappers, and Savannah was later arrested over the fake note. “We’ve also heard reports in the media about ransom letters,” Savannah said. “As a family, we are doing everything we can. We are ready to speak. However, we live in a world where voices and images can be easily manipulated. We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you own her. We want your voices to be heard and we are ready to listen. Please contact us.”
Savannah went on to call Nancy “our heart and our home” before expressing her concerns about her mother’s health. “She was 84 years old,” Savannah said. “Her health, her heart is fragile. She lives in constant pain. She doesn’t have any medication. She needs medication to survive. She needs medication to not suffer,” she said.
She continued, “On behalf of our family, I want to thank you all for praying for our beloved mom Nancy. We feel it and we believe she feels it too. Our mom was a kind, loyal, devoted, loving, kind and bright woman. She was funny, brave, and smart. Her grandchildren adored her, surrounded her, and kissed her. She loved fun and adventure. She was a loyal friend. She was full of kindness and knowledge. Be with her and you will see it.”
She ended the video with a message to her mother: “Mom, if you hear this, you are a strong woman. You are a precious daughter of God, Nancy. We believe and know that He is with you, even in this valley. Mom, everyone is looking for you everywhere. We are not Will rest. Your children will not rest until we are together again. We talk to you every moment and we pray in advance for the day when we will hold you in our arms again. “We love you,” she captioned the post.
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