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Whose Human Remains Were Found Near Nancy Guthrie’s Home?
Several months after ancient human bones were discovered near Nancy Guthrie’s house, authorities found additional remains.
On Monday, August 17, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department (PCSD) announced on X that they were investigating reports of human remains located “in a desert area near West Ajo Way and South La Cholla Boulevard.” According to CNN, the area is around 15 miles from Guthrie’s Arizona home.
Officials stated that these remains are unrelated to Guthrie’s mysterious disappearance, clarifying, “The remains appear to have been at the location for an extended period of time.”
This latest update in Guthrie’s case comes weeks after investigators released the contents of two ransom notes sent after the 84-year-old mother of Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie was reported missing on February 1.
During the July 22 episode of the Crime Junkie podcast, crime reporter Briana Whitney offered insights about the first note. She also read part of it: “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. We will be holding her for a maximum of seven days.”
Related: New Nancy Guthrie Ransom Note Reveals the ‘Deadline’ Her Kidnappers Gave Before They Planned to ‘Kill’ Savannah’s ‘Scared’ Mom—’Do Not Play Games’
Whitney added that the alleged kidnappers then demanded “millions of dollars” and gave two different deadlines. She pointed out that the money was requested to be in U.S. currency, which was suspicious. “If this is coming from somebody [in the U.S.], you don’t say that,” she stated.
The note went on to say, “Once payment is received to the Bitcoin address below, she will be released within 12 hours of deposit to a safe drop-off location back in Tucson. If the payment is not received by the last deadline on Monday the 9th at 5:00 p.m., she will be killed. Your mother is aware of this, and her life is in your hands.”
“It is in the best interest of everyone to have this completed as soon as possible,” it added. “You will not be able to contact me from here on out. There will be no negotiation. Do not play games. Law enforcement will not be able to help you.”
Whitney also claimed that the author included details about Guthrie and her home. “They said she had a white smartwatch that was on the floor near her bed, like at the foot of her bed, and that there was a floodlight in the backyard that had been destroyed.”
On August 1, Savannah, 54, issued another plea for help finding her elderly mother. Alongside a photo of Guthrie, she wrote, “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.”
Savannah said that she and her family “spend every waking moment thinking of her, longing for her, looking for her,” adding, “There is a hole inside us that can never be filled. There is an ache that cannot be softened. And there is a determination in us that cannot be quenched — to find out what happened to her, so that we can give her the dignity of a proper goodbye — a celebration of her remarkable life that she so deserves.”
She also referenced the ransom notes, writing, “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. Someone has noticed something different, strange, troubling or just unusual – perhaps with someone they deeply love. Perhaps they are afraid to come forward. Perhaps they are conflicted. Perhaps they are angry or upset for being in this situation. There is a way out – to tell what you know. You can do so anonymously. The reward is available. There is a way to end this situation and do the right thing.”
“We are real people, facing real grief, doing the best we can, and counting our many blessings along the way — most especially the prayers and love from good people, which we feel deeply,” she continued. “We need your prayers, we need your kindness. We need the good to be stronger than the evil. If you are following this story for entertainment or for profit, you are not on her side — you are part of the harm perpetrated against her.”
She concluded, “We will never stop looking for answers — and we will never stop looking for the light. We will always be hoping and praying and believing in the best of our world — in spite of circumstance. This is what our faith makes possible. Please. Bring her home.”