Investigators have released two ransom notes connected to Nancy Guthrie's abduction, six months after the 84-year-old's disappearance, and are calling on the public for help identifying the writer.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department said in a press release that they hope someone will recognize the "distinctive patterns of word choice, syntax, and phraseology" of the notes and will come forward with a lead.
"My investigators, we look at it, and clearly there's things in there that are very concerning to our investigative team," Sheriff Chris Nanos said in an Aug. 1 video. "So we hope that by releasing the actual note we'll get some response from the community."
Guthrie, the mother of TODAY co-host Savannah Guthrie, went missing from her home near Tucson, Ariz. on Feb. 1. Investigators have been searching for her since, but have made little meaningful progress.
The first note released by the sheriff's department was sent out to several news outlets, including a local CBS affiliate, on Feb. 2. That note was addressed to Savannah Guthrie and demanded a payment of $4 million in Bitcoin by Feb. 5, and warned that the 84-year-old would be killed if the ransom was not paid.
"Hello Savannah, We have your mother Nancy. She is safe but scared. She will be held for ransom and once payment is received she will be released unharmed," the note reads. "Her life is in your hands. It is in the best interest of everyone to have this completed as soon as possible."
The second note, which was addressed to the Guthrie family and was also sent to local news outlets, claimed that Guthrie had died unintentionally.
"We did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition," the note reads. "We never intended to hurt her, that was not our intention. She perished shortly after she was taken. We believe it was heart related. She is buried in nature now. Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome. We want your family to know this and hope you all can find peace. We are truly sorry."
In a video published Saturday, Nanos said that the case continues to be a "very active investigation" and that his department has "a lot of work ahead" of them, adding that they still have "tens of thousands of tips" to comb through.
However, no suspects appear to have emerged and a Wall Street Journal investigation published on Aug. 1 uncovered what the newspaper describes as a "trail of missteps." The Journal reports that authorities initially minimized the importance of dried blood found on Guthrie's porch, failed to seal off the property to protect the crime scene, and wasted precious time determining whether Guthrie was kidnapped or lost.
Last week, two men who were detained and later released during the search for Guthrie issued a notice of claim against Nanos and a detective involved in the investigation, alleging wrongful arrest and property damage. (A notice of claim is typically a precursor to a lawsuit.)
Carlos Palazuelos was detained on Feb. 10, while Daniel Maddox was placed in handcuffs and held for several hours that same day. Neither have been charged.
On Saturday, Savannah Guthrie shared a new message on social media describing her family's "agony and despair" and pleaded for help.
"Every day, we wake up and try to be strong and go on — because that's what our joyful and resilient Mom taught us to do. But make no mistake — our hearts are in ruins," she wrote. "There is a hole inside us that can never be filled."
The post goes on: "We are begging for help. We are desperate. We need someone to come forward. Someone knows something. Someone suspects something. Someone recognizes the writing in the ransom demand notes."
She also said that any tips can be shared anonymously and that they are still offering a reward of up to $1 million.
"We will never stop looking for answers — and we will never stop looking for the light," she wrote.
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