- Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson home on Feb. 1, and the Pima County Sheriff's Department released two potentially credible notes in the abduction of the 84-year-old mother of 'Today' co-host Savannah Guthrie; authorities said the notes share a 'unique linguistic style' and are believed to have been sent by the same person.
- Pima County Sheriff said in a video posted to X Saturday that pieces of information in the notes might jar someone's memory and that releasing the actual note could bring a community response.
- Authorities are seeking the masked intruder from Guthrie's Nest doorbell camera and the note sender; rewards total over $1.2 million and remained unclaimed before the six-month mark.
- The release of two purported ransom notes echoes the Unabomber investigative strategy, according to a retired investigator, as authorities hope the messages generate new tips six months after Nancy Guthrie's suspected kidnapping in Tucson, Arizona.
- The expert, a retired investigator from the Colorado Attorney General's Office, called the decision to release an offender's own words rare and cited the 1995 publication of the Unabomber manifesto on the recommendation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as the last major precedent, noting it 'worked' after David Kaczynski recognized his brother's writing.
- According to FBI records, Ted Kaczynski sent a 35,000-word manifesto; after officials including then-FBI Director Louis Freeh signed off on its publication, the task force received thousands of tips, including David Kaczynski's writing samples for linguistic comparison.
- Miller, the retired investigator, said the notes are shorter than the Unabomber's essay and less useful for linguistic analysis, but contain clues and a clear habit of comma-spliced reinforcing statements; she cited 'uneven grammar and syntax,' emotionally charged repetitions and awkward phrasing, and does not believe they were written by artificial intelligence.
Authorities have released two ransom notes in the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case, aiming to generate new leads six months after her disappearance from her Tucson home on February 1. The Pima County Sheriff's Department believes the notes share a unique linguistic style and may have been sent by the same person.7
"There are a number of pieces of information in these notes that just might jar someone to say, 'You know, I've heard that,' or the wording, the style of the writing," said Pima County Sheriff in a video posted to X. The notes, while shorter than the Unabomber's lengthy manifesto, contain clues and consistent phrasing that could stand out to someone familiar with the writer.
The last major precedent for this tactic was in 1995, when the FBI published the Unabomber's manifesto, leading to thousands of tips, including one from David Kaczynski, who recognized his brother's writing style. David Kaczynski and his wife, Linda Patrik, alerted authorities after seeing the published document.8910111213
The ransom notes include uneven grammar and syntax, emotionally charged repetitions, and awkward phrasing, suggesting they were not generated by artificial intelligence. Authorities are also seeking help identifying a masked intruder captured on Guthrie's Nest doorbell camera the night of her abduction. The total rewards in the case exceed $1.2 million, remaining unclaimed as of Friday, just before the six-month mark since Guthrie's kidnapping.56
“The 84-year-old mother of 'Today' co-host Savannah Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson home on Feb. 1, with investigators treating the case as an apparent abduction. Rewards totaling over $1.2 million remained unclaimed a day before the six-month mark as authorities also seek the masked intruder seen on her Nest doorbell camera.”
Fox News
