Arizona Watcher
An alleged ransom note surfaced after 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie vanished, demanding up to $6 million in Bitcoin and warning the family not to contact police. Federal and local authorities have not authenticated the message and the investigation remains open.
The first detailed note, addressed to daughter Savannah, said Nancy was alive and demanded $4 million by Feb. 5, rising to $6 million after the deadline. It included a Bitcoin address and warned the family the victim would be killed if the final cutoff passed.
Investigators highlighted two specific physical details in the note — a white smartwatch on the bedroom floor and a destroyed backyard floodlight — that matched the Guthrie home and prompted closer forensic review.
A second ransom-style message claimed Nancy died shortly after being taken and said she was 'buried in nature.' Analysts noted odd wording and use of 'USD,' leading some to question the author's fluency and the note's authenticity.
The FBI confirmed hoax communications: a California man pleaded guilty to sending false messages to Guthrie relatives about a bitcoin transfer. Prosecutors say he is not alleged to be connected to Nancy Guthrie's disappearance and faces sentencing in September.
Surveillance shows a masked armed person approaching the Guthrie house and a vehicle leaving the scene; blood at the entry tested as Nancy's. Federal agents also deposited a small bitcoin into the cited address to trace transactions as part of the inquiry.
The Guthrie family offered a $1 million reward, the FBI $100,000 and local donors added funds. The family says they want proof Nancy is alive before paying; investigators continue to review leads and no arrests have been announced.
An alleged ransom note that surfaced after 84‑year‑old Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson home demanded up to $6 million in Bitcoin and warned the family not to contact police. Investigators have received multiple notes—some dismissed as hoaxes—while the FBI and local…