The FBI is walking back an earlier report that all of the ransom notes tied to Nancy Guthrie's disappearance were fake. In a statement Wednesday, the FBI's Phoenix office said only some of the notes have been "deemed to be extortion attempts without legitimacy," while others "may potentially be legitimate and are still being investigated as such." The update directly contradicts a Reuters report from Tuesday, which cited an unnamed FBI official saying all three notes tied to the case had been ruled fake.
Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of "Today" show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, has now been missing for 100 days after vanishing from her Tucson-area home on February 1 without her phone or medication. The Pima County Sheriff's Department echoed the FBI's clarification in its own statement, saying it has "received information regarding potential ransom notes" throughout the investigation and that "every tip and lead is taken seriously" and forwarded to detectives working alongside the FBI. Both agencies confirmed the case continues to be investigated as a kidnapping for ransom.
Sheriff Chris Nanos said this week that investigators remain committed to the case and believe an arrest will eventually be made, though no suspect has been named or charged. The FBI has previously released doorbell camera footage of an armed, masked man outside Guthrie's home on the morning she disappeared, describing him as a suspect. Investigators have also said they're still analyzing mixed DNA evidence recovered from her home, and a $1.2 million reward remains active for information leading to her safe recovery.
Five months in, the case remains unsolved, but this week's update is a reminder that it's also far from closed - and that new information is still surfacing on both sides of the story. As the investigation continues, the Guthrie family, and the community following her story, continue to hold onto hope and prayer for her safe return.
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