Nancy Guthrie Update: Investigators Probe Possible New Ransom Note Nearly Eight Months After Disappearance

TUCSON, Ariz. — Investigators are reviewing a possible new ransom note in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of "Today" show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, nearly eight months after she vanished from her home near Tucson, authorities said Monday.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department and the FBI Guthrie Task Force said in a statement that they were "recently made aware of a new possible ransom note related to the Nancy Guthrie investigation."

"Investigators are also aware of social media comments regarding the note and are looking further into the information to determine its credibility," the agencies said.

Authorities did not say how the note surfaced, who received it or what it said. The statement did not include the text of the note.

Social media claim

The announcement came after a woman named Lauren Serpa, who has said she knew Guthrie, wrote in a Facebook post that she had received a ransom demand on Sunday night, according to Newsweek.

Serpa said earlier this year that she was not a close friend of Guthrie's but that Guthrie had shown her kindness at a farmers market nearly 12 years ago, after Serpa's husband died of a brain aneurysm.

Authorities have not said whether the note under review is the one Serpa described, and they have not confirmed whether it is connected to Guthrie's disappearance.

Disappearance and investigation

Guthrie, 84, was last seen at her home outside Tucson on the night of Jan. 31 and was reported missing the next day, Feb. 1.

Early in the investigation, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said authorities believed a crime had occurred. "We do, in fact, have a crime," he said at the time. A law enforcement source told Fox News Digital that blood drops were found leading from the entryway down a pathway toward the driveway.

Nine days after she went missing, the FBI and the sheriff's department released surveillance video and still images showing a masked person who authorities said appeared to tamper with a camera on Guthrie's front porch and block it with a plant.

No suspects have been arrested, and authorities have not confirmed whether Guthrie is alive.

Earlier ransom notes

The new development follows two earlier purported ransom notes sent to a Tucson television station within days of Guthrie's disappearance.

The first note, sent Feb. 2 and addressed to Guthrie's daughter, claimed Guthrie was safe but frightened and would be released unharmed if her captors received $4 million in cryptocurrency. It contained a threat to kill her if the money was not paid, according to authorities.

The note cited details from Guthrie's home, including a white smartwatch near her bed and a damaged backyard floodlight, details that suggested the writer may have had knowledge of the scene.

A second note, sent Feb. 6, claimed that Guthrie had died shortly after being kidnapped. Authorities asked that the second note be kept private to avoid interfering with the investigation, and its existence was not made public until this summer.

Other outlets, including TMZ, also reported receiving possible ransom notes in the early days of the case.

Authorities released details of the notes publicly this year, asking the public for help identifying the writing style. Investigators said the notes contained distinctive patterns in their wording, syntax and phrasing.

Family's pleas

The case has drawn international attention because of Savannah Guthrie's prominence as a co-anchor of NBC's "Today" show. She suspended her broadcasting duties, including coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics, to take part in the search for her mother.

In the early days of the investigation, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings, Annie and Camron, posted an emotional video plea on Instagram asking whoever took their mother to make contact.

"Our mom is a kind, faithful, loyal, fiercely loving woman of goodness and light," Savannah Guthrie said in the video. "She's funny, spunky. She has grandchildren that adore her and crowd around her and cover her with kisses."

The family has continued to share pleas for information in videos posted to social media. On the Sept. 15 edition of "Today," Savannah Guthrie said she wanted to give her mother "a proper goodbye."

Community support

The disappearance has shaken the Tucson community, where Guthrie lived for more than five decades after moving there with her family in the early 1970s. Residents and visitors have signed banners and left messages of support, including outside the KVOA television station in Tucson.

Guthrie was born in Fort Wright, Kentucky, in 1942. She was married to Charles Guthrie until his death in 1988.

Rewards and tips

Guthrie's family is offering a $1 million reward for information leading to her return. In total, more than $1.2 million in rewards has been posted for information leading to her recovery.

Authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov. Tips can also be submitted to the Pima County Sheriff's Department at 520-351-4900 or through 88-CRIME.

Credibility questions

High-profile missing-person cases often attract false tips, hoaxes and extortion attempts from people seeking money or attention, which can complicate investigations and cause additional distress for families.

Investigators have not said whether they believe the new note is genuine. Authorities typically work to determine whether a note contains information that only someone directly involved in a case would know, while also tracing how and when it was delivered.

The sheriff's department and FBI task force did not provide a timeline for their review of the new note. Authorities said they would continue to investigate the information and determine its credibility.

For now, the case remains open, with investigators still seeking the masked person seen on surveillance video and any information that could explain what happened to Guthrie on the night she disappeared.