Authorities have refused to share the ransom notes in the Nancy Guthrie missing case to preserve the integrity of the investigation. The decision was made to prevent any harm to the ongoing investigation that struggles to pinpoint the suspect entering her house.
According to exclusive reports from RadarOnline, Lisa Ribacoff-Mooney, a polygraph expert, stated that if they released the ransom note, it could lead to “copycat letters.” During the conversation, Mooney shared that neither do they have a positive update on the case, nor have they received another ransom letter.
“It had facts associated with a deadline and a monetary value they were asking for,” Special Agent Heith Janke tells CBS News’ @JonVigliotti, explaining why investigators are focused on a specific ransom note tied to the disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie. “One talked… pic.twitter.com/3YKu6ycO20
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 5, 2026
Mooney thinks that the police have not made the ransom letter available to the public because “the information in the letters have not been corroborated.” She stated that if the notes were released, it could flood in “copycat letters.”
“By releasing the letters, it also allows copycat letters to be sent in where the public would learn language, tone, and even if it is a typed letter, matching the font of the letter,” she explained, adding, “It would remove the authenticity of the actual letters.”
In February 2026, TMZ reported that they allegedly received a ransom note demanding a payment for the safe release of Nancy Guthrie. The potential abductors demanded that millions of dollars from the victim’s family. However, they did not ask for payment through wire transfers or cash.
Instead, they demanded a payout in cryptocurrency, and sent to a Bitcoin address mentioned in the ransom note. The media house confirmed that the Bitcoin address was legitimate.
The note included a deadline and “an element of or else.” Harvey Levin, the founder of TMZ, stated that the letter featured other details of what the 84-year-old was wearing and “damage to the house.”
🚨 TMZ received an unverified ransom note today demanding a substantial amount for the return of “Today” anchor Savannah Guthrie’s missing mother, Nancy. We have since contacted law enforcement.
STORY DEVELOPING. pic.twitter.com/VUqZx3K5Fj
— TMZ (@TMZ) February 3, 2026
TMZ also received a second ransom note from a person who claimed to know what happened to the 84-year-old. They left a small trail of clues, stating that she saw her “five days ago south of the border, and I was told to shut up.” They claimed that they knew the primary suspect.
The ransom note suggested that Nancy Guthrie might have been smuggled to Mexico, and several people are involved who follow their leader. The authorities are aware of the message, but they could not verify the sender of the note. Both the deadlines passed, with no update on Nancy or her whereabouts.
