Finding Nancy Guthrie: Savannah Speaks Out

Summary

That's So Criminal – "Finding Nancy Guthrie: Savannah Speaks Out"

Date: June 24, 2026
Host: Lyndon Blake
Podcast: That's So Criminal (The Daily Wire)

---

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the latest developments in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, an 84-year-old Arizona grandmother missing since February 1st. The story escalates as details from a second ransom note are publicly revealed, reportedly claiming Nancy’s death was accidental. The emotional response of her daughter, Savannah Guthrie, who is also the host of NBC's Today show, becomes a focal point. The episode underscores the vital role of public attention in missing person cases and features an expert’s commentary on keeping hope alive for a resolution.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Revelation of the Second Ransom Note

• Details Emerge: Major outlets and independent creators confirm that the second ransom note, which surfaced weeks after Nancy’s disappearance, contained language suggesting she had died shortly after the abduction.

  • Quote (Lyndon Blake, 03:33):
    “According to law enforcement sources who spoke with CNN, this second ransom note claimed Nancy Guthrie died shortly after…that kidnapping on February 1st and that her death was not intentional.”

• Tone of the Message: The message’s wording is scrutinized for a lack of genuine apology.

  • Quote (Lyndon Blake, 03:33):
    “Just saying the death was not intentional, that's not exactly saying the same thing as 'I'm sorry.'”

• Renewed Public Focus: The mainstream release of these details has made it one of the nation’s leading stories, placing additional pressure on the investigation and those potentially involved.

2. Savannah Guthrie’s Emotional Statement

• National Platform: For the first time, Savannah discusses the case on the Today Show, expressing the family's agony and appealing directly to the public for information.

  • Quote (Savannah Guthrie via co-host, 05:33):
    “Somebody knows something. And this is a news story today that is on your radar. But this is the life that my sister lives, that I live, that my brother lives, that our extended families live, that our children live every day, and we are in agony.”

• Host’s Reflection: Lyndon Blake highlights that Savannah’s response is not that of a journalist reporting on a story, but as a daughter enduring personal tragedy.

  • Quote (Lyndon Blake, 06:02):
    “She’s reacting as a daughter… For her family, it’s another painful chapter in this nightmare…”

3. The Importance of Public Attention

• Catalyst for Tips: Attention from the public and media can generate crucial leads and maintain investigative pressure.

  • Quote (Lyndon Blake, 06:02):
    “Public attention, it generates tips. It creates pressure for the guilty party, and… brings forward the one person who knows something critical.”

• Family's Plea: Savannah’s earlier appeals underscored the desperate hope for closure.

  • Quote (Savannah Guthrie via co-host, 07:52):
    “We beg you now to return our mother to us… This is very valuable to us, and we will pay.”

4. Case Status: 20 Weeks Later

• Masked Suspect Unidentified: Over 20 weeks have elapsed; the person captured on security footage at Nancy’s home is still unidentified.

• Investigation Continues: Contrary to public perception, passage of time does not necessarily reduce solvability; it can even help.

  • Expert Input – Allison Fay (Jacob Wetterling Resource Center), 09:18:
    “Someone knows something. So the media piece is trying to reach the person who knows that something… Sometimes time can be a good thing. Hope means we move forward. Hope means we act.”

• Reward Remains Available: Savannah reiterates that the more than $1 million reward is still open for anyone who provides information.

  • Anonymous Tips Welcome: The host emphasizes anonymity and the potential importance of even seemingly minor information.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Ransom Note’s Ambiguity:

  • Lyndon Blake (03:33): “Just saying the death was not intentional, that's not exactly saying the same thing as 'I'm sorry.'”

• Savannah's Televised Plea:

  • Savannah Guthrie (05:33): “Somebody knows something. … This is the life that my sister lives, that I live, that my brother lives… we are in agony.”

• The Power of Hope:

  • Allison Fay (09:18): “Hope means we move forward. Hope means we act.”

• Host Summary on Public Role:

  • Lyndon Blake (06:02): “Public attention…generates tips…creates pressure for the guilty party…”

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:19] – Lyndon introduces the grim new ransom note revelations
• [03:33] – Detailed analysis of the second ransom note’s content and its implications
• [05:33] – Savannah Guthrie’s heartfelt public plea on the Today Show
• [06:02] – Host reflection on the personal side of the case and the importance of ongoing visibility
• [07:52] – Playback of Savannah’s response to the second ransom note
• [08:16] – Discussion on why the case is still considered solvable
• [09:18] – Expert commentary by Allison Fay about hope and solvability in missing persons cases

---

Final Thoughts

This episode offers a nuanced, emotional, and timely update on the Nancy Guthrie case. It ­places listeners not just in the shoes of the reporter, but also in those of the family whose pain unfolds in public. With renewed media attention and a substantial reward reminding listeners one tip can bring closure, the host closes by urging anyone with information to come forward, echoing the enduring message: hope and public action remain vital.

Contact tip line: 1-800-CALL-FBI

---

Transcript

[Lyndon Blake]

You know what's crazy? There's actually bread, pastries, even noodles out there that you can enjoy and you don't have that guilt trip of eating junk food. And they're honestly not that bad for you. I'm actually traveling right now, but I have a hero bread box waiting for me back in Nashville and I am genuinely looking forward to getting home and trying everything from their white bread to their everything bagels. Herobred makes products that look delicious while focusing on high quality ingredients, including prebiotic fibers that are good for your gut. Why do you think it's so important to go with your gut? Your gut has to be healthy. Herobred is a breath of fresh air. Their products contain zero grams of sugar and are sweetened with alternatives to traditional sugar. One thing that actually really caught my attention is their seeded bread. It has just 60 calories per serving compared to other brands that have around 110 calories per serving. If you're like me and have to be mindful of nuts, I'm allergic to quite a few. Herobred also offers products like their white bread, spinach and herb tortillas and croissants without nuts. And they don't stop at just bread. They have pasta too. So I can already tell you one of the first things I'm making when I get home is penne al arrabbiata. And if you've got a little sweet tooth, Herobread has options there as well, including treats like their pain au chocolate. If you're looking for a smarter way to enjoy bread, pastries and pasta without sacrificing the taste, join me on this better Bread journey. I'll keep you posted on what I like after I open my box. Herobred is offering 10% off your order, so go to Hero Co and use code dwcrime at checkout. That's dwcrimehero Co.

[Stamps.com Advertiser]

Shipping, Billing, Admin, Payroll, Marketing. You're managing all the things, so why waste time sending important documents the old fashioned way? Mail and ship when you want, how you want with stamps.com print postage on demand 247 and schedule pickups from your office or home. Save up to 90% with automated rate shopping. That's why over 1 million small businesses trust stamps.com go to stamps.com and use code podcast to try stamps.com risk free for 60 days.

[Podcast Co-host]

That's so criminal.

[Lyndon Blake]

New details from the Nancy Guthrie ransom notes have been revealed and the wording is grim. I think whatever was in that note convinced either the FBI or the Guthrie family that they were no longer, regardless of what the notes said in a situation where they were playing for the return of a of a live, unharmed victim. The second note reportedly claims Nancy is dead. How did Savannah Guthrie respond to that information now becoming public?

[Stamps.com Advertiser]

2 notes sent to media outlets regarding Nancy Guthrie's abduction, according to three people familiar with this message.

[Podcast Co-host]

We received your message and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us.

[Lyndon Blake]

And who is behind the mask captured on surveillance video more than 20 weeks after Nancy vanished. She do experts believe the 84 year old grandmother will ever be found. I'm Lyndon Blake and you're listening to that's so criminal.

[Podcast Co-host]

That's so Criminal.

[Lyndon Blake]

This week we have new details about the second ransom note and it's drawing renewed attention to the disappearance of 84 year old Nancy Guthrie. Now, independent creators that blog about true crime have their own YouTube shows. They've been covering this case since the beginning. And one in particular, nerdy addict, reported months ago that that second ransom note contained information suggesting that Nancy was dead. Now this week, major news outlets began reporting similar details. According to law enforcement sources who spoke with cnn, this second ransom note claimed Nancy Guthrie died shortly after after that kidnapping on February 1st and that her death was not intentional. Sources have also described the note as containing what some characterize as some sort of an apology. But when News Nation's Brian Enten shared portions of the message from his sources, many listeners noticed something missing, an actual apology. The message that Brian Enten got from his source said that this was in the note, quote, she died and was buried with nature. Now, the death was not intentional, but looking at the statement as a whole, just saying the death was not intentional, that's not exactly saying the same thing as I'm sorry. By Tuesday morning, this is one of the top stories in the country. Savannah Guthrie, she's been back hosting the Today show since the Monday after Easter. She has remained quiet and not brought this up. She's trying to go back to work as normally as possible. But this morning she addressed the latest developments alongside her co host on the Today show. Coming up, Savannah Guthrie addresses the latest developments in her mother's disappearance on national television. What she said about the newly revealed ransom note and why she says this isn't just a news story.

[Podcast Co-host]

I don't have any comment on this story and not involved in her coverage, but I can't pretend I'm not here. And so since I am, I wanted to just take the opportunity to ask people to really to beg people to come forward. Somebody knows Something. And this is a new story today that is on your radar. But this is the life that my sister lives, that I live, that my brother lives, that our extended families live, that our children live every day, and we are in agony.

[Lyndon Blake]

What's striking here is Savannah Guthrie is not reacting as a journalist. She was covering this story. She's reacting as a daughter. For the public, these details about the ransom note are major developments in a true crime story. But for her family, it's another painful chapter in this nightmare they've been living every day since February 1st, when Nancy disappeared. And while the note's claims can't be independently verified, its release does something important. It puts this case back in front of the public. Investigators often say attention matters. The more people who see the surveillance images and hear the details about this horrific crime and talk about the case, the better the chances are that someone with information decides it is finally time to come forward, finally time to let this family be at peace and have some closure. One thing worth noting, regardless of what investigators ultimately determine, it's important that this case remains in the public eye. Public attention, it generates tips. It creates pressure for the guilty party, and sometimes it brings forward the one person who knows something critical. Now, let's go back to February 7th, the day Savannah and her siblings responded to that second ransom note. So at this point, the family has a total of two ransom notes they've received. And remember, both of the first ransom notes arrived around key ransom deadlines. The first note demanded millions of dollars in bitcoin. The second arrived just before that next deadline. And it appeared from the family's response to it that that second ransom note had some type of finality to it. Here's a part of Savannah's response at that time.

[Podcast Co-host]

We received your message, and we understand. We beg you now to return our mother to us so that we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace. This is very valuable to us, and we will pay. That's so criminal.

[Lyndon Blake]

More than 20 weeks have passed since Nancy Guthrie vanished. So why do experts say this case is still solvable? The answer may come down to one person who knows more than what they're saying. It's hard to believe, but more than 20 weeks have passed now since Nancy Guthrie was reported missing. Missing. On February 1, security cameras did capture a masked individual carrying a handgun outside of her Arizona home in the middle of the night. Since then, investigators, they've worked to identify who was behind that mask and what happened to Nancy. But time, despite what many think, doesn't always hurt an investigation. Sometimes it actually helps. I spoke with Allison Fay with the Jacob Wetterling Resource Center. Listen to what she had to say about why missing persons cases can still be solved months or even years later.

[Allison Fay]

And most of our cases, someone knows something. So the media piece is trying to reach the person who knows that something, whether it's someone who they dated, the person who caused the harm. Right. And now they're not dating anymore. Sometimes time can be a good thing. Hope means we move forward. Hope means we act. And the Guthrie family has been putting their hope into action over and over and over again. And it's inspiring for other families who are, you know, banging their head against the wall as well when it comes to wanting answers.

[Lyndon Blake]

That idea remains central to this investigation. Someone out there knows who was behind that mask. Someone knows something about what happened to Nancy Guthrie. And investigators are hoping that with enough time and enough attention, that person eventually comes forward. Savannah Guthrie says the reward for information remains available. It is still over $1 million. And she wants to make this clear. You can remain anonymous. If you have any information that can help investigators recover Nancy Guthrie or determine what happened to her. The number to contact the FBI is 1-800- call FBI again, a tip you may think is too small, but it's not. Sometimes that smallest piece of information is the one that can break the case wide open. I'm Lyndon Blake, and you've been listening to that's so criminal.