
A ransom note believed to have been sent by Nancy Guthrie’s abductors claims the 84-year-old mother of NBC *Today* show host Savannah Guthrie died shortly after her January abduction, US media reported on Tuesday. CNN and other outlets cited law enforcement sources confirming the authenticity of the handwritten note, which was delivered to Guthrie family members over the weekend. The document, described as “disturbing and detailed,” asserts that Nancy Guthrie was killed within days of being taken from her Tucson home on 27 January 2026 .
Tucson police have not yet publicly confirmed the note’s contents, but multiple US networks reported the same claim within hours of each other, citing unnamed investigators familiar with the probe. The revelation has intensified pressure on authorities to resolve a case that has gripped American audiences since Guthrie’s disappearance. Savannah Guthrie, co-host of the flagship morning programme watched by millions, has repeatedly urged anyone with information to come forward. “We will never stop searching for her,” she told reporters on Monday, speaking in Greek during a press conference in Athens .
Nancy Guthrie, a retired educator, was taken from her ground-floor apartment in the affluent Foothills area of Tucson. Neighbours reported seeing two masked individuals force their way inside just after 9 p.m. on 27 January. Despite an extensive FBI-led manhunt and a $500,000 reward, no suspects have been named and no physical evidence has been made public. The case drew global attention in February when Savannah Guthrie tearfully appealed for her mother’s safe return during a primetime broadcast watched by more than 3.5 million viewers.
Greek outlets quoted investigators as saying the kidnappers may have killed Nancy Guthrie shortly after the abduction, a claim that would explain the lack of subsequent ransom demands or contact. “The note suggests she did not survive the initial days,” one Greek newspaper cited unnamed officials as saying . Tucson police have not commented on the timeline, but sources told CNN the handwriting and paper match other materials recovered during the investigation.
Savannah Guthrie, 54, has continued to present *Today* while privately coordinating with the FBI and local police. Friends say she is preparing for the possibility that the search may soon shift from rescue to recovery. The family has scheduled a private memorial service for Friday in Tucson, pending confirmation of Nancy Guthrie’s remains.