Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, remains missing nearly five months after her abduction, but investigators are now questioning the credibility of a new ransom note that recently surfaced. The note, sent to TMZ, claimed the sender had a hidden phone containing a video of Nancy with her alleged kidnappers, along with photos and personal details of those involved.
However, retired FBI profiler James Fitzgerald has strongly doubted the claim, saying he does not believe the latest message or any previous communications connected to the case are genuine.
FBI profiler James Fitzgerald doubts latest ransom note
The latest development came during an interview between NewsNation senior national correspondent Brian Entin and retired FBI profiler James Fitzgerald on June 26. Fitzgerald reviewed the note that was sent to TMZ and quickly expressed doubts about its authenticity.
According to TMZ, the sender claimed to possess a phone stored in a secure location. The note alleged that the device contained a short video showing Nancy Guthrie with the man described as her main kidnapper, along with photographs, names, addresses and ages of the people involved.
In exchange for revealing the phone’s location, the sender demanded one Bitcoin. TMZ reportedly asked for a screenshot from the alleged video as proof and also passed the message to the FBI.
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Why is the FBI profiler not convinced?
Speaking to Brian Entin, Fitzgerald said he does not believe the sender is legitimate.
“This guy, I don’t think he’s legit. I’m gonna say that upfront,” Fitzgerald said. “I don’t think any of them are authentic. And that includes this most recent one.”
He questioned why someone with such important evidence would approach a media outlet instead of law enforcement. Fitzgerald argued that if the information were real, sharing it publicly could put the sender in danger.
He also pointed to the money demand. According to Fitzgerald, risking personal safety for one Bitcoin did not make sense if the sender truly possessed evidence that could identify kidnappers.
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Search for Nancy Guthrie continues
Nancy Guthrie, 84, was last seen at her home in Tucson’s Catalina Foothills on January 31. Despite months of investigation, authorities have not publicly identified a suspect.
Savannah Guthrie previously offered a $1 million reward for information that could help solve the case. Yet the mystery remains unsolved.
The latest note is not the first message connected to the investigation. Earlier this year, another communication sent to TMZ claimed Nancy had died following her abduction and was “with nature” now. Recent reports have also brought renewed attention to that earlier message.
For now, Fitzgerald’s assessment has added another layer of skepticism to the latest claim, leaving investigators and Nancy Guthrie’s family still searching for answers.
