The FBI and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department said Friday they are aware of a new message regarding Nancy Guthrie and are examining it for authenticity, the sheriff’s office posted on social media.
Nancy Guthrie, 84, the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie, went missing last weekend and investigators believe she was abducted from her Arizona home. Authorities said they are also reviewing possible earlier ransom notes that were sent to media outlets.
The FBI announced Thursday that it has joined the investigation and is offering a $50,000 reward for information that leads to Nancy Guthrie’s recovery or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance. Anyone with tips was asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Officials have not disclosed the contents of the new message. Sources told ABC News that a note was sent to a local media outlet and that law enforcement is taking it seriously as part of the inquiry.
According to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, Guthrie was last seen at her Catalina Foothills home north of Tucson on Saturday night after being dropped off shortly before 10 p.m. following dinner with family. Relatives reported her missing around noon on Sunday after she did not attend church.
At a Thursday news conference investigators laid out a timeline: a doorbell camera at her home was disconnected at about 1:45 a.m. Sunday, and shortly before 2:30 a.m. Guthrie’s pacemaker app indicated the device was disconnected from her phone. Officials said blood belonging to Nancy Guthrie was found on the porch.
No suspect or person of interest has been identified, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said. “Right now, we believe Nancy is still out there,” Nanos said. “We want her home.”
Savannah Guthrie and her siblings posted an emotional plea earlier in the week asking for their mother’s return. In a separate video posted Thursday, her brother Camron Guthrie addressed anyone holding their mother, urging them to come forward and provide proof she is alive so the family can move forward. “Whoever is out there holding our mother, we want to hear from you,” Camron said, adding that the family needs a way to communicate with those holding her.