Nancy Guthrie’s son pleads for mother’s return in new video after first deadline in apparent ransom note

 

Where things stand

• A concerning scene: Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said they believe Nancy Guthrie was “removed from the house against her will” and told investigators to call the homicide team when the disturbing scene was described to him.

• “No proof of life:” There has been “no proof of life” and no follow-up communication connected to the ransom letter linked to the disappearance of Guthrie, officials said. The ransom letter mentioned two deadlines, including a first deadline of 5 p.m. today, when Guthrie’s son issued a new plea to “whoever is out there holding our mother” to communicate, adding, “we have to know that you have our mom.”

• Holding out hope: Nanos said he “absolutely” believes Guthrie is alive. There are no suspects linked to Guthrie’s disappearance, the sheriff’s department reiterated today.

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• DNA analysis: Blood found on the porch of Guthrie’s home “came back to Nancy,” Nanos said, and a front-door camera is missing.

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14 min ago

A first deadline in an apparent ransom note has passed. Here’s where things stand

From CNN staff

The fifth day of Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance has nearly passed – but investigators are still working hard following leads as the family continues to plead for help in finding their beloved mother.

Investigators are looking for any video surveillance in an area with dense vegetation and limited lighting as they work against the clock to find Guthrie, whose heart condition adds another level of anxiety in their search. Meanwhile, authorities are working to determine if several ransom notes distributed to media outlets are legitimate, leaving a son begging for contact as the first deadline has passed. A person was also arrested for a different, illegitimate ransom threat, according to authorities.

Here’s the latest on Guthrie’s disappearance:

• Son sends new message asking for contact: Camron Guthrie, one of Nancy Guthrie’s children, posted a video on his sister’s Instagram today after a 5:00 p.m. deadline, asking for the person or persons who sent the ransom note to reach out, saying “we want to hear from you.”
• New details on alleged ransom letter: TMZ founder Harvey Levin said the alleged letter indicated Nancy Guthrie is “OK, but scared.” The letter also said the Guthrie family would have no way of contacting their mother, and the sender or senders went to great lengths to stay anonymous, Levin said. A California man was charged today after he sent an illegitimate ransom threat to the Guthrie family, officials said.
• Front door camera missing: Nancy Guthrie’s front-door camera is missing, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said, after it detected a “person on camera” at 2:12 a.m. There is no video from those early morning hours, and it’s not clear if it was a person who triggered it, he said.
• Investigators face challenges in the investigation: While resources have poured into Tucson to help find the 84-year-old grandmother, officials still have significant challenges, including difficult terrain, sparse evidence, no identified person of interest and the unknown origins of the alleged ransom letter. The FBI, which is jointly investigating with the sheriff’s department, deployed more agents — including crisis negotiators — and a Tucson Sector Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue team has also joined the search.
• Sheriff holds onto hope Nancy Guthrie is alive: Despite the difficulties authorities face, Nanos still believes Nancy Guthrie is alive, and said investigators are hoping their big break in the case will come soon.