By Jordan Freiman and Jonathan Vigliotti
Updated on: February 3, 2026 / CBS News
Investigators are examining a ransom note sent to a local Arizona news outlet after the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today” show co-host Savannah Guthrie, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told CBS News.
The note, which the station received Monday and did not immediately disclose, contained details about Guthrie’s home and what she was wearing the night she went missing, Nanos said. He would not verify the accuracy of those details. “It’s like any piece of evidence,” he said. “You give it to us, you give us a lead, we’re going to look at every aspect of that lead.”
Nanos did not identify the news organization. CBS affiliate KOLD-TV reported it received an email that “appears to be one of the alleged ransom notes” and passed it on to the sheriff’s office. Investigators have reviewed the correspondence and are treating it as part of the ongoing probe.
The FBI also reviewed the message and shared it with Savannah Guthrie, according to Nanos. Authorities had hoped to keep the information confidential, but TMZ published the note before the sheriff’s office had been contacted.
The Pima County Sheriff’s Department posted that it was aware of “reports circulating about possible ransom note(s)” and that such materials are sent directly to detectives working with the FBI.
Surveillance footage from a home security system has not yet produced leads, Nanos said. Investigators believe the system may have been set to automatically erase recordings after a short period and are attempting to recover any footage forensically.
Nanos said investigators believe the 84-year-old was taken from her Tucson home in the middle of the night over the weekend and described the residence as a crime scene. Guthrie was last seen late Saturday; family members realized she was missing when she did not attend church the next morning.
The sheriff emphasized that Guthrie, who lives alone, does not have cognitive impairment and has very limited mobility, making it unlikely she wandered away. He also warned that she requires daily medication and stressed the urgency: “The clock is literally ticking. You’ve placed her in great jeopardy without giving her meds that are critical to her. Again, like I’ve said, could be fatal if she doesn’t get those meds.”
Authorities have not disclosed whether multiple people may be involved. “It could be one, it could’ve been more, I don’t know,” Nanos said.
A law enforcement source told CBS News a small amount of blood was found inside Guthrie’s home in Tucson, and dried blood was seen next to a doormat outside the front door.
Anna Schecter, Alex Sundby and Pat Milton contributed to this report.
In: Arizona; Nancy Guthrie; Missing Person; Savannah Guthrie