Trump commented on the case again after the latest reports, telling reporters: “I hope they find her. I mean, Savannah’s gone through a rough — that family’s gone through hell. I hope they find her.”
He also said he believed “progress has been made” in the investigation, though authorities have not publicly named any suspects.
The alleged ransom notes under scrutiny
According to reporting cited by Air Mail, the first alleged ransom demand was sent to TMZ and other media outlets before being forwarded to the Pima County Sheriff’s Office.
The message reportedly demanded $4 million in Bitcoin, about £3 million, by a February 5 deadline. If the money was not paid by then, the amount would rise to $6 million, about £4.5 million. Subtle, it was not.
Investigators reportedly treated the note as credible because it included details that appeared to check out. Those details allegedly included what Nancy had been wearing and a broken light at her Arizona home.
The alleged kidnappers also reportedly described Nancy as “safe but scared” in a message before the deadline. Investigators, however, are said to have sent only $152 instead of the requested millions, apparently in an effort to trace where the money went.
Later, another alleged note reportedly claimed Nancy had died shortly after she was taken from the house.
A timeline of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance
- January 31: Nancy Guthrie was last seen by her son-in-law, who dropped her off after dinner.
- February 1: Nancy missed church and was reported missing.
- February 2: The sheriff said investigators believed she did not leave her home willingly.
- February 3: Investigators confirmed they were analyzing an apparent ransom note.
- February 7: Savannah Guthrie and her siblings released an emotional video asking for their mother’s return and said they were willing to pay.
- February 10: Surveillance images from Nancy’s home were released, and a person was detained hours later.
- February 11: The detained man was released.
Savannah Guthrie’s on-air plea
Savannah Guthrie spoke about the case on air this week after her colleagues reported on the latest developments involving her missing mother. She became emotional while asking viewers to help, saying her family remains in “agony.”
“I love you guys, and I love this place,” she said, wiping away tears. “This is unusual and unprecedented — to say the least — to be sitting here.
“But I can’t pretend I’m not here. And so since I am, I wanted to just take the opportunity to ask people, really to beg people, to come forward. Somebody knows something.”
Her family has offered a $1 million reward for information and has stressed that tips can be given anonymously.
What investigators have released so far
Footage from the morning Nancy disappeared showed a gloved and masked man in a balaclava approaching the home. At 1:47 a.m. on February 1, the doorbell camera that recorded his arrival was disconnected. What happened after that has not been publicly established.
Police have not named a suspect in the case. Reports say investigators are focusing on the alleged ransom messages sent after Nancy vanished, while the family continues to ask anyone with information to come forward.
For Savannah Guthrie, usually the one asking questions from the anchor desk, the case has become painfully public and personal. The facts remain unresolved, and the family’s central request has not changed: they want to know what happened to Nancy Guthrie.
