A ransom note regarding the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie, has revealed that the 84-year-old woman is dead, according to law enforcement sources cited by CNN and other news organisations.
The note stated that the kidnappers did not intend to kill Mrs Guthrie, but she died shortly after her disappearance from her home near Tucson, Arizona, in early February. CNN reported that it had learned of the note's contents, while a Tucson TV station reportedly received two notes.
Savannah Guthrie on Tuesday appeared on Today and pleaded for help, tearfully describing her family's agony. She referenced a combined $1.1m reward for information leading to her mother's recovery and the conviction of suspects.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department declined to comment on the note's contents, and the FBI did not respond to requests for comment. Authorities believe Mrs Guthrie was kidnapped after finding blood near her front doorstep; surveillance footage shows a masked man on the porch that night.
Volunteers and search teams have scoured the desert terrain, and a recent search near the Arizona-Mexico border did not find her body.
