Savannah Guthrie appealed directly to those believed to have kidnapped her mother, Nancy Guthrie, on Saturday, saying the family is ready to pay for her safe return as the search for the missing 84-year-old Arizona woman entered its seventh day.
“We received your message, and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her,” she said in a video shared on social media, standing alongside her siblings, reports Breaking News.
“This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay,” reports Breaking News.
The Today show presenter was referencing a message sent to Tucson-based television station KOLD on Friday afternoon, according to Kevin Smith, a spokesperson for the FBI’s Phoenix office.
KOLD confirmed it received an email connected to the Guthrie case via social media that day but declined to disclose details while the FBI reviewed the message, reports Breaking News.
The station was among several media outlets that received alleged ransom messages during the week.
At least one of the letters demanded money and set deadlines of Thursday evening and the following Monday night, reports Breaking News.
During a news conference on Thursday, law enforcement officials declined to confirm whether the letters were genuine but said all leads were being taken seriously.
They added that one of the letters referenced Nancy Guthrie’s Apple Watch and a specific feature of her property, reports Breaking News.
The video released on Saturday marked the third appeal made this week to potential kidnappers.
Investigators believe Nancy Guthrie was taken against her will from her home just outside Tucson last weekend, reports Breaking News.
DNA testing confirmed that blood found on Guthrie’s front porch matched her, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has said. Authorities have not named any suspects or ruled anyone out.
The sheriff said on Friday that he was frustrated a camera at Nancy Guthrie’s home failed to capture images of anyone on the day she disappeared, reports Breaking News.
Investigators determined the home’s doorbell camera was disconnected early Sunday, with software data later showing movement at the property minutes afterward.
However, because Nancy Guthrie did not have an active subscription, the images could not be recovered, reports Breaking News.
“It is concerning, it’s actually almost disappointing, because you’ve got your hopes up,” Mr Nanos told The Associated Press in an interview, reports Breaking News.
“OK, they got an image. ‘Well, we do, but we don’t,’” reports Breaking News.
President Donald Trump, speaking aboard Air Force One on Friday, said the investigation was progressing well.
“We have some clues that I think are very strong,” Mr Trump said, while travelling to his Florida estate, reports Breaking News.
“We have some things that may be coming out reasonably soon,” reports Breaking News.
Investigators returned to Nancy Guthrie’s neighbourhood on Friday.
The sheriff’s department said on social media that access to the road outside the home was restricted to give investigators room to work, and journalists were asked to move on, reports Breaking News.
The Catalina Foothills Association, a neighbourhood group, told residents in a letter that searches in the area were resuming immediately.
“I know we all stand together in our collective disbelief and sadness and greatly appreciate your willingness to speak with law enforcement, share camera images and allow searches of your properties,” the association president said in the letter, reports Breaking News.
The sheriff said on Thursday that investigators have not abandoned efforts to retrieve camera footage.
“I wish technology was as easy as we believe it is, that here’s a picture, here’s your bad guy. But it’s not,” Mr Nanos told the AP, reports Breaking News.
“There are pieces of information that come to us from these tech groups that say ‘this is what we have and we can’t get anymore,’” reports Breaking News.
The sheriff also said he had no new updates regarding the message sent to the TV station or other alleged ransom letters, noting the FBI is managing that part of the investigation.
Meanwhile, concern is growing over Nancy Guthrie’s health, as authorities say she requires daily medication, reports Breaking News.
She is reported to have a pacemaker and a history of high blood pressure and heart problems, according to sheriff’s dispatcher audio published on broadcastify.com.
“Her conditions, I would imagine, are worsening day by day,” Mr Nanos said. “She requires medication. And I have no way of knowing whether they’re getting that medication to her,” reports Breaking News.
The kidnapping has drawn national attention, including from Mr Trump, who said he has directed federal authorities to assist with the investigation.
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