Nancy Guthrie, an 84-year-old woman, suddenly disappeared in Arizona. A large investigation is underway, and there are alleged demands for cryptocurrency.
She is the mother of the famous NBC journalist and host Savannah Guthrie. Authorities believe someone took her from home after a violent altercation.
Blood at the door makes the disappearance a crime
Investigators found bloodstains at her front door in the Catalina Foothills area near Tucson, Arizona. Forensic tests showed that the blood belonged to Nancy Guthrie, according to police.
Therefore, the case has now shifted from a disappearance to a suspected kidnapping.
Nancy Guthrie lived a reclusive life and was not a public figure. The whole country got to know her because her daughter is the host of NBC's Today.
The family last saw her on the evening of January 31 when they left her at home. She did not come to church the next morning, which worried them directly.
Phone, wallet, car, and medications were left at home.
Pima County Sheriff’s Department is leading the investigation along with the FBI.
The police also discovered that her doorbell camera had been removed or turned off. This indicates that she likely did not leave the home voluntarily.
So far, the police have not identified any suspects, and they have not received evidence that Nancy Guthrie is alive.
Bitcoin ransom creates a crypto dispute
The case became more serious when several extortion messages appeared. Some mentioned payment in Bitcoin.
Media reports that a letter demands 'millions of USD in Bitcoin', and the letter had both deadlines and a wallet address.
However, the police have not confirmed whether any ransom letter is genuine or if it comes from those who took her.
It is important to know that the police say no confirmed perpetrator has contacted the family directly so far.
Fake Bitcoin extortion attempt makes the case unclear
Meanwhile, police arrested Derrick Callella, a man from California who is accused of sending fake Bitcoin messages to the Guthrie family.
The police say that Callella has no connection to the kidnapping. He acted alone, which shows that crypto fraud often emerges in high-profile cases.
The investigation is ongoing, answers are still missing
Savannah Guthrie has paused her work on TV while the search continues.
Right now, investigators say all focus is on finding Nancy Guthrie and determining who took her, how, and why. The police are still investigating the connection to Bitcoin.