New details emerging from the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case have reignited fears that the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie may have died shortly after being abducted. According to investigators, ransom notes sent to media outlets in the days following her disappearance on Feb. 1 contain specific details that strongly suggest they came from the actual kidnappers — including a grim claim that Guthrie had died and was “buried in nature.”

The ransom notes, sent to an Arizona television station and other news outlets shortly after Guthrie vanished near her Tucson home, initially demanded $4 million in Bitcoin in exchange for her safe return. The first note described her as “safe but scared.” However, a follow-up message from the same IP address took a far darker turn, claiming that Guthrie — who suffered from a serious heart condition requiring daily medication — had died. The second note reportedly included a rambling apology about her death and offered to return her body, though it made no further demands for payment.

Investigators close to the case told CBS News that they now believe these notes are legitimate, as they were sent from the same digital source and contained accurate details about Guthrie’s home and the Apple Watch she was wearing when she disappeared. This has led authorities to treat the communications with increased seriousness, prompting renewed efforts to trace the IP address through a series of proxy servers that could potentially identify the senders.

The shift in tone between the two notes has also changed the direction of the investigation. What initially began as a kidnapping probe has increasingly been treated as a possible homicide case, according to ABC News. The claim that Guthrie had been buried has added urgency to the search for her remains, though no confirmed location has been found.

Savannah Guthrie responded publicly to the notes in a heartfelt video posted on social media on Feb. 7. In a noticeably somber tone compared to her earlier pleas, she acknowledged the messages and begged for her mother’s return, stating, “We beg you now to return our mother to us. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”

Additional ransom notes received by TMZ, which the FBI also took seriously, reportedly came from a man claiming to know the kidnappers but insisting he was not involved. One message stated that “time is of the essence,” while a follow-up note chillingly declared that “time is no longer of the essence.” This sender later claimed Guthrie’s body had been buried in Mexico and offered to reveal the location in exchange for a single Bitcoin so he could go into hiding without facing prosecution.

Despite these developments, Nancy Guthrie remains missing nearly five months after her abduction. Authorities have not publicly confirmed any suspects or major breakthroughs. The only known details about the kidnapping come from security footage showing a masked and armed intruder breaking into her Tucson home on the night she disappeared.

While it remains unconfirmed whether Guthrie is alive or deceased, the belief among investigators that at least some of the ransom notes are genuine has added a somber new layer to the ongoing search. The case continues to draw national attention, with law enforcement working to follow every lead in hopes of finally uncovering what happened to the missing woman and bringing those responsible to justice.