Sheriff and FBI Assess New Possible Ransom Note in Guthrie Case

The Pima County Sheriff’s Department and FBI initially investigated a possible new ransom message in the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, who was last seen at her Tucson-area home on Jan. 31 and reported missing Feb. 1. Investigators later said the message was not credible, urging the public not to send money or share personal information and to report related messages to law enforcement. Online claims that Guthrie was alive in Mexico and that a family friend received a bitcoin demand have not been verified. The case remains active, with no suspects identified; investigators are examining DNA and digital evidence, and surveillance footage shows a masked person at her home. Earlier ransom notes made conflicting claims about her fate, and authorities have not confirmed whether she is alive.