Nancy Guthrie ransom notes were written by two different people, expert claims — and what this could mean

Nypost · Aug 03, 2026 · 701 words · By Chris Bradford

Criminal Profiling Missing Persons Investigation

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What to know about Criminal Profiling

Nancy Guthrie ransom notes were written by two different people, expert claims — and what this could mean See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 8

Techniques found 1

Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left14%

Center72%

Right14%

7 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Nancy Guthrie ransom notes were written by two different people, expert claims — and what this could mean See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Add The New York Post on Google The two Nancy Guthrie ransom notes were not written by the masked prowler seen loitering on the porch of the missing 84-year-old matriarch’s Arizona home, a forensic psychologist has claimed, suggesting two authors with…

Common ground

Gary Brucato claimed an intelligent person wrote the first note, which demanded millions in cryptocurrency, while someone who is more emotional was behind the second message, which said that Guthrie had died and was “buried in nature.” “These two ransom…

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Criminal Profiling story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that The two notes were sent on Feb. 2 and Feb. 6?
How does this story connect Criminal Profiling with Missing Persons Investigation over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/08/03/us-news/nancy-guthrie-ransom-notes-were-written-by…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 8 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 4

info Single Source 2

verified Verified By Reference 2

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Claim 1: “The two notes were sent on Feb. 2 and Feb. 6.”

SINGLE SOURCE

One web search result explicitly mentions the second note was received on 6 February. While other sources mention the disappearance started Feb 1 and notes were sent 'days after', only one source provides the specific date of Feb 6. No source explicitly confirms Feb 2 for the first note, though it is implied by the timeline.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On February 1, 2026, Nancy Guthrie (née Long), the American 84‑year‑old mother of NBC News journalist and Today co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, was kidnapped from her home in Catalina Foothills, a suburb …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disappearance_of_Nancy_Guthrie

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — February 3 is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar; 331 days remain until the end of the year (332 in leap years).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_3

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Savannah Clark Guthrie (born December 27, 1971) is an Australian-American broadcast journalist and attorney. She is a main co-anchor of the NBC News morning show Today, a position she has held since J…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah_Guthrie

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 2: “the first note, which demanded millions in cryptocurrency”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

While other claims about the notes are corroborated, the specific evidence provided for claim 1 consists of irrelevant search results about banks and general Wikipedia entries. No evidence provided explicitly confirms the first note demanded 'millions in cryptocurrency'.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Nancy Lee Peoples Guthrie (born June 15, 1952) is an American politician who was a Democratic member of the West Virginia House of Delegates representing the 36th district from December 1, 2012, to De…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Peoples_Guthrie

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 3: “the second message, which said that Guthrie had died and was “buried in nature.””

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web search results explicitly state that the second ransom note claimed Nancy Guthrie had died and was 'buried in nature'.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: “The second note addressed to the Guthrie family, as opposed to Savannah, claims the kidnappers “did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition.””

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web search results confirm the second note was addressed to the Guthrie family and stated the kidnappers 'did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition'.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Woodrow Wilson Guthrie (; July 14, 1912 – October 3, 1967) was an American singer, songwriter, and composer widely considered one of the most significant figures in American folk music. His work focu…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_Guthrie

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 5: “The two Nancy Guthrie ransom notes were not written by the masked prowler seen loitering on the porch of the missing 84-year-old matriarch’s Arizona home”

CORROBORATED

Two independent web search results mention that experts (including forensic psychologist Gary Brucato) believe the ransom notes were written by different people, which supports the claim that they were not written by a single individual (the prowler).

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web search NEUTRAL — Nancy Guthrie, 84, has been missing since Feb. 1. Courtesy NBC Universal. He suspects the second note was written by a woman who may have known Nancy Guthrie’s TV star daughter, Savannah Guthrie, and …
https://nypost.com/2026/08/03/us-news/nancy-guthrie-ransom-n…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Forensic psychologist Gary Brucato believes the two ransom notes in the Nancy Guthrie case were written by different people. He said the different language indicates a possible rupture or conflict bet…
https://www.tvinsider.com/1279051/nancy-guthrie-update-exper…

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web search NEUTRAL — Someone recognizes the writing in the ransom demand notes,” Guthrie wrote on her Instagram account, alongside a photo of her mother.It said Guthrie would be released within 12 hours if the payment was…
https://www.wsfa.com/2026/08/01/today-show-host-savannah-gut…

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Claim 6: “six months have passed since Guthrie’s disappearance.”

CORROBORATED

Three independent web search results explicitly state that six months have passed since Nancy Guthrie's disappearance/report.

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web search NEUTRAL — Today marks six months since Nancy Guthrie was reported missing. Sheriff Nanos gives an update on the investigation.
https://news.google.com/stories/CAAqNggKIjBDQklTSGpvSmMzUnZj…

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web search NEUTRAL — “Six months on, Guthrie is using her own platform to fight the quiet that can swallow unsolved cases.” What is known about Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance in Tucson.
https://spinnradio.com/blog/news/savannah-guthrie-asks-publi…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Nancy Guthrie, in frail health with limited mobility, was last seen alive on 31 January at her home in Tucson. She was reported missing on 1 February after a friend alerted family that she did not app…
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/859668/ransom-notes-tied-to…

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Claim 7: “Guthrie’s pacemaker app disconnected at 2:28 a.m., Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos revealed at a Feb. 5 press conference.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The evidence provided for this claim consists of irrelevant search results about the city of Nancy, France, and a South Korean singer. There is no mention of a pacemaker app or Sheriff Chris Nanos in the provided evidence for this specific claim.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Nancy[a] is the prefecture of the northeastern French department of Meurthe-et-Moselle, located in the Grand Est region (in the historical region of Lorraine). The city is situated on the left bank of…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy,_France

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Afficher / masquer la sous-section Géographie. 1.1Localisation. 1.2Communes limitrophes. 1.3Topographie. 1.4Géologie et relief. 1.5Hydrographie. 1.6Climat. 2Urbanisme. Afficher / masquer la sous-secti…
https://fr.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Nancy Jewel McDonie (born April 13, 2000), known professionally as Nancy (Korean: 낸시), is a South Korean [1][2] singer, actress, and host. She is a member of the South Korean girl group Momoland, whic…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_(singer)

verified

Claim 8: “One demanded $4 million in bitcoin”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The evidence provided for this claim consists of irrelevant Wikipedia entries for the number '1', shipping companies, and Woody Guthrie. There is no evidence in the provided text confirming a demand for $4 million in bitcoin.

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+ 3 more evidence sources

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.