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Authorities Release Ransom Notes in Nancy Guthrie Case and Ask Public to Read the Writer’s Style

Investigators say the notes’ unusual word choices and syntax could help identify someone who knows the author and produce new leads in the long-running disappearance investigation.

Overview

  • Nancy Guthrie was reported missing from her Catalina Foothills home on February 1, 2026, and investigators say two written communications followed: a February 2 ransom demand for $4 million in bitcoin and a February 6 note claiming she had died.
  • Late in July investigators publicly released the full texts of both notes and highlighted distinctive linguistic patterns they call a potential “writing fingerprint” that friends, coworkers or relatives might recognize.
  • Forensic testing of hair recovered from Guthrie’s home has been completed but has not produced a match to a suspect, and authorities have continued to process thousands of tips without a confirmed identification.
  • The FBI previously released doorbell-camera images showing a masked person at the house on the morning of the disappearance, and investigators are asking the public to report anyone who showed sudden mood, appearance, routine or travel changes around that time.
  • Savannah Guthrie and family members have made repeated public pleas and volunteer groups searched locations in Mexico after anonymous tips, and authorities say the investigation remains active as they wait for public tips tied to the notes, video or behavioral clues.