ARIZONA — A disturbing new development in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, reveals that one of the ransom messages reportedly contained an apology for her death.

According to reports, the first ransom note demanded $4 million in Bitcoin and claimed Nancy was “safe but scared.” A second message, sent from the same IP address days later, allegedly stated that she had died accidentally and offered to return her body for a price.

This shift has reportedly moved the investigation from a kidnapping case toward a potential homicide probe.

Critics have questioned whether investigators missed an early opportunity by sending only a small amount of cryptocurrency as a tracing tactic rather than engaging more fully with the ransom demands.

More than four months after Nancy vanished from her Arizona home in February, no arrests have been made, and her body has not been recovered. The case remains active, with authorities continuing to analyze evidence and pursue leads.

The Guthrie family continues to appeal for information from the public as they await answers in this heartbreaking situation.