FBI - PHOTO: This image provided by the FBI Feb. 5, 2026, shows a missing person Nancy Guthrie.

The mysterious disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has taken a tragic turn. Sources familiar with the investigation have revealed that a second ransom note sent to a Tucson television station claimed the elderly woman died shortly after she was taken from her Arizona home.

Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her Tucson residence in the early morning hours of February 1. In the days that followed, multiple ransom notes were sent to various media outlets. The Guthrie family received two notes that investigators deemed potentially credible, prompting the FBI to trace their origins .

The first note, sent on February 2 to local television stations and TMZ through online tiplines, demanded millions of dollars in cryptocurrency for Nancy Guthrie's safe return. This initial communication contained specific details about her home, including the presence of an Apple Watch with a white band on her bedroom floor and a broken back porch light. The note was addressed directly to Savannah Guthrie and provided information that only someone who had been inside the residence would know .

The Second Note's Grim Revelation

The second note, received on February 6, brought devastating news. According to sources who reviewed the correspondence, the message stated that Nancy Guthrie had died shortly after her abduction. Unlike the first note, this communication reportedly made no demands for payment and contained no requests for the return of her body . The language in the second note was similar in style to the first, suggesting the same person or group sent both communications. Investigators believe both notes likely originated from the same computer IP address .

After receiving the second note, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings posted a video on Instagram addressing the abductors. In the emotional appeal, Guthrie stated, "We received your message and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her." She emphasized that the family would pay, describing their mother as "very valuable to us" .

Ongoing Investigation

The Pima County Sheriff's Department and the FBI continue to investigate the case actively. Doorbell camera footage released earlier in the investigation showed a masked man at Nancy Guthrie's home on the night of her disappearance. The FBI has described the suspect as a male between 5-foot-9 and 5-foot-10 with an average build. The suspect was wearing a 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack in the footage .

Investigators have also collected DNA evidence from the home that does not belong to Nancy Guthrie or anyone in close contact with her. Additional evidence has been sent for laboratory analysis, with results pending .

In March, Savannah Guthrie spoke publicly about the case for the first time in an interview with her friend and former co-host Hoda Kotb. She acknowledged that the family does not have answers and cannot find peace without resolution. "Honestly, we don't know anything," she said, pleading for anyone with information to come forward.

The family has offered a combined reward of $1 million for information leading to Nancy Guthrie's return, with an additional $100,000 from the FBI . Despite extensive media coverage and thousands of tips received by investigators, the whereabouts of Nancy Guthrie remain unknown, and the investigation continues.