ADVERTISEMENT

ARIZONA NEWS

Activity reportedly seen in Bitcoin account from ransom notes in Nancy Guthrie case

There has reportedly been activity in the Bitcoin account from the ransom notes that were sent to media outlets regarding Nancy Guthrie's disappearance last week.

Watch: Who wins the Arizona GOP primary? Stan Barnes weighs in | 9 mins

PHOENIX — There has reportedly been activity in the Bitcoin account from the ransom notes that were sent to media outlets regarding Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance last week.

ABC15 confirmed the activity in the crypto wallet listed in the initial ransom note following a report from TMZ. The TV news outlet said that the amount was in the hundreds of dollars.

Multiple media organizations have received purported ransom notes, which have been shared with investigators. Last week, a California man was arrested and accused of sending a fake ransom demand in an effort to scam Nancy Guthrie’s family out of money.

ADVERTISEMENT

Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have posted a series of videos on social media since their mother was last seen on Jan. 31.

In one video posted last weekend, they addressed the purported kidnappers saying, “We have received your message” and “We will pay.”

Some of these letters allegedly had deadlines for when money should be submitted. The second deadline was 5 p.m. Monday.

FBI officials said Monday that they weren’t aware of any ongoing communication between the missing mother’s family and any suspected kidnappers.

It’s the second week of the investigation into the abduction of Nancy Guthrie from her home in Tucson’s Catalina Foothills neighborhood.

Tuesday saw the first major break in the investigation after law enforcement released surveillance photos and videos of a masked person with gloves and what appeared to be a handgun holster on the 84-year-old’s porch around the time the mother of “Today” star Savannah Guthrie went missing.

Photos, videos of masked person in Nancy Guthrie case took a while to recover

The FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department, which are partnering on the case, released various images and videos showing a person wearing a backpack and ski mask with holes around the eyes and mouth, trying to cover a Nest doorbell camera with a gloved hand.

Another clip, shared on social media by FBI Director Kash Patel, appeared to show the masked person trying to cover a camera with a plant. Patel explained the videos were pulled from residual video data stored in backend systems after primary footage had been removed or corrupted.

ADVERTISEMENT
@ktarnews The FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday released several photos and videos connected to the search for 84‑year‑old Nancy Guthrie, mother of “Today” show co‑host Savannah Guthrie. One of them is this video below, which shows an armed person who appears to tamper with the camera at Nancy Guthrie’s front door on the morning she disappeared, authorities said. #missingpeople #nancyguthrie #savannahguthrie #arizona #fyp #tucson #truecrime ♬ original sound – KTAR News

President Donald Trump has also commented on Nancy Guthrie’s abduction case.

“The president encourages any American across the country with any knowledge of this suspect to please call the FBI who continue to assist state and local authorities who are leading this investigation on the ground,” Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a Tuesday press conference. “The prayers of this entire White House are with Savannah and her family at this time.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos previously said the footage from Nancy Guthrie’s Nest doorbell camera was disconnected early Sunday, adding that because she didn’t have an active subscription, none of the footage could be recovered. He has also confirmed that DNA tests showed blood found on the porch of the home belonged to Nancy Guthrie.

More details about search for missing mother of “Today” host Savannah Guthrie

Nancy Guthrie has a pacemaker, high blood pressure and heart issues, according to sheriff’s dispatcher audio on broadcastify.com.

She also needs daily medication, which makes investigators worried about her safety.

The Associated Press and KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Serena O’Sullivan contributed to this report.

Kylie Werner KTAR.com editor

Kylie Werner is a web content editor for KTAR.com. Werner is from Bonita, California, or just 15 minutes south of San Diego. Since graduating from the Cronkite school in December 2023, she has spent her time covering local and hyperlocal news for… Read more

Comments