Allegations have emerged that an elderly woman, mother of Today show star Savannah Guthrie, has been kidnapped, with the captors demanding a hefty ransom in Bitcoin by 5 p.m. local time on Monday.
This troubling situation marks the ninth day since the woman was reportedly taken from her home in the night. As time ticks away, the urgency around her safe return is mounting.
Sources indicate that the kidnappers sent multiple ransom notes to various media outlets, including one to Tucson’s ABC affiliate KGUN, in which they requested $6 million from the Guthrie family. However, law enforcement hasn’t verified this figure.
The demands included a warning that the woman’s life could be at risk if their requests were not met.
One particular note specified a $4 million demand that had a deadline of Thursday at 5 p.m.
As of now, the Guthrie family has not received any proof of life for Nancy, who depends on medication.
State police in Arizona are actively searching for her and have investigated areas around her upscale home in the Catalina Foothills, including a septic tank and a manhole.
Despite the search efforts, authorities have been tight-lipped, not disclosing whether anything significant was found.
Pima County Police have confirmed that units will remain on site at 84-year-old Nancy’s home.
In a statement, the police reminded the public to adhere to traffic and property laws, noting that unauthorized entry to the premises is prohibited and could lead to enforcement actions.
The military assistance was prompted by a request from the Guthrie family.
Over the weekend, Savannah publicly expressed her willingness to pay for her mother’s safe return.
In an emotional message to the abductors, Savannah, accompanied by her brother and sister, conveyed their understanding of the situation.
She pleaded, “We now ask you to return our mother to us so we can celebrate together. This is the only way we can have peace.”
The family’s determination to secure Nancy’s safe return suggests they are not seeking vengeance, according to former FBI agent Jason Pack.
Additionally, police executed a late-night search at Annie’s home, roughly four miles away from Nancy’s, where agents spent about three hours collecting evidence.
Nancy was reported missing on February 1st after she didn’t arrive for church services.
The last known sighting of her was around 9:45 p.m. the previous night, after dining with family. Her garage door was opened shortly after, closing two minutes later.
The doorbell camera lost connection around 1:47 a.m. and later detected movement roughly half an hour afterward. However, her subscription had expired, so police have no video footage to review.
Adding to the mystery, Nancy’s pacemaker was disconnected just before 2:30 a.m.
There’s a reward of up to $50,000 for any information leading to finding Nancy or arresting the suspect.
Meanwhile, FBI Director Kash Patel is set to visit Tucson, though it has been clarified that his trip is unrelated to this case.
An FBI Phoenix representative stated that the visit had been in the works for weeks, but plans can change.
FBI Special Agent Heiss Janke urged the kidnappers to “do the right thing,” emphasizing that there’s still time to make a more favorable decision for all involved.
