The ransom deadline for Nancy Guthrie’s family to pay $6 million to the supposed kidnappers who claim to be holding the 84-year-old hostage ended on Tuesday, 5:30 AM IST.
The Bitcoin account given by kidnappers showed zero balance and zero transactions, according to the New York Post.
Three hours before the ransom deadline, Nancy’s younger daughter and TV show host Savannah issued another desperate new plea for help — “We are at an hour of desperation”.
It’s already been about 9 days since Nancy vanished from her Arizona home. She was seen on January 31, when her son-in-law, Tommaso Cioni, dropped her home after having dinner with him and her elder daughter, Annie.
‘If this was a kidnapping…’: Skepticism over the ransom note
The authenticity of the ransom note has still not been verified by the FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Department. However, with no other lead, the Guthrie family and the cops have treated it as the real deal.
A former FBI agent said he was skeptical of the ransom demand’s authenticity, which reportedly referenced Nancy’s Apple Watch and a floodlight at her home.
“I’m very skeptical of this,” former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker told Fox News. “If this was a kidnapping, it would be a very simple matter to authenticate and provide proof of life.”
“You have to allow for the possibility that this was something more or something other than a kidnapping,” Swecker said.
What did the ransom note say?
The ransom note, which showed up at three news outlets, set two deadlines for different demands — $4 million paid in bitcoin by last Thursday at 7 pm EST, or $6 million to be paid by Monday at 7 pm EST (Tuesday, 5:30 AM IST).
The purported note did not provide any proof of life or images of Nancy. But instead, the note described details about the crime scene in an attempt to corroborate its veracity.
The supposed kidnappers sent a second message on Friday, after the first deadline passed.
Why does the Monday ransom deadline matter?
According to The Postthe ransom note claimed that Nancy would be in danger if the Monday deadline passed without payment.
While the exact contents of the letter remain unclear, NBC News said it included a description of Nancy and reiterated that she could be harmed if Monday’s deadline passed without payment.
Is Nancy still alive?
There has been no proof that ailing Nancy Guthrie is still alive as the daunting ransom deadline passed.
In the latest video, Savannah and her siblings — Annie and Cameron — revealed that the 84-year-old has major heart and walking issues.
“We believe our mom is still out there,” Savannah said. “She was taken, and we don’t know where.”
