Pima County sheriff says ransom note found in Nancy Guthrie case
Authorities in Arizona are investigating a potential new ransom note related to the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, an elderly woman who vanished from her Tucson home in February.This investigation follows previous inquiries into multiple fake ransom notes and an apparent kidnapping. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI are examining the credibility of this new note amid social media comments. Nancy Guthrie’s family has offered a $1 million reward for information leading to her return. Despite efforts,the case remains unresolved,with no suspects detained. Authorities have reviewed doorbell camera footage showing a suspect approaching her home, described as a man about 5’9″ to 5’10” tall, carrying a backpack and dressed in Walmart clothing. Tensions have arisen between federal and local officials, with FBI Director Kash Patel accusing Sheriff Chris Nanos of obstructing the investigation by delaying evidence sharing and limiting FBI involvement. Nanos denies these accusations and faced a recall effort over his handling of the case, which ultimately did not succeed. The investigation continues as authorities seek credible leads.
Arizona authorities revealed on Monday that they are looking into a possible new ransom note connected to the Nancy Guthrie case, months after the elderly woman mysteriously disappeared from her Tucson home.
The mother of Today co-host Savannah Guthrie vanished from her home in February, triggering a sweeping investigation involving the FBI as officials searched for clues surrounding the apparent kidnapping.
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After multiple ransom notes turned out to be fake, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department announced this week that it is investigating another note to determine whether it is credible.
“The PCSD/FBI Guthrie Task Force was recently made aware of a new possible ransom note related to the Nancy Guthrie investigation,” the department said. “Investigators are also aware of social media comments regarding the note and are looking further into the information to determine its credibility.”
The Guthrie family is offering a $1 million reward for information leading to Nancy Guthrie’s recovery.
The investigation has largely stalled since Guthrie, 84, went missing from her home on Feb. 1, with no suspect yet being detained in connection with the case.
In one major breakthrough, authorities were able to access doorbell camera footage from Guthrie’s property of a suspect that month, depicting footage of a person approaching her stoop on the night she was abducted. The FBI said the suspect is a man between 5 feet, 9 inches and 5 feet, 10 inches tall, with an average build. He was seen carrying a 25-liter “Ozark Trail Hiker Pack” backpack, mask, and clothing from Walmart, according to officials.
FBI Director Kash Patel has repeatedly accused Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos of impeding the search for Guthrie, claims the local official has denied, as an apparent power struggle between the two men plays out in public view.
In February, Nanos was hit with claims he slowed down the search by sending evidence related to the case to a Florida lab for DNA analysis, instead of handing it over to the FBI’s crime lab. In July, Patel suggested that had Nanos looped the FBI into the case sooner, federal agents could have recovered additional video evidence, which could have included a suspect vehicle, more footage of the masked intruder, or additional imagery from a prior visit to Guthrie’s home.
FBI DOUBLES REWARD IN SEARCH FOR NANCY GUTHRIE AS NEW SUSPECT DETAILS RELEASED
The FBI director’s accusation came after he had claimed Nanos kept the FBI out of the case for four days.
Nanos has denied the allegations, but he was hit with a recall effort in March over his handling of the case, along with multiple broader concerns about his leadership in the Arizona county. That recall effort petered out in July after critics didn’t gather enough signatures before a local deadline.
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