Ransom note suggests Nancy Guthrie has died, according to reports

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A ransom note related to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of 'Today' show host Savannah Guthrie, indicated that the 84-year-old had died, as reported by CNN and other news organizations citing law enforcement sources. Some media outlets had reported receiving ransom notes linked to the case following Guthrie's disappearance in early February from her home near Tucson. CNN reported that one of the notes stated that Nancy Guthrie was dead and that her kidnappers did not intend to kill her, but she died shortly after her abduction. CNN also mentioned that it was aware of the contents of one note, and a Tucson TV station had received two notes. Both CNN and the station decided to withhold the details of the notes to ensure that any future communications with the kidnappers could be verified. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department did not comment on the note's contents, and the FBI did not respond to a request for comment. The Guthrie family has not made any immediate public comments regarding the notes. Jessica Bobula, news director for the Tucson TV station KOLD, confirmed that the station received several notes after Guthrie's disappearance and reported them to authorities, sharing only what the FBI has disclosed about the notes. Authorities believe Nancy Guthrie was kidnapped after blood was found near her front doorstep. The FBI released surveillance footage showing a masked individual on the porch that night. Search teams and volunteers have been searching the surrounding desert areas for weeks, and a recent volunteer search near the Arizona-Mexico border did not yield any findings.