Why Police Kept Secret The Nancy Guthrie Ransom Note Which Claimed She Had Died

A ransom statement claiming that Nancy Guthrie had died was kept a concealed by rule enforcement for astir 5 months complete fears that releasing excessively overmuch accusation would inhibit nan investigation into her disappearance.

The 84-year-old mother of Today show big Savannah Guthrie vanished from her Arizona location connected February 1. Within a week of her disappearance, 2 notes reportedly written by her abductors were sent to CNN and a section news position successful Tucson, CNN reported.

Some accusation from nan first note, which demanded millions of dollars for Nancy Guthrie’s return, was made public. Law enforcement asked nan news stations not to study connected nan 2nd statement while they worked to corroborate its authenticity. In that note, nan expected culprit claimed that nan aged female was dormant but he did not mean to termination her.

Authorities tried to verify whether Guthrie had died but were incapable to, sources told CNN.

Investigators thought keeping nan specifications of nan 2nd statement backstage would beryllium beneficial if it came to questioning a imaginable fishy aliases suspects, arsenic nan statement contained accusation only her kidnappers would know, nan sources said.

Authorities besides worried that nationalist liking successful nan high-profile lawsuit would slice and that investigators would person less tips if they shared a statement claiming she had died.

Authorities have not publically confirmed nan note’s authenticity or provided specifications astir nan investigation. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department declined to remark connected nan reported contents of nan note, while nan FBI did not instantly respond to requests for comment.

The contents of nan 2nd statement adhd discourse to an affectional video that nan Guthrie family released February 7, successful which Savannah Guthrie addressed nan statement writer.

“We received your connection and we understand,” she said successful nan video. “We request you now to return our mother to america truthful that we tin observe pinch her. This is nan only measurement we will person peace.”

Nancy was reported missing connected February 1 aft she grounded to be a regular religion service. Authorities later said they believed she was abducted aliases different taken against her will aft uncovering humor adjacent nan entranceway of her home, which suggested she whitethorn person been injured.

The lawsuit gained wide attraction arsenic authorities stressed that nan aged female went missing without her regular medication. After reports emerged of alleged ransom notes connected to nan case, nan FBI released surveillance footage showing a masked personification adjacent her location astir nan clip of her disappearance.

The lawsuit drew a monolithic hunt effort from section and national rule enforcement, volunteers and hunt teams, and progressive dogs and drones. But contempt their champion efforts, Nancy has not been found.

Savannah Guthrie returned to nan Today show successful April pursuing a time off of absence. On Tuesday morning, she addressed nan latest developments unrecorded on-air.

“I don’t person immoderate remark connected this story, and I’m not progressive successful our coverage. But I can’t dress I’m not here,” she said, tearfully.

“And truthful since I am, I conscionable wanted to return nan opportunity to inquire people, really to request group to travel forward. Somebody knows something,” she said.

“This is simply a caller communicative coming that is connected your radar, but this is nan life my sister lives, that I live, that my relative lives, that our extended families live, that our children unrecorded each day. And we are successful agony.”

She added: “We cannot beryllium astatine peace. So nary matter really overmuch I effort to travel retired present each time and grin and find that joyousness — and I will, I committedness I will — this is simply a infinitesimal to show you that we request your help. We’re begging you for your help.

“Please do nan correct thing. For us. For our family. For our children,” she said. “We emotion our mom and we’ll ne'er extremity looking for her. Never.”