FBI Makes 1st Arrest Related to Savannah Guthrie Mom’s Abduction Case After the Host Pled Her Kidnappers to ‘Bring Her Home’

February 6, 2026 3oliver

FBI Makes 1st Arrest Related to Savannah Guthrie Mom’s Abduction Case After the Host Pled Her Kidnappers to ‘Bring Her Home’

Jason Pham

Thu, February 5, 2026 at 7:34 PM UTC

4 min read

The investigation continues into the disappearance of Today host Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie, but the FBI just made their first arrest related to the case.

FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Heith Janke announced at a press conference on February 5 that a suspect was arrested in connection with the fake ransom note sent to news outlets on February 3, which the FBI later denied the validity of. “We have made one arrest related to an imposter ransom demand, and a complaint will be presented to a magistrate judge later today,” Janke said. “You will get more on that from the FBI and our U.S. Attorney’s office here in Arizona when it becomes available.”

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He continued, “There’s no evidence to connect this to Nancy’s case. It was someone that was trying to profit off it.”

Janke also issued a warning against those planning to offer fake evidence as a way to secure the $50,000 reward for Nancy’s whereabouts. “My next message is to those imposters who are trying to take advantage and profit from this situation. We will investigate and ensure you are held accountable for your actions,” Janke said. “This is an 84-year-old grandma that needs vital medication for her well being. You still have the time to do the right thing before this becomes a worse, much worse scenario for you.”

TMZ reported on February 3 that it received an alleged ransom note demanding millions of dollars in Bitcoin for the release of Savannah’s mother. According to TMZ, the note was sent on Tuesday morning and included a specific Bitcoin address for the payment to be sent, which the outlet verified was real.

The FBI’s arrest over the fake ransom note came less than a day after Mary Coleman, an anchor for Arizona’s KOLD 13 News, which also received the note via email, claimed it was “clear after a couple sentences” that it “might not be a hoax.”

“A lot of it is information that only someone who was holding her for ransom would know,” she said in an appearance on CNN on February 4. “Some very sensitive information and things that people who weren’t there when she was taken captive wouldn’t know.”

She continued, “We immediately sent that information over to the sheriff’s department … One of the detectives did get back to us and asked us for some more information so that they can start searching for an IP address, things of that nature, to try and figure out what people are responsible here.”

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Coleman added that the note “included a dollar amount, a deadline” and other dteails that only “Guthrie’s abductor might know, so that definitely raised some red flags.”

The arrest over the bogus note also comes after Savannah and her siblings, sister Annie and brother Camron, posted an Instagram video with a plea to Nancy’s potential abductor. “We too have heard the reports about a ransom letter in the media,” Savannah said. “As a family, we are doing everything that we can. We are ready to talk. However, we live in a world where voices and images are easily manipulated. We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you and we are ready to listen. Please, reach out to us.”

Savannah went on to call Nancy “our heart and our home,” before expressing her concern for her mother’s health “She is 84 years old,” Savannah said. “Her health, her heart is fragile. She lives in constant pain. She is without any medicine. She needs it to survive. She needs it not to suffer,” she said.

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She continued, “On behalf of our family, we want to thank all of you for the prayers for our beloved mom, Nancy. We feel them and we continue to believe that she feels them too. Our mom is a kind, faithful, loyal, fiercely loving woman of goodness and light. She is funny, spunky, and clever. She has grandchildren that adore her and crowd around her and cover her in kisses. She loves fun and adventure. She is a devoted friend. She is full of kindness and knowledge. Talk to her and you’ll see.”

She ended the video with a message to her mother, “Mommy, if you are hearing this, you are a strong woman. You are God’s precious daughter, Nancy. We believe and know that even in this valley He is with you. Everyone is looking for you mommy, everywhere. We will not rest. Your children will not rest until we are together again. We speak to you every moment and we pray without ceasing and we rejoice in advance for the day that we hold you in our arms again. We love you.” She captioned the post, “Bring her home.”

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