Another scary twist in the disappearance of “TODAY” host Savannah Guthrie’s kidnapped mother … TMZ has received an alleged ransom note demanding payment for the release of Nancy Guthrie.
The note, which was sent to us Tuesday morning, demands a specific substantial amount of Bitcoin … the amount is in the millions, and the note demands the cryptocurrency be sent to a specific Bitcoin address.
TMZ has verified the Bitcoin address is real.
There is a deadline connected to the alleged ransom … and an element of “or else.”
In the moment on our live stream above, Harvey and Charles said she was wearing an item mentioned in the note. In fact, the note says she was not wearing it.
The alleged ransom note also describes another item the sender says was damaged at her Tucson-area home.
We forwarded the alleged ransom demand to the Pima County Sheriff.
Search continues for Savannah Guthrie’s mom: ‘We don’t know where she is,’ sheriff says
Nancy was reported missing Sunday, and her disappearance has been labeled as an abduction and homicide detectives are on the case.
Authorities said Tuesday they do not know the whereabouts of the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, who is believed to have been abducted from her Arizona home over the weekend, or have any suspect information.
Nancy Guthrie was last seen in the Catalina Foothills area on Saturday night, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. Her family reported her missing on Sunday around noon local time, authorities said.
Investigators do not believe Nancy Guthrie left her home willingly and that she was abducted in her sleep early Sunday morning, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department told ABC News.
“We don’t know where she is,” Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said during a press briefing on Tuesday.
“We do believe that Nancy was taken from her home against her will, and that’s where we’re at,” he said.
Nancy Guthrie’s home is considered a crime scene, Nanos said. DNA samples collected from her home have been confirmed to belong to her, though authorities have not yet confirmed if they were blood, the sheriff’s department said Tuesday.
There has been nothing to indicate any suspects from the samples taken from the home so far, Nanos said.
It is unknown if Nancy Guthrie was targeted or if this was random, Nanos said during a press briefing on Tuesday.
“We don’t know,” he said. “We’re going to look at both sides of that.”
When pressed on whether there is a ransom, the sheriff responded, “We’re looking at all leads.”
It is also unknown how any suspects there are in the case, he said.
Nanos said they are still waiting to get surveillance footage from the home’s security cameras from the companies that own them.
Investigators who processed her home on Sunday “saw some things at the home that were concerning to us,” Nanos previously said.
Investigators are also paying attention to the condition of the home and whether things were moved or left out of place, which could suggest that someone with greater strength or agility was in the home and when, sources said.
The FBI, which is helping in the investigation, urged people to submit tips.
“We are looking at this from every angle, but we need your help,” Jon Edwards, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s office in Tucson, said during Tuesday’s briefing. “Every lead and tip is important. We are aggressively pursuing and looking into every single one.”
“Please help us bring Nancy Guthrie home,” he added.
Nancy Guthrie is described as having some physical ailments and limited mobility, but does not have cognitive issues, her family said, according to the sheriff.
She takes medication that if she doesn’t have in 24 hours, “it could be fatal,” Nanos said Monday.
In an Instagram post on Monday night, Savannah Guthrie asked her followers for prayers amid the investigation.
“Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant. raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment,” the talk show host wrote, alongside a prayer.
