Quick answer: On June 26, 2026, TMZ received a new ransom note Nancy Guthrie case from someone claiming to possess a phone with video of “the main guy” and Nancy on the day she likely died. The writer, who authorities believe may be tied to her abductors, demanded one Bitcoin for the phone’s password. The FBI is now reviewing the message.
The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie has gripped the country for months. An 84-year-old grandmother, taken from her own bed in the quiet Catalina Foothills of Tucson, Arizona. A daughter—Savannah Guthrie of NBC’s “TODAY”—pleading on national television. And a string of cryptic, chilling messages demanding cryptocurrency, each one peeling back another layer of a case that refuses to resolve.
The latest twist arrived in late June 2026, when a new demand letter landed in TMZ’s inbox. This time, the sender claimed to hold something no previous note had offered: video evidence. What follows is a careful look at who Nancy Guthrie is, how her case unfolded, and what the newest ransom communication actually says—separating verified reporting from the speculation that has swirled around this story since day one.
Biography Snapshot
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Nancy Guthrie |
| Known As | Mother of Savannah Guthrie |
| Date of Birth | Approximately 1941 (based on reported age) |
| Age | 84 (at time of disappearance) |
| Birthplace | United States (specific location not publicly confirmed) |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Retired; reportedly associated with the University of Arizona |
| Years Active | Not publicly documented |
| Known For | Being the mother of “TODAY” host Savannah Guthrie; her February 2026 abduction |
| Relationship Status | Widow (publicly reported) |
| Children | Savannah Guthrie, Annie Guthrie, Camron Guthrie |
| Education | Not publicly confirmed |
| Net Worth | Not publicly disclosed (private individual) |
| Social Media | No known public accounts |
Who is Nancy Guthrie and where is she from?
Nancy Guthrie is a private citizen who lived in the Catalina Foothills of Tucson, Arizona. Unlike her daughter, she never sought the spotlight. She was a mother of three, a devout churchgoer, and a woman whose health had grown fragile with age.
Reports from the investigation describe a woman with limited mobility who depended on daily medication and a pacemaker. On the night she vanished, she had spent the evening at the home of her daughter Annie, sharing dinner before being driven home around 9:48 p.m. on Saturday, January 31, 2026. Her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, reportedly waited until she was safely inside before leaving.
That ordinary Saturday night became the last confirmed sighting of her.
The night everything changed
According to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, the timeline of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance is hauntingly precise. Her garage door closed at 9:50 p.m. on January 31. By 1:47 a.m. the following morning, her doorbell camera had disconnected. At 2:12 a.m., camera software detected a person—though no usable video survived. At 2:28 a.m., her pacemaker app disconnected from her phone.
By midday on February 1, relatives discovered she was gone. The family called 911 at 12:03 p.m.
Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos did not mince words. “I believe she was abducted, yes,” he told CBS News. “She didn’t walk from there. She didn’t go willingly.” Investigators later confirmed that blood found outside her front door belonged to Nancy Guthrie.
How the investigation unfolded
The case quickly drew federal resources. FBI Director Kash Patel personally released surveillance images on February 10, showing a masked individual tampering with the camera at Nancy Guthrie’s front door. The FBI described the suspect as a man of average build, roughly 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-10, wearing gloves and a black 25-liter Ozark Trail Hiker Pack backpack.
Several leads surfaced and faded. A glove recovered about two miles from her home contained DNA—but it was eventually traced to a local restaurant worker with no connection to the case. A man briefly detained near the Mexican border was released without charges. The FBI deployed a “signal sniffer” mounted on a helicopter, hoping to detect the faint electronic signal from her pacemaker.
On February 16, Sheriff Nanos publicly cleared the entire Guthrie family. “The Guthrie family are victims plain and simple,” he said. By late February, the FBI had relocated its command post from Tucson to Phoenix for long-term efficiency.
The ransom notes: a timeline of demands
The ransom communications are central to this story, and their evolution is worth tracing carefully.
The first alleged note reached TMZ on February 3, 2026. It demanded a substantial sum in Bitcoin—reported in the millions, with figures as high as $4 million circulating—and included details about what Nancy Guthrie had been wearing. TMZ verified the Bitcoin address was real and forwarded the note to the Pima County Sheriff.
A second message arrived days later, sent to CBS affiliate KOLD. According to sources who reviewed it, this note delivered devastating news: it claimed Nancy Guthrie had died and was, in the words attributed to the sender, “buried with nature now.” The note suggested her death was not intended.
In June 2026, CBS News reported a significant development. Investigators familiar with the case believe both ransom notes were likely sent by the same person or group responsible for her abduction—and that both originated from the same computer IP address.
What does the new ransom note Nancy Guthrie case reveal?
The newest message, received by TMZ on June 26, 2026, marks the most provocative communication yet. TMZ authenticated that it came from the same sender as the earlier notes, citing a matching Bitcoin address and a consistent alias.
In the letter, the writer claims to hold a phone “stashed in a secure location.” According to TMZ, the sender wrote that the phone contains “a short video of the main guy with nancy the day that was probably her last, pictures of both involved, names and addresses and age.” He claimed there were two kidnappers and offered to surrender the phone’s password for one Bitcoin.
The writer also pushed back against investigators. He appeared to scoff at an FBI theory that the note’s author might be a woman, writing, “I am not the idiot who recently called in a tip about her burial site in Mexico.” TMZ said it responded by asking the sender to provide a single screengrab of Nancy to authenticate the claim, and forwarded the email to the FBI.
Coverage spread quickly. Fox News correspondent Natalie Chuck reported on the new ransom note during “America Reports,” and a noted FBI profiler was consulted to assess which elements of the message appeared credible and which did not.
It’s worth stressing what remains unverified. As of this writing, no video evidence has been publicly confirmed, and authorities have not validated the sender’s specific claims. The Guthrie family said early in the saga, “We live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know without a doubt that she is alive.”
A family in agony
The public persona of this story belongs largely to Savannah Guthrie, who has carried her family’s grief onto national airwaves. Alongside her siblings Annie and Camron, she released a series of emotional video appeals.
On February 24, the family announced an additional $1 million reward, bringing the combined total—with law enforcement contributions—to roughly $1.2 million. The family also donated $500,000 to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to support other cases.
In a March interview with former co-host Hoda Kotb, Savannah Guthrie’s words cut deep. “We are in agony,” she said. “I wake up every night in the middle of the night… in the darkness, I imagine her terror, and it is unthinkable, but those thoughts demand to be thought.” She returned to “TODAY” on April 6, calling the show “part of my purpose right now.”
Lesser-known details from the case
Several smaller details have shaped the investigation in ways the public rarely sees. Investigators believe the suspect’s mask, clothing, and backpack were likely purchased at Walmart, and the company provided records of recent Ozark Trail Hiker Pack purchases. Sheriff Nanos called the backpack “one of the most promising leads.”
There’s also the unsettling theory that the masked figure visited Nancy Guthrie’s door before the night of the abduction—possibly noticing the camera, retreating, then returning. The sheriff’s office cautioned that without timestamps, such conclusions remain “purely speculative.”
Cultural impact and public fascination
The Nancy Guthrie case has become a fixture of true-crime discourse, spawning podcasts, YouTube breakdowns, and continuous cable coverage. That attention has a darker side. In June 2026, Savannah Guthrie reportedly called police on YouTubers staking out her mother’s home—a reminder of how public tragedy can attract intrusion alongside genuine concern.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the new ransom note Nancy Guthrie case is centered on?
The new ransom note, received by TMZ on June 26, 2026, is a message from someone claiming to possess a phone containing video of “the main guy” with Nancy Guthrie on what was likely the day she died. The sender demanded one Bitcoin for the phone’s password and was authenticated by TMZ as the same author of earlier notes. The FBI is reviewing it.
Has Nancy Guthrie been found?
No. As of the latest reporting, Nancy Guthrie has not been located, and the investigation remains active. While a second ransom note claimed she had died, authorities have not publicly confirmed her death.
Who is leading the Nancy Guthrie investigation?
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department, led by Sheriff Chris Nanos, is working jointly with the FBI. FBI Director Kash Patel has been publicly involved, and the bureau moved its command post to Phoenix in February 2026.
What did the earlier ransom notes say?
The first note, received in February 2026, demanded millions in Bitcoin for Nancy Guthrie’s release. A second note claimed she had died and was “buried with nature.” Investigators believe both notes came from the same source and IP address as the latest message.
Is the video evidence in the new note real?
That remains unverified. TMZ asked the sender to provide a screengrab to authenticate the claim, and an FBI profiler was consulted to assess the message’s credibility. No video has been publicly confirmed.
Where the case stands now
The story of Nancy Guthrie is, at its core, the story of a family refusing to let go. Each ransom note has reopened the wound, dangling answers just out of reach. The newest message—with its claim of hidden video and its demand for a single Bitcoin—may be a genuine break or another cruel manipulation.
For now, the facts are these: a beloved mother remains missing, the FBI continues its work, and a sender claiming knowledge of her fate keeps making demands. Anyone with information is urged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Pima County Sheriff’s Department at 520-351-4900.
As Savannah Guthrie said through tears, “Someone needs to do the right thing.” Until that happens, the search—and the questions—continue.
Emma Clarke is a content writer at Gaukurinn.is, specializing in celebrity news, pop culture, movies, and music. With a strong focus on accuracy and trending topics, she creates engaging and well-researched articles that keep readers informed and entertained.
Emma follows trusted sources and editorial standards to ensure content is reliable, relevant, and up to date. Her goal is to deliver clear, valuable information that readers can trust.
