Savannah Guthrie tells mother's possible kidnapper 'we will pay' in new video
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
"TODAY" co-anchor Savannah Guthrie addressed her mother's possible kidnapper in a new Instagram video Saturday, saying the family would "pay" for the 84-year-old woman's safe return.
"We received your message and we understand," Savannah Guthrie said, seated alongside her brother, Camron, and sister, Annie. "We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace."
"This is very valuable to us, and we will pay," Savannah Guthrie said in closing, holding her siblings' hands.
Guthrie's 20-second video did not provide specifics about the message she referenced.
At least three news outlets have received a possible ransom note, and it is not clear if she was referencing that note or another communication. NBC News has reviewed a copy of the note. No law enforcement agency has so far substantiated the note.
The FBI and the Pima County Sheriff's Department said Friday they were aware of a new message regarding Guthrie, which investigators were inspecting for authenticity. It is not known whether the possible ransom note and that new message are connected, or whether they came from the same sender.
Two notes were sent to local TV station KOLD. The station's news director, Jessica Bobula, told NBC News on Saturday that the first message came in to their news tips system on Monday and the second just before noon Friday.
She said neither note provided proof of life, but the first note said Guthrie was fine.
The second note "was certainly not a ransom demand," Bobula said, noting it did not ask for money, and it differed "in almost every way" from the first. One of the notes did not provide an image of Guthrie but "a description," she said.
Bobula said the author of the second note appeared to be trying to prove that they were the same sender as the first note.
"There is something in the note that we believe they are trying to use to make sure the investigators know that it is the same people," Bobula said. "It seems as though they are trying to indicate only the sender of the previous email would know this detail."
The first note included two deadlines, one for 5 p.m. last Thursday and another for 5 p.m. Monday, and a request for funds.
Asked if the note indicated what might happen if the Monday deadline is missed she said, "They did." When asked if the note indicated Guthrie could be harmed in some way, Bobula said, "Yes."
Both notes were sent to the Pima County Sheriff's Department, along with the IP information, she said.
Nancy Guthrie was reported missing from her home north of Tucson, Arizona, around noon Sunday after she did not show up at church. She was last seen the night before around 9:45 p.m. after having dinner at Annie Guthrie's home.
The sheriff's department believes Guthrie was taken "possibly in the middle of the night, and that includes possible kidnapping or abduction." State and federal law enforcement officials are involved in the investigation, including the FBI.
In a statement Wednesday, the sheriff's department said investigators have not identified a suspect or a person of interest. Authorities previously said they have no credible information that Guthrie's possible abduction was a targeted incident.
Investigators believe Guthrie is "still out there" and remain committed to bringing her home safely.
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This doesnt make any sense in terms of this woman still being alive.
she isn't. she didn't live thru the abduction and she's under a foot of sand off a side road between tucson and phoenix. the kidnappers were amateurs, they botched it, and then the sheriff's dept totally fucked up the crime scene. what's left now is one of the kidnappers trying to salvage a payday from the ordeal before the body is found.
sounds about right
if the dumb ass that's sending ransom notes to the media now is one of the kidnappers, he'll probably be the next body in a shallow grave. too much time has passed for any successful exchange and any additional interaction by the kidnappers with the media is just more ways to help LE find them, even with the past incompetent actions the local sheriff has already admitted to.
I very seriously doubt she is alive. Whoever abducted her is going to get caught, it's a matter of time. In today's world it's near impossible to get away with a crime like this.
Something just does not feel right about this, beginning with the initial reports that the daughter, Annie, dropped her mom off at home, then the story changed to the son in law, but now, LE only references a "family member".
My guess is something tragic happened to her while with someone in the family, that person panicked and now there is no other way out than to use the bitcoin ruse as a way to cover it up.
Morning bugs..I am with you... something is not adding up and would be looking at the family... especially if there is an inheritance involved...
Don't know why but looking at the son for some reason..
Hope they get to the bottom of it one way or another for everyone's sake...