Were Nancy Guthrie Ransom Notes Real?

Nancy Guthrie’s sudden disappearance has raised numerous questions, especially regarding the authenticity of several alleged ransom notes that recently surfaced online.

Police initially considered the notes credible, as they included demands for money, claims that Guthrie died just days after being abducted, and hints at information about the suspected kidnappers. However, a new report says these notes are not authentic.

An FBI official confirmed to Reuters in a June 30 report that all three ransom notes have been deemed “fake communications” by federal investigators. “None of the ransom notes are believed to be genuine,” the FBI official told the outlet. A second law enforcement source familiar with Guthrie’s case also confirmed the FBI’s assessment, adding that the ransom notes are bogus.

Angelica Carrillo, a spokesperson for the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, told Reuters, “We don’t have any updates, other than this is still an active investigation.” She added that the DNA samples and video evidence collected in the case “remain under forensic analysis.”

Related: Nancy Guthrie Suspect Attempting to Avoid Death Penalty in Leaked Ransom Note, According to Ex-FBI—’We Didn’t Mean for This to Happen’

Guthrie was allegedly taken from her home in the early hours of Feb. 1, 2026, and there has been no trace of her since. Authorities have not yet identified a suspect or motive.

In June, the Mexican missing persons group Buscando Corazones confessed that they received a chilling anonymous tip claiming Guthrie’s remains were buried in an unmarked grave near the Mexican border. The group’s leader, Ramona Guadalupe Ayala Ortiz, told El Imparcial that the tip arrived on Wednesday, June 10, prompting an instant search for the 84-year-old mother of Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie.

“We received an anonymous call telling us that the woman’s remains were in the Mariposa area in a grave over a stream,” Ortiz explained, “and this time we came to explore this stream that we failed to explore in the first intervention.”

Buscando Corazones has uncovered more than 20 unmarked graves during its search, but none contained Guthrie’s remains.

Law enforcement encourages anyone with tips or leads to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI or the Pima County Sheriff’s Office at 520-351-4900.