Police hope specific detail in Nancy Guthrie ransom notes will help them find kidnappers

It's been six months since Savannah Guthrie's mother Nancy went missing and police have now publicly released the ransom notes in their latest attempt to track down the kidnappers.

There was huge concern and shock after the 84-year-old was first reported to be missing, with it quickly becoming clear that she had been taken from her home against her will in Tucson, Arizona.

Police confirmed that a ransom note had been issued to the family, which includes American broadcast journalist Savannah, who is best known for being the main co-anchor on the TODAY show.

And now, with police seemingly no closer to discovering her whereabouts, The Pima County Sheriff's Department has released them in the hope that a member of the public might be able to identify the 'distinctive linguistic characteristics', as they 'may be recognisable to someone who knows or has interacted with the notes' writer'.

The first note read: "Hello Savannah. We have your mother Nancy. She is safe but scared. She will be held for ransom and once payment is received she will be released unharmed.

"We will be holding her for a maximum of seven days. You will need to send bitcoin in the amount of $4 million USD before 5PM on Thursday the 5th.

"If payment is not received, the ransom will be increased to 6 million USD which will need to be paid by 5PM on Monday the 9th.

"Once payment is received to the bitcoin address below she will be released within 12 hours of deposit to a safe drop off location back in Tucson.

"If payment is not recieved (sic) by the last deadline on Monday the 9th at 5PM, she will be killed. Your mother is aware of this and her life is in your hands. It is in the best interest of everyone to have this completed as soon as possible.

"You will not be able to contact me from here on out, there will be no negotiation. Do not play games, law enforcement will not be able to help you.

"She had a white smart watch on the floor of the foot of her bed and the white flood light in backyard was destroyed."

In a statement issued earlier this week, TV host Savannah addressed the kidnappers for the first time in months, urging them to bring her mother home safely.

She said: "It has been months since our mum was taken from us.

"Our family is in agony. We are in a nightmare that will not end. Nothing about our situation has changed. We have done our part, and we will never stop looking for her. We will always ache for her and feel that hole in our hearts."

She added: "Help us bring this situation to an end. For all of us, no matter where we've been and what we've done, I believe there is always a way home. Please make the right choice."

However, a second ransom note released by police sees the kidnappers claim that Nancy had passed away, as they suggested that the ordeal was too much for her heart to take.

It read: "Guthrie Family. We did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition. We never intended to hurt her, that was not our intention.

"She perished shortly after she was taken. We believe it was heart related. She is buried in nature now.

"Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome. We want your family to know this and hope you all can find peace. We are truly sorry."

In a fresh statement issued on Saturday morning, Savannah spoke about the publicly released ransom notes and the family's hope of bringing their mother home.

She wrote: "Six months ago, someone took her out of her bed in the dead of night. We have lived every moment, every breath, and every heartbeat in agony and despair ever since.

"Every day, we wake up and try to be strong and go on - because that’s what our joyful and resilient Mom taught us to do. But make no mistake - our hearts are in ruins. Cam and Kristine, Annie and Tommy, Mike and me - we spend every waking moment thinking of her, longing for her, looking for her.

"There is a hole inside us that can never be filled. There is an ache that cannot be softened. And there is a determination in us that cannot be quenched - to find out what happened to her, so that we can give her the dignity of a proper goodbye - a celebration of her remarkable life that she so deserves.

"We are begging for help. We are desperate. We need someone to come forward. Someone knows something. Someone suspects something. Someone recognises the writing in the ransom demand notes. "