TMZ reportedly received a note from someone demanding one Bitcoin in exchange for information on Nancy Guthrie’s alleged abductor.
The outlet alleged they obtained the note Feb. 11 shortly before 8 a.m. Eastern Time from a person claiming they can rat out the suspect if they receive the payout. The anonymous sender of the note allegedly said they attempted to contact “Today” host Savannah Guthrie’s siblings, Camron and Annie, via text and email but were unsuccessful.
“If they want the name of the individual involved then I want 1 Bitcoin to the following wallet,” the alleged note read. “Time is more than relevant.”
There was an authentic Bitcoin address tied to the alleged note but it was a different address from the one initially sent to TMZ and two other news stations local to Tucson, according to the outlet.
TMZ said they contacted the FBI but officials have not yet weighed in on the legitimacy of the alleged note.
A single Bitcoin is currently valued at approximately $66,000. The FBI has publicly offered a $50,000 reward for information resulting in Nancy’s alleged abductors’ capture.
Guthrie has not been seen or heard from since Jan. 31. An alleged ransom deadline expired Feb. 8, prompting the Pima County Sheriff’s Department to issue a statement saying they had not identified any suspects or persons of interest in the case. Just as it seemed information had gone stale, there was a notable uptick in developments in the investigation Feb. 10.
FBI director Kash Patel released surveillance footage from Guthrie’s front door that seemed to show an allegedly armed and masked individual tampering with her camera. TMZ claimed they saw activity in the original Bitcoin address that same day. (RELATED: Man Reportedly Detained In Nancy Guthrie Case Wasn’t Even Aware Of Apparent Abduction)
Authorities detained and questioned a person of interest Tuesday night. They reportedly later released the individual, who claimed he had never heard the names Nancy or Savannah Guthrie until that day.
The investigation into the 84-year-old’s disappearance continues.
This is a developing story.