Nancy Guthrie Update: Blood on porch raises doubts over ransom notes; watch here how crime scene expert outlines key issues as mystery deepens

Nancy Guthrie Kidnapping Case: After the full content of two ransom notes emerged in the Nancy Guthrie case, crime scene investigator Sheryl McCollum claimed that they are not real, as, according to her, the tone of these notes was too polite for a real kidnapper.

Journalist Briana Whitney of the “Crime Junkie” podcast first revealed the contents of the ransom notes, one of which claimed that Nancy died shortly after being taken. In a special “Crime Junkie” update, Ashley Flowers and Whitney discussed the latest developments in the case, which included the newly obtained ransom notes and interviews with investigators and experts.

Nancy, the 84‑year‑old mother of “Today” anchor Savannah Guthrie, was reported missing from her home near Tucson, Arizona, on February 1, 2026. Investigators believe that she was likely taken from her home during the wee hours against her will and without her shoes or medication. The investigation into her disappearance has been ongoing for six months, yet she has not been found, and investigators, including the FBI, are still searching for her.

McCollum questions tone of the Nancy Guthrie ransom note

Calling the tone of the ransom notes an early red flag, McCollum, a longtime Atlanta-area CSI, told “Jesse Weber Live," “It starts with a greeting, 'Hello, Savannah.’ That’s not a demand. That’s not urgent.” She further noted that the note spells out details a real kidnapper would not bother explaining, like reassuring the family she is safe but scared. “You go on to explain more things that are obvious,” McCollum said. “But if this was a demand for money, that doesn’t even play into what you’re doing.”

How blood on the front porch came into focus

McCollum said the major issue with the notes lies in the physical evidence that the note overlooks, stressing that investigators, and whoever authored the note, must account for the blood found on the front porch rather than focusing solely on the items found in the backyard. “If everything you did was in the back, how did her blood get on the front porch?” she said. “Explain that.”

The note was not sent until 48 hours after Nancy disappeared, included two separate deadlines and two different ransom amounts, and specified that the money should be paid in U.S. currency, details McCollum said do not align with how a genuine ransom demand typically works. “This gives you two different deadlines to give money and gives you two different amounts. That’s not a ransom note,” she said.

McCollum says ransom notes can hurt the Nancy Guthrie investigation

A second note that emerged later, apparently an apology claiming Nancy had died, struck McCollum as similarly hollow since it stated she died “buried in nature,” a phrase she dismissed by saying, “Everybody’s buried in nature. If you’re buried, you’re in nature. It just does not ring true to me.”

She further stated that the FBI is still working to track down whoever wrote the notes and is scrutinizing the same inconsistencies, including the delayed delivery and the odd ransom figures, while warning that releasing the notes publicly, if they turn out to be real, could complicate the investigation and hurt the family.