U.S. prosecutors and law enforcement sources say they have obtained a second mysterious note from the kidnappers of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of television host Savannah Guthrie, suggesting she is dead. Investigators are treating the note as likely authentic and are still checking the credibility of other messages that reached media outlets during the five-month investigation.
The case is being handled by the FBI and the Arizona sheriff's office, which have been working intensively to trace the disappearance. According to CNN sources, the second ransom note points to a major development in the case and says the victim is no longer alive. Investigators believe the communications may be a direct and genuine line to the abductors, who initially demanded millions of dollars.
The second letter, which was received by media organizations, reportedly says the woman died shortly after being taken from her home, but adds that the kidnappers did not intend for her to die. News outlets that received the notes agreed, at the request of law enforcement and the family, to delay publication so police could verify any future messages from the suspects.
The family later released a controlled video in which the host addressed the kidnappers directly, saying, "We got your message, and we understand." TMZ founder Harvey Levin also said emails sent to his outlet offered information for $100,000 and claimed Guthrie was "frightened but okay." The Pima County Sheriff's Office said the search remains active; Nancy Guthrie was last seen on February 1, when a masked, armed person entered her home.
