The disappearance of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie, mother of TODAY show host Savannah Guthrie, is now being investigated as a possible abduction linked to a Bitcoin ransom demand. Guthrie was last seen at her home in the Catalina Foothills area of Tucson, Arizona, on the evening of January 31. She was reported missing on February 1 after failing to attend church.
On February 3, TMZ reported receiving an email containing an alleged ransom note demanding a "substantial amount" of Bitcoin, estimated to be in the millions of dollars, for Guthrie's safe release. The note included a specific Bitcoin wallet address and a deadline. TMZ founder Harvey Levin stated the outlet verified the wallet address was legitimate and immediately turned all materials over to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI, who are jointly investigating.
Sheriff Chris Nanos stated that evidence at the home, including property damage and the fact that Guthrie left behind personal items like her phone and wallet, supports the theory she was taken against her will. "She didn’t walk from there. She didn’t go willingly," Nanos said. The urgency of the search is heightened because Guthrie requires life-saving medication, which she did not take with her.
The case echoes a broader trend of crypto-related kidnappings. A 2025 review by NBC News identified 67 such incidents across 44 countries in the past year, with 17 reported in 2024 alone—the highest figure in a decade. These crimes often involve tactics like home invasion, extortion, and violence to access victims' cryptocurrency holdings.
