TUCSON, ARIZONA — The FBI has determined that three communications related to the January 31, 2026, disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie from her Tucson, Arizona, home were fake. These kidnapping-related messages included two ransom notes and a third message claiming to identify the kidnappers.

An FBI official stated, "None of the ransom notes are believed to be genuine." This assessment of inauthenticity applies to two ransom notes reportedly received in early February and the later message. The Pima County Sheriff's Office is leading the overall investigation into Ms. Guthrie's disappearance.

Nancy Guthrie was last seen alive after spending an evening with her daughter Annie Guthrie and son-in-law. The three messages were initially delivered to media outlets, including TMZ, before being turned over to authorities. The first ransom note demanded a sum "in the millions" in cryptocurrency with deadlines of February 5 and February 9. The FBI deposited a small amount of cryptocurrency into an account as instructed, but it remained untouched.

The second ransom note claimed Nancy Guthrie had died and did not demand payment for the return of her body. Investigators determined the first two ransom notes originated from the same sender. The third note claimed the sender knew the abductors' identities and had video of the victim on the day she died. Savannah Guthrie stated on her show that her family is offering a $1 million reward.

Harvey Levin, founder of TMZ, stated he contacted the FBI regarding an individual claiming to have information about the kidnapping. Levin said the sender demanded one bitcoin in exchange for information leading to the suspects and used the same IP address in all communications with TMZ. Levin also stated the FBI asked TMZ to discontinue producing a documentary about the case. He added that the FBI told him they were making progress in identifying the sender of the notes.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos spoke about the prevalence of such messages. "I think the FBI has done a number of arrests for false or fake ransom notes," Sheriff Nanos stated. The Pima County Board of Supervisors voted to refer possible perjury allegations against Nanos to the Arizona attorney general.

Why It Matters

The determination by the FBI that three kidnapping-related communications are fake impacts the ongoing investigation into Nancy Guthrie's disappearance. The initial messages had prompted the FBI to deposit cryptocurrency as part of the investigation. The Pima County Sheriff's Office continues its investigation, indicating that DNA samples and video evidence collected are still undergoing forensic analysis.