From Hollywood to Home: Black Voices in Entertainment
- Reuters report contradicts the prevailing media narrative about the ransom notes.
- Savannah Guthrie said she tended to believe the notes were real.
- A later note reportedly claimed Nancy Guthrie had died; outlets disputed whether it also demanded money.
- One initial note demanded millions in cryptocurrency; the FBI deposited a small amount, which remained unclaimed.
Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
An FBI official told Reuters that the three reported ransom notes for Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today anchor Savannah Guthrie, are fake. Guthrie was abducted from her home in Arizona on February. Two notes were sent to a local news station in Tucson back in February, and a third was sent to TMZ more recently. The first two notes claimed to be from the kidnappers, while the third claimed to know the kidnappers’ identities. “None of the ransom notes are believed to be genuine,” an anonymous FBI official told Reuters.
This report from Reuters runs counter to the narrative that has played in the media the past few weeks. The two notes from the alleged kidnappers were widely believed to be genuine, with Savannah Guthrie saying of them, “I tend to believe those are real.” Last month, it was reported that the second of those notes admitted Nancy Guthrie had died shortly after being taken. Some outlets claimed the note made demands for money in exchange for her body, while others said there were no additional financial demands. The first note reportedly demanded millions to be paid in cryptocurrency by February 9. The FBI deposited a small amount of crypto into the account mentioned in the ransom, but it remained unclaimed.
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