A letter that came soon after her abduction said that Nancy Guthrie had died in the custody of the kidnappers. Photo courtesy Pima County Sheriff's Department
June 23 (UPI) -- Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today Show host Savannah Guthrie, died soon after her kidnapping in February, according to a ransom note that has just come to light.
A note sent to some media outlets in February said she had died, according to CNN, CBS News and ABC News. Police believe the letter is real. It followed a Feb. 2 ransom note demanding millions. That note gave specific descriptions of Guthrie's home leading police to believe it was authentic.
The second note on Feb. 6 said that Nancy Guthrie, 84, had died, and the kidnappers didn't mean to kill her, police said. It was written in a similar style and didn't make any demands, CBS reported. On Feb. 7, Savannah Guthrie and her siblings posted a video to Instagram that said, "We received your message, and we understand."
Investigators believe the notes came from the same people and that both were likely sent from the same computer IP address, CBS reported.
