We have a bizarre twist to report in the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie.
The editors of TMZ allege that they’ve received a ransom note demanding that millions in Bitcoin be delivered to a specific account in exchange for Nancy’s release.
As we previously reported, Nancy, 84, went missing from her home on Saturday night.
Her family placed a 911 call reporting her missing after she failed to show up for court the following morning.
Police now say that it looks as though Nancy was “harmed” in her home and taken against her will.
They have ruled out the possibility that she may have wandered off on her own, explaining that she does not suffer from any cognitive issues, but does have mobility problems that would prevent her from traveling far on foot.
Police say they are “aware of reports circulating about possible ransom note(s) regarding the investigation into Nancy Guthrie.”
The letter, they said, will go “directly to our detectives who are coordinating with the FBI.” They have yet to confirm or deny the authenticity of the letter.
“We’re downloading and analyzing cell phones, obtaining cell tower information, conducting interviews, and providing any and all investigative support that the sheriff’s department needs,” FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jon Edwards told NPR this week.
Needless to say, this story grows more mysterious and more troubling by the day.
On Monday, the Guthrie family requested that all Tucson residents and anyone with any information about Nancy’s whereabouts cooperate with police to help bring her home.
Later that night, Savannah took to Instagram and asked her followers to pray for Nancy.
“We believe in prayer. We believe in voices raised in unison, in love, in hope. We believe in goodness. We believe in humanity. Above all, we believe in Him,” Savannah wrote on Instagram late Monday night.
“Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant. Raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment,” she continued, adding:
“We need you.
“He will keep in perfect peace those whose hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.’ a verse of Isaiah for all time for all of us. Bring her home,” Guthrie concluded.
The post promptly received hundreds of thousands of likes, along with supportive comments from many of Savannah’s celebrity friends.
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.