In the days after Savannah Guthrie’s mother was reported missing, several ransom notes were allegedly sent to media outlets, including TMZ and local news station KOLD News 13. KOLD anchor Mary Coleman confirmed during a February 4 appearance on CNN’s Erin Burnett OutFront that the news station received an alleged ransom note via email on February 2, which detailed a damaged floodlight and the location of an Apple Watch left inside Nancy’s home.
“There are a few things that we can share as far as what the contents were,” she said of the “concerning” communication.
Coleman added, “A lot of it is information that only someone who is holding her for ransom would know – some very sensitive information and things that people who were there when she was taken captive would know.”
Meanwhile, the FBI said the ransom note, which allegedly demanded $4million in Bitcoin, set a deadline of 5 p.m. on February 5.
“If a transfer wasn’t made, the second demand was for next Monday. I’m not going to go beyond that,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke.
Amid the probe, Savannah appeared in a video along with her siblings, Camron and Annie, to plead for their mother’s safe return.
“We, too, have heard the reports about a ransom letter in the media,” Savannah said in the February 4 clip. “As a family, we are doing everything that we can. We are ready to talk.”
They uploaded a follow-up video on February 7, in which they told Nancy’s potential abductor they “received [the] message” and they “understand.”
“We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her,” the broadcaster continued. “This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”