The disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, a 84-year-old woman from Arizona, has left her family desperate for answers. Six months on, investigators have released two chilling ransom notes, hoping that the distinctive language used by the writer will help catch the kidnappers. While the notes demanded millions of dollars in Bitcoin before later claiming she had died shortly after being abducted, detectives now believe the words themselves may hold the biggest clue.
The notes, sent to a local television station, reveal a writer with a unique style. Every sentence offers insight into the person who wrote them, and experts say that everyone has a unique 'word print', known as an idiolect, which can distinguish one person's writing from another. The heavy use of passive language and structured 'if-then' sentences suggests the writer likely has at least a high school education and possibly some university experience.
Small mistakes could prove significant. The notes contain subtle inconsistencies that investigators are unlikely to ignore. In one section, the writer correctly spells the word 'received' before later misspelling it as 'recieved'. This inconsistency could indicate the writer either isn't confident about the spelling or failed to carefully proofread the message before sending it.
The second note, which arrived four days later, painted a dramatically different picture. By describing Nancy in the third person and saying she 'perished', rather than directly acknowledging responsibility, the writer appears to distance themselves emotionally from what allegedly happened. The unusual phrase 'buried in nature' also stood out to investigators, who believe it could reflect a distinctive way of speaking or writing.
While analysing language is only one part of the investigation, experts say it has successfully helped solve high-profile cases before. The most famous example came in 1996, when authorities published the manifesto of Theodore Kaczynski, known as the Unabomber. His brother recognised the writing style and alerted investigators, ultimately leading to Kaczynski's arrest.
If police identify a suspect in Nancy's case, they will compare known examples of that person's writing with the ransom notes to look for linguistic similarities. However, experts caution that conclusions must be drawn carefully, particularly because the writer may have deliberately altered their natural style in an attempt to avoid detection.
Professor Jeffrey Adler, who teaches the history of American crime and violence at the University of Florida, told the BBC that after six months it 'seems like a stretch' that the case will be solved through the notes alone. Nevertheless, investigators believe making them public offers their best chance of generating new leads.
Savannah Guthrie, Nancy's daughter, made an emotional plea to the public, urging anyone who recognised the language or knew anything about her mother's disappearance to come forward. 'We are desperate,' she said. 'We need someone to come forward. Someone knows something.' For investigators, that remains the hope.
